Experience staching...

Lookout Mountain Hill Climb
Golden, CO
May 5, 2007

Saturday a host of lean road racers lined the streets at the base of Lookout Mtn. Hundreds of cyclists rolled out through the thick clouds and raced for the top.

I'll be honest, this wasn't a race I was excited about. I felt like I was putting in my time, which was a lousy way to go into the event. I raced 31 Cat 4 women, the biggest women's category of the day. The infamous Stephen Illes, Pro CoMotion rider, who had just introduced himself during my warm up, nodded to me at the line. I knew what my job was: go make something happen. It was a big field but I was cocky to think that there was no Cat 4 female who could beat me. This was a VERY poor way to start the race. I know better now.

It took 3 attempts to get clipped into my slippery road pedals. Totally frustrated, I sprinted around the outside of the pack toward the front. I set in behind the front line for .8 mile. Then I made a move that I thought would be unmatched. It wasn't. I attached and about 10 women hung on with me. I kept a steady tempo, coming out of the saddle to pound when the grade got steep. At about 1.4 miles another woman attached. "Up, up!" the pack of ten shouted. About 5 ladies hung onto that attach. I was not among them. There was a tiny window that went by me. I had a split second opportunity to jump. I hesitated. And I missed it. I chased. I was out of the saddle hammering. But it wasn't enough to bridge the gap. I spent the remainder of the climb watching the leaders one curve ahead of me. They were taking pulls. They were working together. I was unmatched to them. In the process I allowed another girl or two past me. I finished 9th with a time of 25:46.

Maybe my second time up Lookout Mtn will be faster.

Road Racing, when will I ever understand you??