Sausalito Criterium

By Amy Mackey
Date: February 18, 2006
Category: Women 3
Teammates: None
Field Size: 27
Place: 2nd
Winner: Emily Zell

My plan was to use the 3/4 race as a warm up, but I had a rude awakening on that course. It is not a good course to race on after a tough week.

The women's 3/4 race was only about 11 laps (30 minutes). I decided to shatter it off the start. After 3 laps there was one other girl with me. After about 5 laps, we settled in (both being big girls, I think the hill started getting to us) and two little tiny climber girls caught us. For the rest of the race, they worked me on every single hill; luckily they could not really sprint. I won 4/5 primes, and on the last lap, my partner in crime and I blew by the climbers. I sat on her wheel for a few seconds, but underestimated her sprint. I came around her, but probably about 2 seconds too late. I really felt horrible afterwards; in fact I couldn't even keep food down.

I decided to hang around for the W 1/2/3 race, since it was only 10 bucks for a second race. The race went from the start, and began to shatter after the 3rd lap. My only savior was taking the downhill corners faster than everyone else after lagging on the climb. After about 10 minutes, I could barely turn the 27 over going up the hill. The race split in half, me being in the second group. Feeling horrible, and with no chance for upgrade points, I pulled out. The race continued to shatter -- at the end there were about 6 groups and a couple of stragglers. You really couldn't tell who had been lapped.

The good news is that I resubmitted for my upgrade from the 3/4 results, and got it! So, I will be racing as a 2 for the first time at Snelling :).