REGBRAI 2008

I just returned from REGBRAI and all I have to say is: I love Iowa!

Can you imagine Minnesota hosting an event were 20,000+ people take over the roads and every town along the way for a week and the community welcomes them with open arms? I’m just amazed. Everyone of our hosts (including the neighbors) were so excited to have a team at their place and would open their doors for whatever you needed like letting us pitch tents in their backyards, use their bathrooms, shower, use their towels (if needed), even sometimes make us dinner.

REGBRAI is very much a cultural event. You forget about everything, worry about nothing, and just live in the moment—we will get there, you will have fun, we will eventually find the rest of the team. The first half of the first day was realizing this concept and just letting go.

The people you meet along the way or on your team really shows no matter who they are or what their profession is, at the core we are all the same. Some took the experience to a different level…but it’s up to the individual to set their own ethical behavior. It’s always fun to meet someone there, form an opinion about them based on your first impression (which is never good) and then realize that they are totally the opposite. The creativity of an individual or team is by far the best! You need to be there to see it.

The team dynamics was fun to experience. We instantly became a frat house; Inside jokes, one liners, and camaraderie between each other started as soon as the bus showed up on the first day. With 15+ people it was amazing how arguments and disagreements never occurred.

Now it’s time to get back to reality (deadlines and responsibilities). The longer you’re there the longer it takes to get back to normal. They call it the “REGBRAI Blues”.

Le Madonna is ready!

Last night I stopped by the shop for the ladies group ride and took out the Madone for its inaugural ride. It doesn't feel like home yet, but has great potential. The front derailleur and the seat were giving me troubles—but that didn’t stop us from riding. We did the Super Prime/144/117 loop backwards. I’ve only done this route one way so it was fun to see it from another perspective. Those that have ridden the route know about the railroad tracks on the route. With, now the older bike, it was—how can I say it—not a very comfortable part of the route. With the Madone—it felt more like a bump. It was so nice!

I’ll have to get used to a compact system. The hold dinner setting—main course, salad, and desert plate—is now down to just the main course and salad plate. As one of my Hellion girls said last night “Girl, you need to get off the training wheels.”

The wheels also were a huge upgrade. From the lower end Bontrager set to the Race Lite set. I noticed the difference in the corning ability—now I just have to work on getting more confidence in myself. I can’t even imagine what a higher end wheel set are like—no wonder those guys and girls are fast!

I leave for REGBRAI tomorrow morning. I can’t believe it’s already here. I haven’t even trained properly for this ride. HELP—my liver is not ready! Last year I did the 2nd half. Less miles more partying. This year I’m doing the 1st half (70-80 miles per day). Which doesn’t mean there is less partying, just getting to the camp site a whole lot later then the 2nd half. Did I mention, Miller Light is sponsoring our team? I’m only doing three days of riding—I don’t know how someone does a entire week!

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.

Le Madonna

It's coming!

It’s only going to make me stronger

I met up with the Trailhead group last night. 17 riders—6 out of the 8 RAAM TSH riders were there. Winds were from the west at 15-20mph. 63 miles including riding from and to Carol’s house averaging 20mph for the group ride. It was nice to be back in a group that isn’t squirrely and who knows how to ride a paceline.

My legs have never hurt so bad this season as they do right now. I know, it’s only going to make me stronger. I'm not use to the long miles this year.

Thanks Dave and John for bring be back up to the group.

Jorge must’ve been got caught by the paparazzi last night since he wasn’t at the group ride. Hey Jorge—Who is your pick for the TDF?

Northfield, Spam Jam, and Hamel

What a holiday weekend. I met up with 2 of the 3 H-wood Hellions on Friday to head to the Northfield Crit. As part of my family duties I was dog sitting my sister’s little trouble maker Marley. She’s a 13 pound Shitzu maltese. Marley probably had more fun at the race then any of us. Belly rubs, ear scratches, treats, and yes even snagged some beer from those that were not watching—she is known in the family as the booze hound. You know how some dogs look like they are smiling? She was ear to floppy ear with a grin the entire weekend.

I’ve never raced in Northfield, but I heard it was a great course with a hill. The weather was nice (a little headwind on the backside). This was the first day race that us Cat 4 women had a later start—we usually race at about 9am. A number of locals seemed interested in the race asking us how it worked. I got a couple of guys from the bar to come out and watch and even got a police officer to turn his sirens on for us as we raced!

The first right turn was the hill which instantly broke the group apart. As the race progressed we had three groups that formed—I was in the last group, which if you ask any of the 6 of us it was like we had our own little race going on. On lap 6 and 7 I took a flyer. I knew that with 7 to 8 laps left I wouldn’t last but I needed to figure out the corners and my recovery points. I was losing so much momentum on the right turn up the hill and not able to find my grove. I’m glad I did—the race started to get fun at that point. The last lap didn’t start to get crazy until we made the last right turn for the straightway. We all jumped—I did everything I could to get around the Jr. but she was too far ahead of me when we started. Oh well, I had a good time. I got 10th out of 14.

We stuck around and enjoyed our independence day by watched the rest of the races. That night we went out to Jackie’s Dad’s river house in WI along the Mississippi—right across from Treasure Island Casino. What a beautiful home. It was built in the early 1900’s and has been completely restored keeping the older features.

