Bike racin’

Picture by Jeffrey Jakucyk
st leon jj2.pl

Today was our Spring Race Series Finale. I was in the top 10 for the series for the cat 3/4’s. Kinda stupid but whatever. It got HOT overnight, almost 90 degrees with a shitload of humidity. NO one is used to racing in that weather right now. EVERYONE suffered.

An 18 mile cx’y course with gravel, a huge crack in the road that required a bunny hop to get over, a few gigantic potholes, and a 3 mile climb up wet sandy gravely roads. I kept spinning out. Then I got lost. Cuz I followed a newb!! FUCKING DUMBASS! I thought she knew the course! I was PISSED after that, I rode ahead of her because she totally had no idea what drafting was. I finally lost her on lap 2. I rode alone for lap 2. OB passed me yelling “JUDI PATOOTIE”. Then the newb came up from behind about 1/2 mile from the finish, which had two nasty, twisty turny climbs. I put it down and bolted up the hills and got some distance between us and finished ahead of her. I had to.

I really do suck though. I guess it’s ok to suck your first year, right? The girls I line up with have been racing for years (well, the really fast ones).

At the end of the day, I was #9 in the series and won 5 big ones. I am totally stoked.

About Judi

Bicycles are my salvation. They are my way of life. If you don't like it, then you can go straight to hell. Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

10 Replies to “Bike racin’”

  1. “Kinda stupid but whatever.”…i call bullshit !!!…

    …you ARE a bike racer girl so let’s leave the self depreciation on the curb w/ the monday morning recycling…

    …it IS your first year & while it ain’t the giro d’ italia, the fact that you’re out there doing it is what counts…that’s also why i’m suggesting you stick w/ the team concept for awhile…you’ve got stuff you’re not even ready to learn yet ‘cuz you’ve so much basic info to grasp…

    …stick w/ your personal coach & stick w/ kenda, if they invite you back…

    …what’s that last thing you said ???…oh, right, “i am totally stoked”…well, you’ve hardly gotten warmed up yet…

    …just fucking sayin’…

  2. if you enjoy it, keep rockin it! $5 is more than most bike racers make in their career!

  3. i’d take a 5’er for riding my bike any day of the week. plus you dropped someone that got you lost, that is satisfaction in itself!

  4. bgw, etc, thanks. my first 4 road races went well. all goals accomplished –

    1. finished.
    2. did not dfl.
    3. had fun.
    4. made a bunch of new racer girlfriends.
    5. kept the rubber side down.

    next up – crits. fuck me.

  5. next up – crits. fuck me.

    You asked!

    Hold your line, fucking hold your line; and always follow the persons hips in front of you!

  6. 1. If you race crits long enough, you will crash.
    2. Hold your line.
    3. Get real comfortable riding crazy close to people.
    4. See #2.
    5. Don’t panic when someone reaches out and taps you on the back, they’re just telling you where they are, and asking that you not half-wheel them.
    6. See #2

  7. Go Judi!

    @ el Jefe – don’t forget one caveat to #3 – Get crazy close to people but not close to crazy people (ESPECIALLY behind them!).

  8. werd.

    I guess the other additions I’d make are:
    #5 is possible because of #3,
    #7 be in front of anyone not following #2,
    #8 have fun,
    #9 if you are strong enough, stay in the front 1/3 of the pack. The pace will be much more consistent, and it is safer.