Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda

I coulda gotten 3rd if I didn’t start sprinting at the 1K marker.
I shoulda had a better game plan with one of the girls.
I woulda gotten in the break if I checked which gear I was in sooner.

If you’re not the winner these three words go through your head for a while—especially if you do a bonehead move like I did at the Hopkins Crit.

Saturday was the 1st Annual Sprinters Classic in Marty. It was hard to say if it was a good course because the wind was about 10,000 knots. OK not quite that bad—but it was windy. On a serious note, it was a really good course promoted by Mike Delaney.

Our first lap was slow. No attacks. We were just trying to figure out the course. Amy (Silver) attacked on a hill, but was more or less stretching her legs and came back to the group. We had tailwind for the final stretch so Barb led Kristi Kreme over the first finish line. Kristi took the flier for about 3 miles before she sat up and came back to the group. About ½ mile later Amy attacked again and held the attack for the remaining 12 miles. My role was to play Dominique, let Amy take the win and go for 2nd place. Knowing that Amy had a good lead, I was getting tired of the group taking the hills so slow, so I attached on the feed zone hill. I know, I know—the feed zone is the neutral area—but come on! Kristi jumped on my wheel and we sprinted for a while pulling the lead group apart and losing a couple of girls. A 3 mile sprint wouldn’t have been so bad if the headwind wasn’t so crazy and if one of our girl’s wasn’t up ahead. We sat-up and let the other girls pull us to the line. At the 1K mark I jumped and started the attack to the finish line. I should’ve sat in for a little longer and I would have gotten 3rd place. I lost by a tires width. I guess I’m not too disappointed by my result. I was trying to outsprint a track racer at a max speed of 37.5mph and I attempted my first bike throw. I hope Andy Frye doesn’t put it on bikethrow since I didn’t win the throw down and I wasn’t in a good throwing form.

Can you believe she won the Sprinters Classic looking like this?

Sunday was the Hopkins Crit. What a great course. Flat, short, great corners, and fast! After the first lap and a half I was trying to figure out why I was having a hard time. I looked down and I was in my middle ring!! By the time I realized what was wrong and fixed my mistake the lead group of four jumped. I tried to attack but the girls behind me hung onto me like a wet noodle. I attacked everywhere, but unpronounced my cohort had another plan and didn’t do anything to help my pursuit. With 5 laps left I gave up and did a sharp right turn to get everyone off my wheel who has been sitting there for 10 laps, causing the train behind me to be in disarray—that’s what they get!

I felt like Robbie McEwin banging my head this weekend for a finish.