Last night I showed up for my first crit race at Fair Park. I was there last week as a spectator, and I was super excited to be there this week participating. I showed up in my official Dallas Racing/Park Place race kit. I'm so excited to be a part of their team...they have certainly rolled out the welcome wagon. My road bike was finally getting some much deserved love after nearly two years of watching my tri bike have all the fun. To make her feel (and look) better, I even treated her to some new race wheels so she would feel a little more legit. I'm not sure who was more excited to be racing, me or my bike. It really was good to be racing with her again. I rode her in my first few triathlons.
I knew I was out of my league before the race started. I was one of a handful of women racing with a lot of men. I was even lined up next to professional triathlete D'Ann Arthur. Umm...really! At least I knew who would be kicking my butt and that I was in good company. I felt better knowing that my partner in crime, Casey, was right there with me as well. It was her first crit too.
As soon as the race started I was in trouble. I couldn't get my foot clipped into my pedal and I was dropped from the group shortly after the second turn. Yes, it was that fast. I tried to catch the pack, but just couldn't. As I finished the first lap...way behind the pack, I was feeling a little deflated. I really thought I would have been able to hold on for a little while. There was even a point when I thought about quitting because I knew the pack would eventually lap me. That's when I had one of my little "come to Jesus" meeting with myself. I told myself that I would stop when the race was over or when the officials pulled me. Quitting wouldn't make the next race any easier. They don't actually pull people from this race for getting lapped, so an early exit wasn't a possibility. I was just going to have to keep riding hard. And did I ever ride hard. My heart rate was so high that I actually felt sick after a while. My lungs and legs were on fire!
At one point, one of the other girls in the race who had gotten dropped from pack, slowed down to give me some tips on cornering. SERIOUSLY, this girl was nice enough to take time in a race to give a rookie some pointers! Talk about making the new girl feel welcome. I cannot say enough about all the nice people out there.
The pack actually lapped me twice. Each time I tried to tuck back in with them, but failed. I couldn't even stay close enough to watch them to see how they handled things. I am proud of the fact that I did stay vertical and I didn't cry. It was nice to go home with all of my skin still attached to my body.
If I had know the outcome of last night's race, I probably would have waited a little longer before doing my first one, but I'm really glad that I did it. The truth is, if I waited until I felt "ready", I would never make it to the starting line. The whole experience was amazing. Despite the suffering, which is more than I've suffered in ANY triathlon, I did have fun. After the race I got to hang out and have a couple of cold beers with some great people. Like triathlon, I felt very welcomed in this new community.
I have a lot to learn and a lot of work ahead of me. I need to get stronger, and I mean A LOT stronger if I want to be able to hang with the pack. Since I have a little over two months before I go back to work, I have plenty of time work on my skills. There are a ton of people from my team, Dallas Racing, as well as some great friends who have offered to help me out and give me advice. This new adventure is just what I needed. I love a challenge and can't wait to race again next week.
As far as triathlon goes, I certainly am not throwing in the towel. I'm still running and swimming and getting ready for the X50 next month. I think the crit racing will be a fun way to improve my strength for triathlon.
I've been able to use my experience of triathlon to try to teach my students lessons in goal setting and perseverance. My experience in cycling will hopefully help me to teach them even more lessons. Failures are only failures if you allow them to be. They are opportunities to pick yourself up, take what you learned, and get back on the horse. I will probably never be an elite level cyclist, but I'm determined to have fun and see just where this sport will take me.
A big thanks goes out to all my friends and family who are supporting me in this new venture. Congratulation to Casey Poe for being brave enough to start this adventure with me.
teammate and friend Lisa Stone for letting me borrow
her jersey since mine hasn't come in yet.
"Beyond pain there is a whole new universe of more pain." ~~ Jens Voigt
