Schababerle Road Race Report

After losing my job on Thursday, I was in full blown freak out mode by Friday. I wasn't sure how I was going to fill up my days and hours. My mind was full of questions - why? how? I was totally blindsided.

I went running in the woods for an hour and a half after hitting up a lunchtime meeting, then met Christa for a kick ass weight session at the Y. Afterward we had dinner and I was able to forget about my worries for a bit.

After a morning meeting on Saturday, I went riding w/ Chip and it was cold and windy. After 18 miles, we ducked into Starbucks and stayed there for an hour. I made the 15 mile trek home, after climbing some insane hills near Mt. Lookout sq. Later we met up with Christa for some dinner in Clifton. Thank GOD for good friends!












All week long, I'd been hearing about this legendary race course, and how brutal the course was, especially the climb. Some of the hardest guys I know were talking about it on Facebook and it got my curiosity going, even though I said I wasn't going to race road this year. I felt this need to really suffer and feel some physical pain.

Annie Mac didn't have a hard time talking me into racing late Saturday night and even agreed to drive. Sunday morning, we had a dusting of snow on the ground and it was 27 degrees with 20MPH winds. The sun was shining and I was optimistic the snow would be gone by the start of the race at noon.













At the start, there were 17 women. I love the 1st few miles of a road race, we sound like a whole bunch of cackling old (but FIT) hens. I caught up with a few ladies from last year for about 4 miles, and then we turned right. The course marshal yelled, "It's all uphill from here ladies, GOOD LUCK!"

(Thanks Dave, for the elevation profile)












I knew the climb was long, and a few girls just went for it. I wasn't going to blow up in the first 1/4 mile of the hill, knowing it was a few miles long. Sure enough, not even halfway up, girls were stopped. One girl looked like she was teetering over. Poor Amanda snapped her derailleur cable and was out. I rode past her and just kept going, on the wheel of her teammate, Candy. We had a false flat, a fun descent and then the hill continued up, up and up and finally we were at the top. My lungs were on fire and my chest was starting to close up. The coughing started.

I continued to ride behind Candy, and pulled up next to her, offering to pull. No answer. I yelled at her again, "You wanna work together?". No answer. So I just pushed past her and kept riding, up and down hills, all alone, until I could see a couple of girls ahead. It was Annie Mac and another girl, and I worked hard to bridge up. I was coughing and spitting and snot was dripping out of my nose and Annie asked if I had my inhaler, which was a big fat no. So they pulled me the rest of the 1st lap and when we got to the flats I said I could pull, feeling bad for sucking wheel so much. Annie insisted I just hang.

Once we made the turn into the climb, I knew I would lose them. I was thinking I would DFL because my chest was on fire and I couldn't stop coughing. I continued up the hill, alone, passing a Cat 5 guy, and once at the top, I screamed "AHHHHHH!".

The finish line was staged at the top of this hill, and all kinds of people were watching from there. Jeff, the photographer, was there and he yelled, "Smile!" as I heaved my way up.

















The 2nd lap Candy caught me and we worked together. I was still coughing and spitting and blowing snot like crazy. She had said she couldn't hear a thing in the wind and that's why she didn't answer me before. We rode that loop together, and then once we turned into the climb, my chain popped off. I told her to go ahead and popped it back on, making the climb alone. I never caught her again although she was in my sight.

I was DYING.

I lost my chain a total of 3xs (Ron, I need a new chain and cog!) during the race. I rode the 3rd lap alone, passing another Cat 5 guy who wanted to get all fucking Chatty Cathy on me, telling me it was his 1st race, blah blah blah. Christa was driving the lead car for the 1/2 men and rolled up next me, screaming out of the window "YOU ARE LOOKING GREAT!!". The lead men were only two, and they almost ran me off the road. The cat 5 men had more manners, calling "on your left", and then "thank you". I passed up Jaime, Annie Mac's teammate, who had some bad cramping problems, and I yelled out "COCONUT WATER!" at him after seeing him walk his bike up the hill, suffering from bad cramps.

On the last climb, I wanted to get off my bike so bad. The last few feet of the hill, where it was sooooo fucking steep, everyone was at the top, watching. I crossed the finish line, and basically keeled over. I couldn't even ride back to the car. Annie Mac hitched a ride with her friend, and I threw my bike on Christa's bike rack, and we met back at the start.

I got 4th out of the 7 cat 3/4 women that started. Two were DNF's. I beat a few of the 1/2/3's by several minutes though which felt really good. Not a bad way to start the season, but why am I always missing the podium by ONE place??? SOOO frustrating!!

We got burritos at Habanero's after the race and chowed. What a great day, and a great way to get my mind off the really fucked up state my life is in right now.