Saturday we went down to Austin, MN for Spam Jam. They had a 25 mile citizen race. Our goal was to work together to get Kristy Kreme the win. With a tailwind the first half of the race it was extremely fast. We lost Amy while going 32 mph –she maxed out her gears. Jackie and I pulled most of the time keeping the speeds high to try to pull the group apart. Once we hit the cross winds I wasn’t in a good position and I lost the group. The rest of the way was either head or crosswinds at about 25 mph. Three of us formed a paceline—to my surprise I was feeling really good. 500 yards from the finish line one of the guys looked at the other one and said “Is it every man for himself?” The other guy nodded in response. I heard the conversation and thought since I was felling good I was going to give it a try. I went up the middle and sprinted it to the line taking the win over the other two. I got 4th overall for the women and 2nd in my age group.—no categories in citizen races!

Marley was exhausted with all the racing and slept the entire ride home. I, on the other hand, was feeling pretty good.

Sunday morning was the Hamel TT. Points came over and we rode over to the start line as a warm-up since I live only a few miles away. After much confusion and almost loss of time we found the registration at the last minute. I lined up early to make sure I wouldn’t miss this TT start time. I had an advantage to the TT—I train out in that area like it’s my backyard. I knew the course and where every hill was (although I forgot about one). My time was 35:21 avg 21.4. I couldn’t believe I got 5th place out of 14! Not too bad for slapping some areobars on a stock bike.

I missed a bunch of ROY races to be in contention for the award, but for fun I checked out my score and I’m sitting in 6th position for the Cat 4 women, and 4th position in the Women’s Made Real Series. There are only a few races left in the ROY and the WMR series so I don’t think my position will change that much.

Square Lake, St. Cloud, and Dakota

Saturday was the Square Lake Road Race north of Stillwater. I won’t go into the gory details. So here is a brief recap: Too many squirrely cat 4 women—the group needed to be broken up sooner to get the squirrelies out. Tunnel wasn’t too bad. Scary right turn at the bottom of a downhill. “The hill” three times—wasn’t fun. Heart rate was OOC after cresting the hill the first time. Took 10 miles to bring it down just in time to do it again. Hung on to the group until the top of the second climb and I was done. Considered DNFing. Yelled at the officials to find out that I wasn’t the last one so I kept going. Found that there was more rollers then I thought there was the first couple times around. Considered walking the hill since no one was around. Didn’t. Instead sang a song to block the pain. Funny the only part of the lyrics I could remember was “…keep bleeding, keep keep bleeding…” It’s a love song—but seemed to be perfect words for the situation. I came in 11th out of 16. Congrats to Points, she scored some serious points during the race for 5th place.

Later that evening I went over to Holly and John’s to watch the 5pm news. TSH had a featured story. Then we headed over to TH for the welcome home party for TSH. Lilly had me rolling with her extensive vocabulary for a 4 year old. Unfortunately, I didn’t win the Kinetic trainer, but I did see Neil eat a plate of frosting with no cake. And we all wonder where he gets all the extra energy. After the party we all went over to Holly and John's for drinks. I was so exhausted from the race that I left early and was in bed by 11pm.

Points recoving from Saturday's race
and a hangover on the way to the St. Cloud Crit.

Sunday was the St. Cloud crit. I was up at 5:30am, on the road at 6:30am, raced at 9:30am, didn’t get home until 7:30pm. The course was changed due to the bridge being closed so we raced around Tech High School. The course wasn’t bad except for the last turn all the women in my category took the last corner like there was a center line rule. There are no centerline rules in Crits!—we get the entire road to race. Every time we came around that corner we had to break. I should have taken my own line and probably would have gotten around the peloton. I came in 9th out of 15. Congrats to Jackie, she got the prime and the win over Patti.

After our race the men’s 4/5 raced. Marc Kermisch (Loon) came around the final corner with a nice lead. Unfortunately, he clipped his peddle before he could straighten out. The sound of him going down was so loud and drawn out it was scary. He got up but had some pretty bad road rash. The nurse bandaged him up and I took him the hospital to get scrapped and receive a few stitches. I picked him up 4 hours later after he was done, you had to feel for him sitting on the retaining wall outside of the hospital all mummified on his right side.

We hung around to watch the rest of the races. The men's 1/2/3 was a great race to watch. We clocked them doing 1:20 minute laps. GP, Timmer, and Adam Bergman got a good break on the peloton and started to TT the race. They ended up lapping the group with Adam Bergman taking the win.

Tuesday night I thought I would try out the Dakota Crit in Rosemount. I don't think I'll be doing that race much since it took me 1.5 hours to get there. It’s located on the Dakota Tech College semi-truck driving training course. The roads were extremely nice to race on. This time I took what I learned from Sunday and applied it to Tuesday’s race—i.e. I took my own line. There were 3 tight turns that the women would take short causing the whole group to brake. I don’t think taking my own line gained me anything aside from not crashing, but I practiced my sprinting skills. I got 4th out of 7.

I’m staying off the bike until Friday.

Here is what I've got planned for this weekend:
· Friday--Northfield Crit
· Saturday--Spam Jam Road Race in Austin, MN
· Sunday--Hamel TT (Medina/Baker Park area)

Holy Moly—if you’re counting that’s 6 races in 9 day!

What has been learned:
1. Jorge is a celebrity.
2. Don’t mess up your morning breakfast before a race.
3. It’s a race, not a group ride. There needs to be a lot more calling out to squirrely riders.
4. Riding with men is easier then riding with women.
5. The line taken may not be the best line to take.
6. I need to be more aggressive.