Women's Race Repor 1/2/3-Sisquoc

Who: Lauren and about 15 other masochistic women
What: Sisqouc RR
Where: Sisquoc, Ca-but it felt hot enough to be hell
When: Sat 8/29
Why: Because apparently I like pain?
Place: 5th

The race started out just like any other RR with one exception-it was 105 degrees outside. Prior to the start I found myself "warming up" by attempting to stay cool in the only shade I could find under the trunk of Will Chesebro's car. After thinking about it I started to wish I could get my money back and sit inside the car with the AC on max, but I guess it cant be that bad, right? Wrong.

The first lap was rather uneventful with everyone just learning the course and suffering in the heat (the backside of the course got up near 110 degrees, ughhhh). I was surprised that I needed a feed already on the first lap (the laps were less than 11 mi and took us about 30 minutes) but was thankful to see Jen Jo standing there with a bottle. I was less than happy when I squirted the Gatorade into my mouth and it was about the same temperature as the air outside. I was wishing I had water to douse myself and began ridiing dangerously close to anyone spraying themselves down in hopes of getting some of the backlash. Katie Donovon attacked between turns 1 and 2 and no one wanted to go after her. I knew she could stay away and so I attacked to get up with her and another girl and I made it across. I guess she didnt like that because she decided to sit up and we were soon caught by everyone.

Another La Grange girl went off the front and no one seemed to worried and just sat around. A few attacks went and I was feeling dead. The heat was making my eyes burn, my stomach hurt, and I felt like my face was inside an oven. I led up the climb on the second lap and once I got to the top there was a small attack going up the left. They had speed by the time they reached me and I tried but could not get on it. Frustrated to see them go and even more frustrated that no one in my group would pull through I accepted the fact that I would now be racing for 6th-not what I came out here for. The thought of dropping out felt like the little devil side of my conscious just sitting on my shoulder whispering... but I ignored it. I needed to get some riding in so I might as well get a workout in.

I pulled almost the entire 3rd lap trying to catch them since I wanted to get good riding in and no one else would do anything. By the time we hit the hill everyone had gotten dropped except B and Morgan from La Grange and myself and we had also passed one of the girls from the breakaway that got dropped. We just rode tempo the rest of the lap and the 4th. B was not looking good on the 4th lap and it was clear that we were not cathing anyone or getting caught so I told Morgan I was not going to attack her if she wanted to stay with B (I got heat stroke in Oregon and so I had a lot of sympathy for her). We putzed along and finally made it to the final descent. I asked them how they wanted to do it and they made it seem like no sprint would be happening. I simply pulled the rest of the way because I did not care. With about 300 m to go I feel someone coming up my right and am suprised to see B sprinting. I was not going to let that happen though so I get out of the saddle and give it everything I can till I reach the line. I have no idea how close it was or where Morgan was, but I won that sprint. I found out that it was for 5th place and was pretty happy with that, especially after almost dropping out and for how much I was hating life.

It was great afterwards to be met by a few friends in the feedzone with ice down my neck and a coke. Took me awhile to recover but a swim in the ocean in SB fixed that right up.

To all who raced in Sisquoc, I salute you. It was definitely not the most fun way to spend a Saturday, but what doesnt kill you makes you stronger-or something like that.

Thanks everyone!
Lauren