Yep - that hurt.

This weekend's race is a Stage Race (really it's an omnium) were there are 3 separate races that are added together for an overall GC (general classification) result and that is what the awards are based on.

Nothing like a short track race, closely followed by a time trail to make you feel so alive in a extremely painful way. Well, at least you feel alive after the racing is over and your heart rate has come back to a semi-normal rate. Because, if you're doing it right, during the races you think you might just fall over dead because you can't suck enough air in to breathe and your heart is just going to explode, that is if your legs don't fall off first.

The short track loop was about 1 mile long and the race lasted a little over 20 minutes (20 minutes + 1 lap for the leader). While my results won't show anything amazing, I am happy that I wasn't pulled for not keeping a fast enough pace (although at the time I would not have complained) and I stayed on the same lap as the leaders.

Checking the time trial start list after the short track we (Expert/Cat1 women) found out that our start time was just over an hour away. Not enough time to change and recover. So, it's grab a quick snack and keep spinning away. The only good thing is that all the ladies are feeling the same, and... we'll be done with the day's racing all the sooner.

30 second staggers on a 3.5ish mile course and I'm the first one off in my age group, which means everyone else gets to chase me... loverly! My main goal is not to get caught and passed.
On a long straight about 1/2 through I look over my shoulder and I can see Tonya closing in, Oh Shhh....oes! We get back into the single-track, where I have a little advantage, and I just try to keep ahead a Tonya. We get to the finish run and I just keep working hard, crossing the finish line I hear Tonya right behind me. What I didn't know is that Cynthia had caught up to and finished with Tonya. So, although I didn't get caught they obviously had a faster time than me.

The finishing order for both races was the same: 1st Cynthia; 2nd Tonya; 3rd me; 4th Pam.

Tomorrow is another say and another race (cross country). 20 miles and we're all done... for now.

I'm tired and it's time for bed...

Good night.