Racin' and such

Another stage race is officially complete. The Elkhorn Classic took place over the weekend in Baker City, Oregon: http://www.elkhornclassicstagerace.com/ This was the 6th year for the race, and I believe it was also my 6th trip to Baker City. The course for the first road race was different this year, due to road construction, so no one really knew what to expect. Heat and 40 miles of climbing with a severe crosswind were what we got. I really wouldn't say that I had fun in Friday's race, as I was plagued with severe abdominal cramps early on (thankfully they subsided a little bit). A breakaway went about half-way into the race and I simply could not respond, so I ended up in a good-sized chase group. Thankfully, my teammate Kari was with me and she pulled us along, letting me rest until my stomach felt better. A frustrating chase ensued, as only a few of us would pull through, and no one was putting much effort into keeping the pace high. I became incredibly frustrated, as I was not content to let the race just ride up the road. After several attempts/urges to get people to work, I attacked the group and decided to go the last 10 miles solo. I certainly questioned my decision a couple times, as I thought I was going to blow up, but it ended up being the right move. I caught some stragglers from the lead group who had blown up and moved into 3rd place for the day.

Saturday morning was our time trial, which I was excited about after Friday's suffer fest. Once again, I was not able to maintain the wattage goal I set for myself, but it ended up being a good enough effort to take the win. My teammate, Michele, took 2nd place, so it was a great stage for the team!

A local Baker City gourmet shop sponsored the women's criterium Saturday afternoon, matching our prize list to that of the category 1/2 men. This is pretty much unheard of, so it was awesome of Bella's to do that for us. Carrie was the only one from our team to get a prime, even though I tried a few times. The woman in 2nd place got off the front in the crit and managed to stay off, with the rest of the pack finishing together.

Yesterday's final 101 mile stage began early and stayed mild until the final climb. Right after we rolled away from the start, a woman informed me that I was the new leader since the women who had been in first and second places did not show up. While it's nice to hear that you're the leader, it's not ideal to gain the lead because the people ahead of you don't show up! Rumor has it that one of the women cannot race on Sundays because of her religion, so she was never planning on starting the final stage. The other woman? Not sure, but I heard that she was concerned about the distance. Who knows? Tia's fiance, Andy, was very kind to go to the feed zone and give us all bottles, which I definitely needed. Thanks Andy!

On the final climb, the woman in 2nd to me started pushing the pace, so I just sat on. I knew I had over 3 minutes on her, so I was going to be defensive, rather than aggressive. Plus, I was having stomach problems again. Note to self: Do not eat a Lara Bar in the middle of a race. Yes, they're tasty, but dried cherries, dates, and nuts are not a good idea. Hmmm... too much fiber. The top of the hill, complete with porta potty, could not come quickly enough!

The girl in second got away from me and all I could do was try to minimize the losses to her. Thankfully, she only gained a portion of what she needed to overtake me, so I kept the lead. Carrie had a great finish too, coming in 4th up the climb.

Ted had some problems with his lungs in yesterday's race, coughing very hard and having a tough time breathing. He has had this same problem a couple times in the past, and especially in dry, hot climates. He had a chest x-ray done once before, but nothing showed up. Time to see someone again. He's very frustrated and not sure what's going on, so hopefully he can figure something out with his doctor this week.

We picked Hitcher up this morning and he was super excited to be home. He's had a lot of time in the kennel the past couple weeks, so he's been a stressed pup. He shouldn't have to go back for a while now, though, as he should be going with us to our next few races.

Our friend Ben, a vet student, just came over to show me how to take care of Hitcher's anal glands. Fun, fun. Apparently, they're just a problem for some dogs, while others never have a problem at all. Now I know how to do it myself, so hopefully we'll have fewer vet visits.

Rusty comes home for a super quick visit tomorrow to help Mom and Dad with their move, so I'll head down a couple times in the next couple days. Dinner time!