The CLAW!

'Oh geez, I guess you can take my picture'..all the photos in this blog are stolen from the most awesome photographer....Amara at wheels in focus



This past weekend we had the Mutual of Enumclaw 'Stage' Race. Two days, three race, omnium. Which means, instead of basing final results on time (most common), it's based on a point system. So first gets 15, second 12, third 10, etc...


The TT was a 6.5mi course, flat, great course! Love it! Suz Weldon tore it up in 14:27, followed by Laura Brown at 14:46 (I think?), and then Kracker Kele at 14:51, narrowly squeezing out Leah Goldstein at 14:52, and lots of other super fast ppl really close together...(sorry I don't remember everyone, I'm so focused on me the rest becomes a blur)

Next we had a rainy crit. OMG, I am such a BONEHEAD! I totally screamed into the first corner and crashed....first lap, first corner...sooooo embarrassing....oh well, I figured out quick how fast was too fast. Luckily, I was fine, and so was my bike...got my lap and got back in. The race was fun, active, and technical. I love this course, it's a figure 8, and wet, and lots of manhole covers, and grates in the corners...so good bike handling is a must...something I can work on!! I had a good race, worked hard. But still struggled w/ the finish! It's so all in my head! But I'm making small improvements, and am very aware of my shortcomings...that's the first step right. So, Lea from the Canadian Giant team (who again MADE this weekend of racing and actual RACE) won soloing off after the last prime...super smart, Strong move!! Allison Testarosa (naagh, JK...I cannot remember her last name, she rides for Express Copy) got 2nd, Jenny True got third, and Isuckatfinishing got 4th!

Whew, barely got that $100 prime...but I did heee heee!

God that's so embarressing, why can't I look cool when I'm working hard???

Sunday was the RR, which they changed and UNchanged the course for us...we had to do a 1.8mi climb x4 (yipee), but thank Jehovah we finished about 8mi later on the flats (thus allowing for 'chase back on time' if needed). On the first time up, I thought all was lost, I got gapped of WAY too early....but due to the long downhill was able to catch back on. Then on the flats of the 2nd lap was an intermediate sprint, that many ppl were interested in due to how close we all were in points....so between the craziness that is PART OF NORMAL RACING SPRINTS, and someone miss reading the course marshall, there was a bit of a pile up (the girl on the far R side of the road at the front thought we turned L and pretty much took everyone out..well I stay upright...and no one was seriously hurt)...once that was over we regrouped and Leah Goldstien (Symmetrics), Allison (Express Copy), and Lea (Giant) broke away on the climb...I was able to stick w/ the group much better...and we never saw those 3 again. Probably due to the fact we were neutralized x2, and forced to STOP for the cat 3 men to pass...which was very frustrating because at the time we were only 15sec back....oh well, poopie things happen!

Then in the final sprint, I was too far back, and got 3rd...well 6th cause of the 3 off the front. Funny thing, I won the omnium...due to intermediate sprints and consistency! YEA! The money I won was much needed for next weeks trip to the East Coast!

It was a good weekend of racing. Fun to see all the Canadians here who really animate the race! Other than crashing myself out, I really enjoyed it!