Claires Report

Great turn-out for the team today: Lindsay, Cathy, and Brenda in the 3s race, Tanya and Denise in the 4s, me stuck in the 1/2s, and Heather in the feed zone!

This was my first time racing Pescadero, and even though I was bobbing and weaving as I finished my third lap, delirious and seeing stars, I cant wait to do this race next year!!! I love love love the course. So beautiful!

Based on my experience at Berkeley Hills and the fact that I havent even completed a 75 mile training ride this year, let alone a 75 mile race, I had planned to stay with the fast girls for as long as possible (survive on the climbs) for a good workout and then pack it in after being dropped (what happens to Claire as soon as the road goes vertical).

The pro 1/2 women were stone cold chillin on the first section of flats, going SO SLOW. When the first section of climbing started (Stage Road), I was suffering more than anyone and was just barely able to grab a wheel that hauled me over the top. Okay, cool. Then a super fun descent and some more SUPER slow riding. And a pee break!!! Then the racing starts again after the feed zone and heading up to Haskins summit. Now this hill is significantly steeper and Im in deep doo-doo. Popped off the back Big Style. Over the top, I put it back in to the big ring and descend like a banshee, catch a girl, then another, then another, and we have a group of four that works together and catches back on!!! Im pretty stoked to be in the main group, and we do some more SUPER SLOW riding past the high school and out onto our 2nd lap.

Im not making this up: On the 2nd lap I did not get dropped on the Stage Road climbs. This is a mystery to me. I will think on it.

More mellow riding out on the highway, and pretty soon the cat 3 women pass us, on their way toward the finish line. I see Brenda and Lindsay are in the lead group and looking STRONG!!!! (And cute). I get perma-grin for a few minutes: Go NorCal!

Then comes Haskins again and I am truly dropped. But I am motivated to catch back on, so I work work work and descend like crazy again. I catch one girl....then another....and we have a group of three as we pass the high school. Im torn because I really want to finish the race but all the other girls have now finished....and will prolly want to go home. (Turns out they were having a little picnic in the warm sun!) I make the decision to finish the race.

I am not strong enough to stay with the 2 girls Ive caught. Damn. So I finish the last lap alone...hence the bobbing and weaving. I kinda bonked near the end! So I finished up (Haskins the 3rd time was excruciating) and got a ride back down the hill. I guess I must have been out there on that 3rd lap forever and a day, cuz the girls went out looking for me! This reminded me of a time, almost 10 years ago, when I went to Pine Flat road race and took so long to finish the race that my ride assumed I had already gone back to the hotel. So after a 60+ mile race I had to ride back to the hotel in Fresno.

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