San Pedro Grand Prix – Father’s day June 19, 2011

For this race we had just me (Lisa) and Pam. Helen’s had a full team out as did SDBC, and the young, and strongTibco team of sisters Kendall and Alexis Ryan. A few other solo riders were out and the field was pretty decent. I was sad that more of us weren’t there…and I tried to bribe PC and Bea to show up…but it didn’t work.

Our pre-race meeting (which I eat up like candy…hanging on every word) was basically Pam telling me that there is only two of us, and our job is to cover things…and save our energy by letting someone else make the first move when covering an attack and then getting on that wheel. So my question “what about us attacking”…was met with a resounding “No”…not when there is only two of us.

The beginning of the crit was fairly uneventful. I think everyone was just trying to get a feel for the course which does have a nice hairpin uphill turn after the finishing straight and then a long  back straightaway that leads into a steep turn layered with some cobblestones. Attacks would happen here and there, with some making a bit of a gap. Pam’s instructions were to not chase one person down…so I (for the most part) let those go.  However there was enough activity that I felt like I was always on the gas…chasing something…bridging to something…and luckily Pam was there doing her share of covering attacks and I had some gentle reminders from some of the Helen’s girls “not to chase Pam down”. I got so excited a few times I forgot to calm down. We had Tibco go up the field, we had  few Helen’s attacks, SDBC was doing some work too.   But nothing stuck…and I tried to chase what I could… and hoped it ws the right move I was making!

The only thing that made my tired legs feel better was that I could hear everyone else breathing hard…except for the Ryan sisters…who I think, had the same plan as me and Pam. Sit tight, and cover attacks if necessary. However, they were cool as cucumbers and I never saw them make the first move on an attack so I knew they were just waiting to go. SDBC launched a way too early attack that took some energy out of me…and then it was suddenly one lap to go. It’s no secret I am not going to win a field sprint…and I definitely did not want to go into that last turn with the pack all bunched up…so into that hairpin uphill turn I went as hard as I could and kept going until that darn last turn, when the Tibco girls went around me and in my state of feeling like I could vomit at anytime…I looked for Pam…one, two, three four girls…then I saw Pam…and I thought “crap”…but of course Pam is Pam and she easily (well, she made it look easy) took that line for 2^nd. (Kendall Ryan won, she had a good gap into the cobblestone turn). Yay! Thank you Pam for your awesome finish!

My parents have lots of picture with me in what I call my “ugly face”.  I was fricking beat!  I always learn something from our races..and in the post race pow wow I was happy to hear Pam say that it was a-okay to go out like that on the last lap because it kept the race safe (another favorite of mine, the words ”safe” and “crit” in the same sentence.). I also learned how much I have become  dependent on my teammates. Not just because I watch and learn from them in the races…but because I gather strength, confidence and calmness from them before the race and on the line. I missed having all my girls there…but boy was I grateful that Pam was there to mentor and support…as she always does.

The Bakersfield Weekend...journal from the inside! 6/4-6/5

This isn’t so much of a race report…but a report about being at the race and all the exciting and dramatic events that happen behind the scenes. I was lucky enough to be rooming with Bonnie and Pam on Friday night since we were the only ladies doing the “granny” (otherwise known as Masters) race on Saturday.

I knew I was in a bit of trouble when Pam called me just as I was leaving and told me her and Bonnie were already there. Because the next words were….”we are getting ready to break open the wine”…In my head I saw the bottles of 2 buck Chuck being corked while Pam and Bonnie jumped up and down on the beds…with Bonnie’s dog Rusty watching…

Sure enough, when I got there…I was right! In the trash was a bottle of 2 buck chuck and there were Pringles, a loaf of Tillamook Cheddar, and various candy wrappers scattered about the room.  Pam left  to go to Del Taco for some pre-race carbs. It seemed like it was taking Pam awhile to get back from Del Taco…then, lo and behold Bonnie gets a phone call from her. Her room key was not working…or maybe she was at the wrong room. We’ve all done that before..you know there are no numbers on those silly key cards. But actually Pam was just across the way at the wrong hotel…

When Pam got back to the right hotel…she walked in smiling…carrying a big fat burrito and said “I was sliding the card in every door, going up and down the hallway, thinking, why isn’t  this working”.

Opting for something that wasn’t going to cause me severe GI distress (and an unenjoyable race for anyone behind me on the bike Saturday) Bonnie and I went to get pizza. I have never seen someone who can eat, get ready for bed and be asleep before I even sat down with my food…but Bonnie did it..she got in bed, her dog crawled under the covers and they were out like a light. I hate sleeping, but after Pam put her eye mask on and was out too…I had to do the same. I had no one to talk to. Even the dog was ignoring me.

I will spare you the details from Saturday…I’m sure Bonnie’s report will have all the info..but let’s just say that I learned a lesson about NOT chasing after your teammate’s wheel and bringing the damn peloton with you…sorry about that Pam. Yes, I did shed a few alligator tears after the race, but I did it in the privacy of some back lot somewhere after the race. Then Pam and Bonnie cheered me up and entertained me for the rest of the day. Actually, Bonnie pretty much slept the whole  day, as did her dog Rusty. Pam…well…Pam helped me re-hash that race over and over until I finally stopped feeling bad about it. By the time dinner rolled around I was ready to focus on Sunday and stop worrying about Saturday.

