Take A Break With 27
24 Jun 2008
After a seriously busy first half of the year I finally find myself at home taking what I like to call my mid-season break or vacation. It only lasted 4 days and any longer I might have been tempted to make it a couple weeks but with my next race, Fitchburg, right around the corner I knew today I needed to get back on my bike. It was a fight to say the least. My legs felt horrible even with a 27-12 cassette. I don't like riding those but when I got my bike back yesterday from the team van in Charlotte, the training wheel they gave me was a 23 cassette. Now I don't know if you know where I live but this isn't 23-11 country. It's compact or 25-12 and on a bad day, it's 27-12. I looked at my director and said, "Are you serious? Come on dude at least give me a 25!" There was no sympathy for me, he said it will make me stronger or cause my legs to blow up! Today I was a wimp on the bike. I did ride 4 hours but it painful. It's true how important rest and a break is but why can't I go back to the way I felt a week ago at Nature Valley when I had some snap and could at least get up over a climb feeling good. I have less then 2 weeks to find some form again and for my sake let's hope it comes around sooner rather than later.
Sucking the wheel of Kristin Armstrong
(click to view larger photo)
Back to the first part of the season. For those of you that don't know I am riding for the Cheerwine Professional Cycling Team. We have been very successful so far this season and are leading the Team NRC (National Racing Calendar). We have raced all across the US since late February of this year and so far our team has been outstanding. We have such a talented group of women that can excel on most any type of course which has made it fun to race for a team of this caliber. My job is primarily domestique (workerbee) so I have to make sure we get our sprinters and climbers to the end of the race safe and able to do their job. It's quite satisfying when the result is a Cheerwine victory and it makes all the hard work worth while.
On the podium at Nature Valley
(click to view larger photo)
It's not to say I don't get my opportunity for results, in fact I have turned into quite an opportunist. At the Joe Martin Stage Race I took advantage of a road race course that suited me well. We already had a girl in the leader's jersey but our team goal was to keep the other teams chasing so I attacked early in the race and ended up on a solo break for 53 miles. That landed me the leader's jersey going into the last day which I held onto for the overall victory and my team won the GC as well so that made it super sweet. Sometimes, it's frustrating to know you can get a better result but your job is to start the lead out train and make it fast for the sprinters or create breaks all day long to wear out other teams so when the climb comes they are tired. Then you see me coming in at 30th or more because I have nothing left for the sprint or the hill. It' part of the job and I have learned to accept it.
Like I said, up the hill!
(click to view larger photo)
It's has been a fulfilling job this year so far and there's tons of racing left. I wish I could remember all the races from the first part of the season but honestly it seems like so long ago. Even Nature Valley which was last Sunday feels like a month ago. Long trips in the team van and sleeping in a new bed every 3 or 4 days has definitely taken it's toll. This week is about drinking beer, riding to burn off the beer and sleeping a lot. Everyone should seriously take a mid-season break, even if you don't think you deserve it. Stay tuned and I will keep you updated on the 2nd half of the season. I am also planning a trip to NASHY the week of July 12th. Hope to see you all while I am in town!