Nats-- Time Trial.....

I have to say as I drove out to the TT start and my 8 year old said, "Wow, Mommy, those clouds look really bad", I said, " Mommy doesn't really want you to say stuff like that right now!"  I wasn't kidding either!

The weather was down right unstable.  It was rainy and gray and just plain ole' bad news.  Some of the masters men 30-34, were already on the course, while I was sizing up the correct warm-up attire.  As things worked out, for me, about 30 minutes before my age group was about to go off, there was a break in the rain, and the sun came out. There were nasty cross winds that played a head game with me and my disc, but I was dry, and so was the pavement. 

I have to admit, I hate the 30 seconds preceding the start of a TT, especially a National TT.  I think of the snowy training rides, the rainy training rides, the long training, rides and then I say, "Hey girlfriend, think about this ramp, and get back in the game"  No really, A National Championship Race brings out THE best of the best for the type of race you are doing.  And waiting in the start house with a guy holding your saddle gives you just a moment to ponder what the heck it is you will be doing for the next hour.
I have to say having my husband, and three children for this event and Laura Johnson the night before  with us for dinner and at the start to cheer me on AND at the finish to scream at me to keep on going for the finish were absolutely keys to my race this year!!!

The race went like this:  Start... go... get a rhythm, get in the groove... OMG I got passed by a gal at mile 5 and couldn't even believe my 30 second rider got me already...  wow.... keep going, pedal harder, get back in the groove, make the turn around... uugh!!! a second rider got me so now, I am drilling it to make sure
I stay as focused as possible.  Drive it all the way in with the headwinds with the slight uphill to the finish... done!!!

Well, I did as good as I could, and I have to say at the end of the day; WOW, there were some fast women at this TT.  Hats off to them, and their training.  I took 8th at Nationals and I rode a  good hard TT.  So that's all she wrote for this year.  Maybe I will be back for some more TT fun in 2009.
until then... train hard and enjoy.
  

By the way,  Laura Johnson's Road Race finish today was superb because she fought til the end, and she road a great race.  Congrats to Laura!!

Ride safe,

Jen