Striped Socks

Not just any striped socks, these are now considered my lucky cross socks.Does my face look distorted? It is. From the brain numbing cold. Yikes.. by lap 4 of the MRC Wrentham Cross race on Sunday, my feet were attached to my pedals but I could barely feel them. I had chemical toe warmers in my shoes prior to the race, but they must have been old because they were submarginal in putting out any heat.

Minuteman Road Club did an amazing job in putting together this race. Very well organized and our results were up and posted on Sunday night. Wow! Thanks to Rob for his huge effort in getting that together so quickly. I've come accustomed to having to wait 3 days before seeing cx results posted.

This course was a second for me. I did it last year for the first time. It was very different from last weeks Palmer race which I loved. Nothing technical except for a set of uphill barriers right after a tight
right hand turn downhill section.
I was worried. I haven't done well on courses like this one thus far this season. To name a few, Bedford and Plymouth. A power course I overheard someone say. Ugh. I'm not a power course/grass crit rider.

Oh well... Stay upright and don't blow up after the first lap I said to myself. Try and stay on a wheel or two and don't get upset or give up when you're out there riding solo. It's most likely gonna happen.

Surprise! It didn't!!! I stayed in the mix. My last race of the season panned out exactly the way I wanted it to. Honestly I have to thank my friend Sally McInnis. She is one I always target to try desperately to stay with and never can. Yesterday she was no where to be found at the starting line. I looked over at her husband Brian and we were like.."where is she?" She was still out on the course and missed the darn start. She jumped in with the junior riders I believe who started a minute after the 3/4 women. There she was though, making up time. I spotted her behind me on the end of the first loop and I was runnin' scared. "Sally's gonna reel me in like a flounder", I thought. I rode as hard as I could through the wooded section that was flat in the biggest gear I could handle and also on another flat section near the finish area. In the drops, trying to keep her from bridging the gap on me. I tried to power out of all the turns that I could and tried not to make any major mistakes. Come to find out, Sally had raced the day before in East Hampton in even tougher conditions and didn't have a chance to strip down and felt over dressed during our race. Still, the fact that I could see her back there made me ride just a wee bit harder perhaps?
I got lapped by Elite rider, Rebecca Wellons out on the open field area. She was commenting on my socks as she flew by me and I quickly asked if she was the first (123) woman to confirm that soon I would be done! "Yup" she said and I started to crank it up just a bit more to get to the finish fearing I'd be passed again.

7th in the women's 3/4 race. I'll take it and quit while I'm ahead!