I flew to Orange County, California two weeks ago to compete in the elite national time trial championship. There were about 50 women registered, including some very fast time trialists, so I knew I would have to have a fantastic ride to really compete. Pre-riding the course last Tuesday, I found a hilly, very challenging course, with numerous rolling hills. I was very happy with the course selection, given that it had a little bit of everything: rolling climbs, fast descents, and a few flat sections.
I awoke Wednesday to a very hot day, so I knew I would need to stay hydrated up until my race start. I opted not to take a bottle with me for the actual time trial, as I figured I would lose time every time I took a sip. I started out well, keeping a hard, steady pace. I knew I had some very fast ladies immediately behind me, so I was hoping to hold them off as long as possible. Three miles into the race, I was caught by the woman (Alison Powers) who started one minute behind me. I felt a twinge of demoralization, but it quickly passed when I told myself she would surely finish in the top 3; she ended up being the national champion.
My effort felt hard to me, with each progressive roller hurting my legs more than the last. I kept Alison Powers in sight until I reached the turn-around, but then she started to pull away more and more, and I started to lose more and more time. I had very little left for the last few miles, and I found myself greatly fading. I finished feeling as if I had done all I could do for that particular day. It turned out not to be a good result at all, but I am still glad I did it. For whatever reason, it just was not my best day.
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