What an interesting way to end my road season! Being the
only Cat 4 Women rider for the final race of the series. Category Megan… I like
it! At first I thought I was going to start on my own with the Cat 5 Men, but
Gina was looking out for me and asked JR if I could ride with the Masters and
1/2/3 Women. That was an awesome experience! They actually start out at a
reasonable pace for a sixty-mile race, and it was just a different feeling to
be surrounded by experienced riders. If anything, this was motivation for me to
step up my game next season to get the points to become a Cat 3. This might
mean more traveling to get those points because it’s hard to get enough women
in the Cat 4 ABRA field to get points. We’ll have to see if I have the means to
do that, but it would be a great way to experience what riding is like in other
areas.
For the amount of riding I have been able to do this year in
comparison to last year, I would say I am still pretty happy with my end
results especially since I was off the bike three weeks prior to this race.
Sure, my time at Appalachia Visited was about the same as last year, but I made
up for my not so great start in the second half of the race. I think it showed
that I was doing something right during this school year and summer,
considering I was riding a lot more distance the previous year. I ended up
doing more running and 45 minute workouts on stationary bikes to supplement my
lack of being on the road. Not fun, but something worked. Now how to figure out
how I can get more time practicing hills…. I know hills are my weak point in
races, so more focus will need to be put there.
BUT the best part of ending my road season was locking
myself out of my own car at Appalachia Visited. I’m just joking about that, but
I was impressed at how close my ABRA family was to getting that Ford opened! My
car was ridiculously well sealed. Who thinks of putting the lock/unlock button
in the middle where the radio is? That thing was basically steal proof! You go, State Farm, and your roadside assistance. Now time to enjoy a little off time
from racing before cross starts.
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