Somerville by Emma

Tour of Somerville
May 30, 2005
Presented by Middle Earth
20 mile criterium
Field: ~130 women, open

It was a star-studded event. And then there were those of us who just wanted to jump into a big pond and swim among the big fish. That’s me! It was fun and fast. The teams were on fire and attacking like crazy. There were big money primes and Victoria Secret stuff too. Lots of bumping and sprinting and hootin’ and hollerin’. The corners were tight and quick. It’s all a big blur. My HR was beyond max, my lungs were burning, and I somehow lost part of my voice from the exertion. I tried to stay near the front but got extremely tired toward the end of the race. Just keeping a good position required super human endurance and power with pro teams Fuji, Lipton, Quark, Colavita, T Mobile, Velo Bella, and Ford Basis (among others) mixing it up big time. Overall an awesome experience. Andy’s shouts from the sidelines kept me going. I think almost half the field was dropped and pulled. I finished with the pack 37th.

CRCA Women's Points Race

Six laps, five sprints...and Becky managed to disappear into the sunrise completely unnoticed on the last lap!

Nicely done, we tip our helmets.

Bridgeville NJ Crit

Too aggressive for my own good! Whenever will I learn?!

A nice event just outside Somerville, with about 18 women on the line. After 4 or 5 laps of trailing like a bunch of ducks around the course, I took matters into my own hands and attacked on the one rise on the course. Betty Tyrell countered, and I got on her, but when the pack got us back a lap later, I couldn't hang on to her teammate Mara's counter. Trisha Church of Verducci & I did manage to stay in no-mans land for the remainder of the race, sprinting for third.

Oh well, fourth is...third loser??

TBW Women's Shop Rides

by Emma

Mondays with Emma, Tass, Randy, Susan and Janis (more to join in June)

This week will be ride #5. These gals are so cool. They all have kids and love to stay in shape. I’m trying to convince them to come to the CRCA women’s beginner clinic in June. They’re pretty strong and fit and getting more smooth and confident every week.

Belltown Classic XC MTB

by Emma

Belltown Classic, East Hampton, CT
Root 66 Northeast XC Mtn Bike Series (race #3 of 15)

This was the toughest mountain bike course I’ve ever been on and the most painful race I’ve every done period! I raced Sport class because of scheduling, but did a pre-race lap to get the extra miles. I wanted to do the same distance as the Expert class. The course was full of technical, steep, rocky climbing, lots of tight single track, jagged rocks, roots, logs, mud, creeks to cross, you name it. Connecticut XC is the real deal. I took 3rd and man did I have to work for it. I was at anaerobic threshold most of the time (1.5 hours). I sure hope it gets easier after this. I’m tied with Michelle Desmarais for series leader.

Flanders TT

by Emma

Ala Eddy Merckx
Promoted by Somerset Wheelmen
May 14

11 miles with strong headwind cannibal style (no TT bars/wheels) . The TT started flat, 2 miles of steep climbing, then rollers and a windy descent. Only the descent felt flat with all the wind. I got to pre-drive the course, but not pre-ride it. The local girls had the home court advantage, but I showed up to represent for the TBW series. I took 5th. Mara M and Betty T kicked everyone’s butt.

Great Neck, LI crit

25 laps of a .6 mile loop with a big-ring hill, it was women and juniors with separate prize lists.

The juniors took off pretty quick, and by the second lap, I was out in the wind chasing down Sarah Sauveyre (Comedy Central), Betty Tyrell (Somerset) and several equally strong juniors, all of whom were in turn chasing two other juniors. About 10,000 laps later, I caught back on to discover Gloria of USI was up there too. So, three juniors, four women in the "lead" group and riders scattered all over the course. But the roads were wide, the corners weren't very technical and despite everything, it was an amazingly safe event.

Sarah won the final sprint, Betty took second, I took third. It was a lot of fun—hope this event returns to the calendar next year.

CRCA ITT

We came, we rode, we suffered. Does anyone else remember how few people used to ride the ITT? Ah, good times...posting a top ten in the women's field used to be a matter of showing up.

Ann-Marie kicked all our butts, setting the mark at 29:47. The next two riders, Marie & Ellen rolled in almost a full minute later at 30:41 & 30:45. That being said, they were still a wee bit in front of us—but per team agreement, all riders have up to three excuses to be noted with their time trial time. If it weren't for those? Oh, we definitely would have been right up there!

Liz 33:09
- flip-flop pedals. Do I really need more reasons to receive a bye?!? Practically cannibal!

Nan 34:06
- wanted to be really, really certain she managed that negative split

Caroline 34:24
- decided not to show her hand too early in the season
- loosened handlebars during first lap with immense upper-body strength
- missed the memo regarding Nancy's first lap pacing—assumed she was on record-setting pace by keeping her in sight.

