Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Plans change

Well how quickly things can change...
only days ago I was looking forward to my upcoming races, and now they are suddenly all cancelled.
No Sunshine Coast Tour for me now until 2009.
To think this was one of my 'main goals' for 2008... all gone in the blink of an eye. The Avanti Classic started well - fantastic weather, great turn-out of riders and spectators, but then some chopping of wheels occurred about 20km into the race and it was all over... two bikes and two riders lying in the middle of the road. I guess I am lucky - the girl behind me (Lisa) broke her collarbone, whereas I 'only' tore a huge hole in the side of my knee. Either way, both of us will not be racing (or training) for some time. I have had to find some positive things from this crash, although they are hard to see at the moment. And I have already redesigned my race calendar for the year in my head... there are still some great races to come in Aug and Sep. I can't wait to get back on the bike, but right now I just need to have some patience while my knee heals up.

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Racing, racing, racing

June 2008... this is when it gets exciting... Murwillumbah was just a short 'preview'.

Training intensity has increased since the start of the month, and I am now training with some of the NTID/hummingbird girls. It is all helping to get me closer to being a real 'A grade' rider (I might even make it by the end of the year!).

There are three solid weeks of road racing ahead...
Avanti Classic - tomorrow
Metro C'ships - next weekend
Sunshine Coast Tour - the following weekend.
As Anthony would say, 'time to mix it with the big girls'. :)

Monday, May 5, 2008

Race completed


With a DNF after only two laps in the Elite W Race on Saturday, it was apparent to me that I was a little 'out of my league'... a DNS would have been easy to do on Sunday. For whatever reason, I was actually happier and more relaxed to line up at the start line again on Sunday morning for a bit more 'punishment'. Sunday was the combined Elite W and U19 W Race, and it was going to be a tough one with some 'big hitters' there (including Kirsty Broun - Australian 2007 Criterium Champion and winner of yesterday's race; and Megan Dunn - winner of the 2008 Jayco Bay Classic). As expected, it was tough! Those girls can climb!!!

On the long climb out to Mooball, a group of 8 of us were 'dropped' but then some hard work by all managed to get us quickly back to the main peloton right at the turn around point. Being back within the main group gave us a nice short 'rest' but then the climb back out tested everyone. I was conscious of the fact I needed to be up in the first half of the group during the climbs so as not to lose contact by the top, but it just didn't work. My climbing is just not as fast and strong as it needs to be to keep up... so I was out of touch of the main group again by the last 1/3 of the long climb. A dropped chain after the crest of the climb made sure I well and truly out of 'reach', but I still chased as hard as I could! Just before Stokers Siding I managed to catch up with Sarah from TIS, and we worked strongly together for the remainder of the race (about 35km's or so). Despite not finishing with the main bunch, it was a great race to be part of, and it was fantastic to complete it!