“You won the fuckin’ prime!”

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Well, it’s 5 days later and the glory has worn off, but I am writing the race report regardless. Cuz it’s my first podium and shit. This is my 2nd year racing bikes and I had yet to actually stand on a podium, or at least one that counts. Sorry, but coming in 3rd when there are only 3 women racing just doesn’t count.

Technically, this was my 2nd real crit. I knew the course from last year and was ready to blow it up. This year they started the 1/2/3’s about 10 seconds before the 4’s. This was different than last year when we all raced together. This year there was to be NO mixing the two groups.

Once the whistle was blown, I just went for it. Full blown sprinting, HR in the 190’s, passing a few 3’s, taking the turns like I owned them, sucking wheel when I had to recover, breaking away to win the 1st place prime of 40 bucks (fuck the merchandise winnings, I wanted that cash), and coming in 2nd place out of 13 women. FUCK YES.

Me and my mismatched kit and no carbon wheels. I finally fucking did it, won a podium finish, and found I had some sprinting legs and just fucking went for it.

So that was Friday nite. I had another big crit to do on Saturday and when I woke up that next morning, I was hoarse. My throat was sore, and I was feeling bad, full blown sick. All week I had been fighting an infection, and the previous night’s effort just made it totally kick in. I didn’t care. I went to the race knowing full well that I wasn’t going to have the same results as the night before.

We lined up. Same rules applied. No mixing with the 1/2/3’s and they started 10 seconds ahead of us. They blew the whistle, and I immediately felt like shit. My HR stayed at 186 and never got any higher. I held on to the lead women for most of the race, and then sprinted for a 3rd place prime. After that I was done. I lost the lead women. I sucked a wheel until the last lap and then sprinted ahead of two women for 5th place. I’ll take it. Sickness and all.

Total winnings for the weekend: $62 bucks, a sweet t-shirt that retails online for $32.00, a MOOTS t-shirt and cycling cap, and a Clean Bottle.

Here are some of my favorite pictures taken by Jeffrey Jakucyk and Kristi Siconolfi.

RIDECLEAN fully represented all weekend, it was an honor to be riding for them.

An adrenaline fueled race report is over on my blog if you want to check it out.

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