TRTP race

Because hubby and I didn't quite get siding up on the back of the house, I decided to forego the last DINO race and help him with the projects at home. My race results have been dismal at best this year anyway, so I wasn't too upset about missing it. However, Meredith and I did a pre-ride a couple of weeks ago, and I really liked the course. The 7-mile loop that is Town Run Trail Park in Indy's far north side is a fast, curvy single-track with little elevation gain.

By Saturday evening, Mr. Wonderful exclaimed he would probably not need my help as the job was a single-man task. As always, I was free to do as I pleased. Impending rain shadowed the anticipation for Sunday's race. If anyone was around last year, here is what we raced in:

Rain on this course sucks! Wet trails suck! With thousands of tires smoothing the surface, rain turns it into conditions similar to an ice rink. In some places, it actually looked like asphalt before water started settling on top.

Anyway, Sunday morning I quickly gathered my gear and set out for Indianapolis. I wanted to pre-ride the whole lap again to warm up and try not using my brakes. While changing I realized I had Jason's shorts and last year's jersey; also, I forgot the pesky heart rate monitor. Seeing everyone on the start line, I decided to start slow so I wouldn't max out in the first 2 minutes. It worked! But now everyone was 7 seconds in front of me, and I couldn't bridge the gap. It only got worse.

Oddly, I was relaxed and focused for the first two, dry laps. I kept thinking--the faster I go now, the less I'll have to ride in the rain when it starts. I felt like I was doing a lot of things right: looking through the corners, using less brakes, pedaling continuously, shifting appropriately. I just needed a bit more power. Perhaps I was too conservative as I was worried about my legs giving out. I tend to be in a harder gear than I should be on that course and blow up eventually. Should have risked it all! The rain came just before my 3rd lap, and I had to slow way down. Drat! I was having so much fun; now it was survival.

So, I finished last again, but I had fun doing it. I hope to get to TRTP again to master cornering; what a perfect place for drills of that kind. The Brown County Breakdown is coming up as is the Hilly Hundred--my two favorite events of the year!

Thanks to Matt L. for the pics.

I didn't get nearly as much air as Coach in the pic below.

Someone is having fun!

Can't tell if I'm braking or not. But I am certainly focused!

Ahhhh! Before the mud and rain.