Beaumont RR Stage 1 Day 2

Holy Hell, all I feel like writing about is the heat. Hotter that Hattie’s, Hell of the East, Sauna, Porta Pottie suffocating, Betty Crocker crock pot stewing, hurt locker, pain game stifling heat. The warmest temperatures I have seen in the last 6 month is a high of 72. Ugh! Today’s road stage started off a bit unusual. There were no Santa Ana winds to contend with so we actually road as a nervous pack for the first lap. In the past on this stage, the wind has strung out the peloton from the gun. Personally it was weird to be back in a peloton of a 100 plus women, all continually jockeying for position in the pack. I am sure there are race reviews published about this stage but I can only tell you about my little self centered experience of my race. In short, I didn’t make it to the finish with the lead pack so I didn’t get to see the winning sprint. I had a total blast today supporting the kittens. I blocked a few of them out of the wind, brought a few to the front of the peloton and did a Sherpa trip back to the caravan for a water feed, FUN TIMES. I have been racing so many one day races and crits the past few years, it was great to use some stage race skills. The heat rocked me. Wow, I was shocked that I was so affected. I guess I must be getting a little soft since moving up to NorCal. When I lived here in the Valley, I welcomed the heat, bring it on, cook me and make me sweat. Now days I am continually seeking out shade, grabbing one ice cold water bottle to pour on my head for every feed I took. I snapped going up the hill on the 2nd lap. With the increase heart rate and heat, my body slowed down against my mental wishes. Was I pissed, yes! I hate being a dangler, to have the pack in sight and not be able to reach it. FRACK!!!!! Enough of the pity party, time to get motivated to finish within time cut. I know, it is a morbid way to think to race to finish within time cut, not to win, that’s stage racing. My goals for the race had changed, I need to finish to be there for my teammates for tomorrows crit. I was stoked to hook up with 2 other gals, Sydney with Rouse Cycles and Zeta with Kenda. The three of us worked in a rotating pace line for the next 18 miles. Hats off to Sydney, she was a Rock star. Both Zeta and I were pretty rocked and couldn’t pull through. Sydney set a nice tempo that we could all handle. My body continued to fall apart and scream at me as I started the climb on the third lap. I tried to relieve some of the pain by standing by my legs declined that offer by cramping. I had to sit down and watch Sydney ride away from me and Zeta fall more behind. Our little trio of suffrage was coming to and end. The only thought going through my head as I tapped out the pedals was to get to the top of this climb for the rockin’ decent on the other side. I did make it to the top and on the way down I was excited to see Sydney in sight. Seeing her motivated me to grind out the gears so we could enjoy each the support of each other to the finish line. Sydney and I made it to the finish line about 12 minutes off the finishers. Zeta made it too, just a few minutes behind us. The 4 of the 6 of the VK’s made it to the finish with the main pack with Jenn W, the top team finisher with 21st. Today, the crit, 2:30 start time. We have already been up and scouted out the course. Glad to see that Redlands hasn’t changed the street conditions after 14 years. I see the punany crushing pot hole I hit in the chicane before the coffee shop is still there and the huge crack on the back side of the course is still a fault line. Can’t wait! T minus 3 hours.