Sara's Race Report, Watsonville Crit, Cat 4 women (Open Women) - today.
The short of it. I finished. A bullet point - those young women sure have a kick, and they are
very aggressive. The pack was about twenty riders, give or take a couple. I recognized most of the gals from the other races I've been in. I was EASILY three times the age of the majority of them.
We had to wait 40 minutes for our start, which was delayed by a previous race. That did wonders for my warmup. I didn't loose it completely, though. It was windy. There was a 15 MPH wind blowing down California street, and the wind was to be a factor on most of the other sections of the course, as well.
We were given a one lap warm up, which I used as an opportunity to move to and stay at the front (outside front row). The start was neutral, motor paced for one lap and then released. Two gals were very aggressive in grabbing the bumper of the pace van, and then others moved up there and pushed me further to the outside. When the race started, the pace came right up, and I was ready for that. I wasn't ready for shoves I was given to the outside, and I found myself riding in the gutter at 22 MPH. I dropped off a bit to the middle of the pack, and then sat up for the first turn, a right hander. I was immediately pushed off my line by a gal who dove in on me, and I had to back off even further, or I'd have been into the curb. I matched the acceleration of the pack off that corner, but I was very aware I'd have to find a way to rest, and soon. I held my line through the next turn, that 130 degree left hander. I was still mid pack all the way around on that first lap, but I was red lined and suffering. The hill moved me to the back of the pack, but I stayed in contact. I even moved up a couple of places after that rise, mainly because I was willing to hold my speed through the corners where as others were slowing for the drainage culverts (they were not an issue, I discovered very quickly). However, when we got to the hill/rise on the second lap, I blew and went OTB. I tried to bridge back up after collecting myself, but - no way.
In the end, I was lapped FOUR times. Four. It's tough to stay out in the wind on your own for an hour like that. I did realize on a couple of occasions that I had some wheel suckers with me, once for three whole laps. One said to me when she'd finally recovered and passed me "you have good lines through the corners". Gee. Thanks.
I did 32 of 34 laps, only because the race ended for me there. I was given a finish. I don't think I was DFL, only because (I think, I'm not sure) two or three riders didn't finish.
I came away WANTING MORE. Yes, I am outclassed, outgunned, and out skilled. So what. I'll come around.
Here's the Lie Detector.
Here's the results.