I'm not kidding - HOGEYE is the name of the town...gotta love it. After a restless night that saw me sleep very little we rolled out to the start area early for today's stage - a 69mi jaunt on a course that heads out of Fayetteville for about 9-10ish miles to a rolling to hilly 23mi loop that Pro Women did twice before heading back on the out stretch to the finish.
The course contains a short, steep and very significant climb at 11.1mi in that everyone refers to as "the wall." No further description needed - it's just killer-steep and gives the gravity-challenged (like me) fits of anxiety. Right after that climb is a longish but more gradual up-stretch that has a bit of a kicker just before the end - the first time up wasn't so bad. It hurt like hell but I made it. A Cheerwine rider attacked just before the end of that section and got away - for the entire race. I got shelled off the back there on the second lap and fought desperately for 10min or so to get back in contact with the group. I suffered so horribly - it was everything I could do to work back through the caravan and to the back of the main group but once I made it everything was good.
Anne had been off on a solo break for a bit and then Andrea and Kristin spent some time off the front as well. It was encouraging to see that our moves were respected - other teams worked to bring our team back in after attacks. I was battling the course more than anything else but I was ready to do whatever it took to keep my teammates safe, even if it meant the end of my day. Things rolled along at a steady clip and as we got closer to the finish we were informed by race officials that we were being neutralized and stopped to let the pro men's field go by. This was a good thing because while we stood there and waited, Mary and Lee caught back up to us and then rolled with us when we re-started.
At about 5K to go the pace had picked up significantly when Advil-Chapstick attacked and strung things out a bit. We had a strong tailwind heading into a downhill finish. At about 1K out a Cheerwine rider bit the pavement right in front of Kristin and I and I believe also Andrea. I was able to dive hard right to avoid the pile-up but I have no idea how Kristin survived it. I punched it hard and saw the finish line ahead - spun out in the biggest gear on my bike. I worked my way past a few slower wheels and found myself thinking "holy shit - you are about to have the best NRC finish you have ever had." I crossed the line 4th in the field sprint on the wheel of one of the best sprinters in the country, finishing 5th on the day. Click here for a picture - I'm in green and black behind Laura VanGilder. Kristin, Anne, Lee and Mary all came across at the same time. Kat and Amy rolled in a little later - our entire team surviving another hard fought day.
Right now I am just totally 'over the moon' about today's race. I didn't win and I didn't win the field sprint but it was by far the most rewarding result I have ever gotten. I suffered like a dog when I thought I'd rather be dead. I was able to pull off something beyond what I ever thought I could do. So damn cool. I probably won't sleep again tonight.
Thanks to Carolyn and Marion for all their help and cheers today, you are the best. Also huge thanks to Paul and Mike in the team car for keeping us all informed on our radios. I cannot stand Justin Timberlake but the radio broadcast the second time up the wall proved helpful. Now just get some Hendrix or Led Zeppelin and we'll really be in business.
Congrats to my favorite guys back home who kicked some serious ass in the P1/2 and Masters 2-man TT in Garden Prairie - well done, gentlemen. It is because you hurt me so terribly in training that I could do what I did today - thank you, it makes me stronger.
The Joe Martin Stage Race concludes tomorrow with a criterium in downtown Fayetteville. The course is technical and has a significant climb. Hopefully we will all have good legs and successfully defend or even improve our Team GC position.
As always, thanks for reading. I'll try to update things as I am able. Also, check out Kristin's and Anne's blogs (links on the right) - they've got some great photos and insight into the goings-on down here.
The course contains a short, steep and very significant climb at 11.1mi in that everyone refers to as "the wall." No further description needed - it's just killer-steep and gives the gravity-challenged (like me) fits of anxiety. Right after that climb is a longish but more gradual up-stretch that has a bit of a kicker just before the end - the first time up wasn't so bad. It hurt like hell but I made it. A Cheerwine rider attacked just before the end of that section and got away - for the entire race. I got shelled off the back there on the second lap and fought desperately for 10min or so to get back in contact with the group. I suffered so horribly - it was everything I could do to work back through the caravan and to the back of the main group but once I made it everything was good.
Anne had been off on a solo break for a bit and then Andrea and Kristin spent some time off the front as well. It was encouraging to see that our moves were respected - other teams worked to bring our team back in after attacks. I was battling the course more than anything else but I was ready to do whatever it took to keep my teammates safe, even if it meant the end of my day. Things rolled along at a steady clip and as we got closer to the finish we were informed by race officials that we were being neutralized and stopped to let the pro men's field go by. This was a good thing because while we stood there and waited, Mary and Lee caught back up to us and then rolled with us when we re-started.
At about 5K to go the pace had picked up significantly when Advil-Chapstick attacked and strung things out a bit. We had a strong tailwind heading into a downhill finish. At about 1K out a Cheerwine rider bit the pavement right in front of Kristin and I and I believe also Andrea. I was able to dive hard right to avoid the pile-up but I have no idea how Kristin survived it. I punched it hard and saw the finish line ahead - spun out in the biggest gear on my bike. I worked my way past a few slower wheels and found myself thinking "holy shit - you are about to have the best NRC finish you have ever had." I crossed the line 4th in the field sprint on the wheel of one of the best sprinters in the country, finishing 5th on the day. Click here for a picture - I'm in green and black behind Laura VanGilder. Kristin, Anne, Lee and Mary all came across at the same time. Kat and Amy rolled in a little later - our entire team surviving another hard fought day.
Right now I am just totally 'over the moon' about today's race. I didn't win and I didn't win the field sprint but it was by far the most rewarding result I have ever gotten. I suffered like a dog when I thought I'd rather be dead. I was able to pull off something beyond what I ever thought I could do. So damn cool. I probably won't sleep again tonight.
Thanks to Carolyn and Marion for all their help and cheers today, you are the best. Also huge thanks to Paul and Mike in the team car for keeping us all informed on our radios. I cannot stand Justin Timberlake but the radio broadcast the second time up the wall proved helpful. Now just get some Hendrix or Led Zeppelin and we'll really be in business.
Congrats to my favorite guys back home who kicked some serious ass in the P1/2 and Masters 2-man TT in Garden Prairie - well done, gentlemen. It is because you hurt me so terribly in training that I could do what I did today - thank you, it makes me stronger.
The Joe Martin Stage Race concludes tomorrow with a criterium in downtown Fayetteville. The course is technical and has a significant climb. Hopefully we will all have good legs and successfully defend or even improve our Team GC position.
As always, thanks for reading. I'll try to update things as I am able. Also, check out Kristin's and Anne's blogs (links on the right) - they've got some great photos and insight into the goings-on down here.
