Grant's Tomb and Stevens Duck Country Criterium

First off, apologies for promising I'd write over the weekend and didn't get a chance to. When I wasn't out driving or at the race courses, I was pretty much sleeping. I don't get a break anymore.

So Saturday, we were at Grant's Tomb (Criterium) in NYC. Same course as last year, just a different start. I just went as hard as I could because I knew if I didn't I'd get dropped right away. Well, I did go hard, and still got dropped within a few laps anyways. And pathetically, I got pulled from the race a lot earlier than I did last year. Freakin' winter sucked! Didn't train at all and put on some weight, which is showing in my performance so far in Collegiates. I ended up placing 41st out of 46, which I think is wrong because I'm pretty sure I was closer to last, if not last. I think the race officials messed up or something as I did end up getting lapped but they didn't pull me right away because the pace car got off the course for a lap for whatever reason. Anyways, I'll take 41st, but I did do a LOT better last year than I did this year.

Sunday, Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, NJ hosted the Stevens Duck Country Criterium. My view of the elevation chart was so wrong, because I thought it was just moderate down and up round-2-blocks lap. Nah, it was more of a straight down, flat, straight up, somewhat flat course. I have pictures which, if I remember to, I will post.

The downhill was always fun, but just like any other races, people must really LOVE to brake. I learned from previous races and would get on the outside of the downhil turn and just past everyone. However, the hill was a killer. Oh yeah, and SPEED BUMPS?! How did ECCC approve of this course?! Speed bumps, pot holes everywhere... this was one the nastiest course ever.

Back to the downhill, I discovered you really don't need to hit the brakes more than just a tad bit, because I went down and made the turn easily just about each lap I was in the front or by myself. The one lap, I was less than 45 degrees (angle) off the road when making the turn, and I was comfortable doing that!

Well, for some reason I wasn't placed, and actually given a DNF. Everyone else placed, which just shows how pathetic my performance has been so far this season. I need to make a change. Kim even wrote me up a training plan for the next two weeks, which I'm going to make sure I follow, even if I gotta let my school work slip a little to make it happen.

Taylor had a good weekend, struggled a little but she's doing fine. She raced in both Women's Intro and B on Saturday, and for a starter like her I think she did fine. Kim got 5th on Saturday and second on Sunday. As of the end of this past weekend, we are placed 12th in the Conference, going up one place since last week when we were 13th.

Next week is University of Delaware, which I will talk more about later this week. Thanks for reading!