8.17.2010

002 Tour De Millersburg

Background. I've dabbled in road racing for a couple years. This year I decided to step it up a notch. A small notch, but a notch non the less. This is was my first stage race. It was close to home with a category 4 women's field. I've heard nothing but good things about this race from my husband Bad Andy, which means all signs are a go. Millersburg is a small Pennsylvania town located at the foothills of the Appalachian Trail along the Susquehanna River just north of Harrisburg. 
 
The race is well organized with one of the best goodie bags I've received. Check out this rad Knife. 


TT started on Main Street and traveled north 5 miles that was downhill and flat to a u-turn and back uphill and false flat, for a total of 10 miles. Looking back at my time I was way to conservative. I really didn't know how hard to push myself at the start. I didn't blow, but maybe had a little to much left at the finish. I did it in the drops with the only aero thing on me being some badass booties BA gave me. 17th outta 24 riders I'll take it for my first TT ever.
 
The Criterium took racers around the high school in the eastern portion of town where large shade trees lined the streets. The course had a large hill for a crit that according to one of the volunteers was called Heartbreak Hill because "it just keeps going". The hill did just keep going with first a left turn and then a right turn until finally you turned right again for the screaming decent. The Cat 4 women's field was shattered from the second lap. My mistake came at the first corner after the start / finish. I couldn't get that thing dialed, So second time through I found myself near the back at the start of the hill when things got crazy. I tried with all my might passing a few riders to get back to a small group and the draft, but the legs just didn't have it. So what's a racer to do when in this position, what any good crosser would do. Ride as hard a possible and work on those turns. By the end I had that first turn dialed. 18th outta 24 riders. I got some speed work and realized I corner like a crosser and not a roadie. I need to work on that.
 
Bad Andy had an awesome crit in a stacked 123 Men's field, that boy knows how to ride. He stuck it out even when legit dudes where getting blown. Props to fellow C3 - Athletes Serving Athletes teammate Jameson for the solo win in the 3/4 Men's field. 
 
The Road Race was rolling hills in the rain. I was expecting scattered thundershowers, but instead there were steady showers combined with decent downpours during the 8am race. I didn't even bring a rain coat. Feeding during the Men's 123 Race was scary to say the least. A flat fast section directly after a turn is not an ideal feed zone, but I got BA a bottle with no problems on lap 3 and breathed a sigh of relief. A couple of broken spokes on the rear wheel pulled Bad Andy out of the race a lap early. The potholes weren't huge but one section of road was pretty bumpy. 
 
When the Cat 4 Women started at noon the rain was still coming down. I was in survival mode. This was my first rainy road race. I followed wheels the entire race finding myself at the back for a good portion of the race. Since I wasn't confident into the final turns I decided not to mix it up in the sprint just happy to finish covered in grime and satisfaction. Somehow I lost my bike computer off my fork and an earring out of my right ear along the course, probably the same section of road that claimed BA's wheel. 18th outta 24 again. 
 
I was determined to finish this stage race. I would have liked a little better placing than 20th overall, but I rode hard and hopefully will learn from my mistakes. Now if I could just find that aggression I bring to the cross course on the road. I'll be back next year Millersburg.

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