Speaking of dinner, when I left the room in search of somewhere to buy Epsom salts for my aching “granny” legs Pam was breaking into the Doritos’s…or the Pringles, not sure which. Never have  I seen someone so strong and consistent a racer as Pam…and now  I saw the “fuel” she used... I was even more impressed, and frankly, a little scared…I was reminded of something Pam said right before Barry Wolfe, when we were talking about warming up. I believe it was something like, “The only time I ever warmed up before a race it was the worst race I ever had.” See…scary.

Sunday was definitely a better day for our team. PC, Bea and Dennis had arrived late Saturday night. I know what they ate for dinner because PC texted me pictures of Chicken and Waffles. I don’t really understand that whole combo…but I did wake up James (who had arrived later on Saturday) to show him the pics and he mumbled something like “yum” and that was the last I heard from him til the next morning. Dotsie and Ruth arrived early Sunday and we were ready to rock and roll!!!!!

Again, I will spare you most of the details of the race, but I can’t leave out one part…(sorry PC). After having several awesome moves throughout the entire day, PC was off the front again coming into the hill. About half way up we could see her…then she took a right hand turn, where there wasn’t a right hand  turn. At least not on the course we were on. I heard a few ladies, kind of laugh and say “Oh, PC, that silly girl”…However…I really didn’t think she was taking a wrong turn on purpose.  I yelled her name…but she kept climbing…the wrong way. We had some fun in the peloton…figuring out if PC was kidding or not..but when I looked back, I swear the look  I saw on her face did not look like someone who was kidding. Well, at least she had a nice downhill to get  back on the course. And as we all know, the race went beautifully for us, and we won! When I saw Ruth go, and get over 20 seconds…I knew she was going to TT her way home…

What did I learn this last weekend? Pam has the strongest GI system of anyone I know and something other than blood must run through her veins…Bonnie’s dog LOVES to sleep. (He slept on the front seat of James’s car throughout the whole race), PC needs a compass…Bea and I had really sore asses and need a constant infusion of chamois cream supplied to us throughout the race…Dotsie knows more people than God and Ruth can fricking fly!!!!

Disclaimer: No names have been changed to protect the innocent…all joking is done with nothing but love and admiration for all of you

Southern California/Nevada Elite Road Race Championship - 6/5/2011

It has been said “Everyone has the will to win, but few have the will to prepare to win.”  Coach Bobby Knight

We prepared to win the State RR in our meeting lead by Pam and that's what we DID!!!  Every SC Velo rider on the course did their part to deliver Ruth to the finish line and this is how it played out:

Lap 1 - The attacks started very quickly with Bonnie and NOW rider up the road and when that came back, Pam was up the road with another NOW rider.  Then Lisa went with NOW….followed by PC on a solo break.  Bonnie attacks just as PC is being brought back into the pack so NOW, Bonnie and La Grange are up the road.

Pam away with NOW rider

Ruth capturing the "bear"!

Dotsie taking the field sprint for 3rd with Bea and Pam following (4th and 5th)

Lisa covering critical moves!

Lap 2- Lisa attacks and Melina from La Grange follows, this break comes back and PC goes like “Hussein Bolt”, she holds it 2/3 up the climb where she decides to carve out a more difficult route to the top.  The pack decides to play it safe and stay on course where Coryn Rivera attacks three times, Dotsie covers them all to then do her own attack towards the top of the climb.  She gets caught on the decent.  The group splits a bit on the decent where Lisa and Ruth stay back with La Grange while Pam and Bea get up the road in a small break.  Lisa and Ruth let the La Grange girls' chase on and just as they catch the lead group ahead……… Ruth takes a flyer on the inside and gets up the road.  Melinda from La Grange tries to catch on the train but chases to the finish line to capture 2nd.  Meanwhile, in the pack the fireworks are ensuing with Kendall Ryan, Coryn Rivera and Julia from NOW shooting off the attacks.  The TEAM covers them all which sets Dotsie up nicely to win the field sprint with Pam and Bea right behind.



What a day……

Southern California/Nevada Master’s Road Race Championship - 6/4/2011

This year’s Championship Road Race once again took place on the same course in Bakersfield as the previous three years.  The course consisted of a challenging 31 mile loop with an estimated three mile climb, screaming decent, with some rollers to the false flat finish.  What differed from the past years race was the cow sized pot holes located on the back side of the course that lead up to the climb.  The race officials gave fair warning prior to the race start, however, I had no idea the road would be as debilitated as it was.  Fortunately Masters Racers tend to be wise in their years and more often than not choose safety over stupidity, and none of our field was casualty to the road conditions.

The Women’s race was approximately 40 riders deep with categories of 35+, 45+ and 55+ all combined for the start.  The race started out with a comfortable tempo for the first five miles until we made the first right turn which lead us toward the climb.  The pace remained steady yet comfortable as we crossed numerous cattle guards and dodged land mines in the pavement.  At the base of the climb the pace picked up slightly, but the main field remained in tack.

After the screaming decent, our plan was to launch a number of attacks to tire the competition, which consisted of riders from Helen’s racing team, La Grange and Colivata.  Pam Schuster served the first of several blows to the field.  Once Pammy was reeled in, I took a turn with the whip, all while our faithful Lisa protected the front of the peleton and chased down anything that chased us. 

Once we made the final right turn onto the finishing stretch, the field was completely strung out for the dash to the finish line and those who played their cards right and who were patient were the ones who found victory today.

Melina Bernecker from Herbalife/LaGrange won the 35+

Linda Stark from Dude Girl won the 45+

Linda Schnepf from Simple Green won the 55+