Ann-Marie 00:00
- gave her bars away rather than race this event

Andrea 00:00
- but she would have won the 8 months pregnant division, hands down

Emma 00:00
- park race? Isn't there a hill in Jersey to climb up?

TBW Women's Series Standings Update

Below, you'll find the Cat 3 & 4 women's series standings after the first three races (Grant's Tomb, Bear Mountain and Colt's Neck). Both competitions are wide-open as riders are changing categories and missing events—just by showing up and finishing, you're all but certain to move up the ranks!

Category 3

1. Heather Labance 195
2. Liz Seward 165
3. Elizabeth Tyrell 160
4. Angela Johnson 157
5. Cindy Ma 143
6. Marie DeRosa 139
7. Jennifer Magur 100
7. Lisa Jellett 100
8. Emma Nelson 95
8. Hannah Long 95
9. Leslie Jennings 90
9. Margo Herman 90
10. Brooke Wilson 85
11. Stephanie Bleecher 80
11. Nanci Modica 80
12 Jane Berger 75
13. Jill Waggett 72
14. Diana Panchyk 70
15. Jaimie Epstein 68
16. Kriserts Roberts 66
16. Tammy Ebersole 66

Category 4

1. Nina Santiago 162
2. Karen Ulrich 160
3. Carol Picot 153
4. Kelleigh Dulany 141
5. Laura Tyson 132
6. Nancy Camp 128
7. Caitlin McVarish 110
8. Colleen Hayduk 100
8. Pam Kiely 100
8. Mimi Boyle 100
9. Wendy Cohen 97
10. Maureen Mcowen 95
10. Emma Nelson 95
11. Julie Reid 90
12. Colleen Gulick 85
13. Kimille Taylor 80
13. Lisa Manfredi 80
13. Nancy Ford 80
14. Margaret Schotte 75
14. Suzanne Tempsick 75
15. Gloria Deucher 72
16. Lauren Tracey 70
17. Rebecca Menke 68
18. Nancy Heller 66
18. Nathalie Roy 66
19. Evelyn Heinbach 62
19. Meredith Johnson 62
20. Maria Vlasak 60
20. Susanne Huelster 60
21. Lise Dupuis 58
21. Cynthia Steiner 58
22. Sheila O’Connor 56
22. Karen Cheney 56
23. Caroline Lam 25
23. Tania Ayoub 25
23. Jennifer LaPlante 25
23. Cheryl Wolf 25
23. Rebecc Schepps 25
23. Teresa Disessa 25
23. Liosa Maxted 25
23. Jennisse Peatick 25

Points are earned according to the following scale:
1st) 100 points
2nd) 95
3rd) 90
4th) 85
5th) 80
6th) 75
7th) 72
8th) 70
9th) 68
10th) 66
11th) 64
12th) 62
13th) 60
14th) 58
15th) 56
16th+) And below 25 points

If you have any questions, please email: emma (at) getfitnyc.com

Jiminy Peak by Nan

Jiminy Peak, MA

The Cat 4 race was a double lap around a loop that included a gradual descent, then gradual ascent in rolling hills, followed by a corner into a moderate climb. The finish was at the top of the climb.

There was a good showing (39 women) and the weather was cloudy, drizzly and cool. The pack took off at a moderate pace and increased it gradually on the approach to the climb. The climb divided the group roughly in half.

The lead group took a strong pace on the descent and back through the rollers, into the wind. A chasing pack grew in numbers from 2 (I was one of them) to 8 as the lead group lost a few of their members and a couple of girls caught up with us. We could not catch the leaders at least partly because as our numbers grew, our organization diminished. According to reports from the front, the lead group pace was hard and the pace setter also won the race.

In all, I had a productive race. Looking forward to the rest of the season.

Colt's Neck, NJ

Emma got her upgrade, so there were two of us in the W123 field. She also pulled a fine counter-attack on the second of five laps that broke up the field a bit more.

Unfortunately, the break contained Lisa Jellett, 3-time event winner who knew exactly how to finish in front and did—Emma didn't quite make it around her and had to settle for second.

Bear Mountain

I'm really sorry—it's all my fault. Every time I go to Bear, it's yucky. I thought if I didn't ride, the curse might be lifted, but not so much. The fog was so thick you couldn't see the flashing lights of the caravan vehicles 50 feet away.

Weather be damned, the racing girls put in some fine rides—Emma was 2nd of the Cat 4 women by mere inches, Nancy was 11th and Caroline was just happy to finish. Eve handled support and I rode in the pace car, trying to make sure Katie & Becky didn't actually pass the car when they attacked on the climb.