Since I recently wrote all about how I pooped the bed at the Sequoia Classic Crit (thanks to Anna, I can no longer think of another way to describe a bad race) just a couple weekends ago, I feel fully entitled to now report that I won the Jeff Cup race last weekend. Yay! I had "that day" where everything went smooth as silk mile after mile. Feeling great was a pleasant suprise after getting my lungs ripped out only two weeks ago. Some races I suffer so much that I find myself considering putting a nail through my own tire so that I get to drop out. Nor did the opposite scenario happen, where I've felt fab but then got a flat (like happened to teammate Lesley) or tangled up in a crash. So hooray for good karma last weekend! With a lot of strong & talented ladies out at the race, it was a little like winning the lottery. Fitness, tactics, good positioning, and racing smarts buy you tickets, but that doesn't ever guarentee that your number will be called. Plenty others have a lot of tickets too. It's very multi-dimensional. That is what I love so much about the road racing. Keeps you humble when you win, and hopeful when you don't. There are so many factors that the winning move can be different every time and every race unique. There is no formula. It's both science and art.
From Jim Wilson Images, a picture of some HPC teammates before the race:
Cool pic of Anna cornering (Jim Wilson Images).
My favorite moment of the race was a comment another racer made to me after we passed Rob for the third time around and he was cheering like crazy. She asked me if that was my husband, commented on his awesomeness (with 10 miles per lap of a 40 mile race, it takes a lot of love to watch, especially on a wet/rainy/cold day), and then added "he looks like a high school boy". Ha!
Since there are already so many reports about Jeff Cup out there, I think I'll end here.
Anna's Jeff Cup report - (also see Anna's blog if you have a foot fetish, are interested in buying "well-worn" socks, or just want some good laughs)
the Granderkitten's recap
and many more on Gam Jams
Way to go Lorena - I am glad you had a smooth one!!
hahaha not that you never have a smooth race, I am just saying.... :)
Awesome! Are we going to see Beijing in your future?
Woot woot! Awesome Lorena! You are such a studette;)
YEEEE HAAAA Lorena good for you. We are so Happy for you !!