Windwarning and 70% chance of thunderstorms...

weather from my last bike race. Saturday, May 8th-- my friend Barb and I packed up the car and headed down to the Bristol Mountain Road Race just outside of Rochester, New York. This being my Mother's Day outing- a bike race! Too funny, no spa-day, pedicure, etc - a road race in horrible weather conditions. Some how I convinced Barb to race as well- with this being her first road race. Barb being a seasoned triathlete and running racer, she was not new to racing though.

I raced in the cat 4 women's race, which they combined with the cat 1,2,3 women's race. Cat 4 women did 2 laps of the 17 mile course, and cat 1,2,3 women were doing 3 laps. I was pretty happy that it wasn't raining or thunderstorming when the race started. I had packed extra honey stinger energy chews -just in case. (my new favourite race/riding food). We headed out on the flat section of the course with a strong head wind. As we turned the corner the wind finally shifted, we were all welcoming the hills just to get out of the wind. The pace picked up on the first climb, and didn't let up after that. I made it up the first climb with the main group, then some fast windy turns. When we started the second climb, I felt okay on the steep pitch, but the group then split on the rest of the climb. As I was dropped from the leaders, but kept them in sight at the top of the climb. I found myself in a group with two other riders. We descended well, and could see some other riders up the road, but couldn't close the gap up. As we ended lap 1, and hit the head-wind section again for the second lap. We worked together well as a group. As we hit the last climb of the day, the rain started!! ughh. I tried to push the pace on the climb, we all stayed together though. (I need to work on road race strategies!!). Then we hit the descents together, I wasn't feeling as comfortable as the other riders on the descents, but I could keep in contact. The rain continued, and a few wind gusts on the final descent into the finish. I finished at the end of my group, the down hill finish-- not my strength. I was 8th overall in the cat. 4 women. I had a great day, got a good ride in, and had alot of fun. Also, Barb finished her first road race ever in epic conditions.

Barb- finishing Bristol Mountain Road Race

Note to self: I should have printed off reverse directions home from the race. We did manage to get lost, on the way home from the race. We were in desperate need of coffee and made a few wrong turns!