Synergy TT

From the moment I woke up this morning, my routine was toast. With my ever-so-helpful hubby out of state, I woke to my alarm alone. Without a word, the water boiled on the stove as I packed my bag for the first ROY TT of the year. As I watched the minutes tick by, I ran from my bag to the French press, to the toaster and my bike, desparately trying to make my goal departure time. Only 10 minutes behind schedule, I finally had the car packed and started, pointed towards Stillwater.

I arrived after a 3 mile detour (aka getting a little lost), and registered w/o issue. Upon placing my TT bike on the trainer, I realized both sew-ups were flat as pancakes, but my personal mechanic had no way to be reached. Desparately searching the address book in my phone turned up no answers to the pivotal question "What PSI should I have in my tires?". Frantic, I ran into Sal's Bar to find another tubless timetrialer to ask...luckily I found Shishilla (sp?) who was full of great advice. I ran back to El Gato and pumped her up for speed for our up-coming wind battle.

During warm-up, I watched as the battery on my bike computer ebbed and the screen went blank....Great! Was this morning ever going to let up? Resolved with my situation, I continued my warm up and took my final pre-race bathroom break. When I returned, my teammate notified me that my start was only three minutes away! Terrified, I darted out of the lot and charged the few blocks to the start line, only to find the officials flagging me to the start line.

The adrenaline in my blood stream was thick and charged as they told me I had 10 seconds....five..four...three...two...go! I took off, confused and stunned, only to get bucked out of my aero bars after a mile as I entered a clearing at mile One with a cross wind so fierce it forced me out onto my bullhorns in my last attempt to stay upright. Instantly, I questioned whether or not this was going to be the first race in my career that I wasn't going to finish. Luckily, the cross-wind was only so brutal at certain points, so I was able to bury the thought and press on. Without a computer read-out, I rode completely on my adrenaline stores and the sound of my crank-arms turning over. Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whooosh....

Photo thanks to Skinnyski.com, position thanks to Hollywood (dotcom)

I ate up 5 riders as I went, worried my speed wasn't up to par, but noticed I was being teased my a lightness in my chest....'amazing'.....'Jay would be so proud'.....'fight'.....a whisper in my head that never let up, but one that I couldn't exactly find deep inside.

I crossed the line in such a mental blur that I had to ask if I had really finished. Tired, but yet amazingly elated, I made the chilled return to my car and the warmth of all my clothes. Seeking respite, I changed and found a place within Sal's to warm my cold hands and await the feedback I so desparately sought after...what was my time?? Without any computer, I hadn't the faintest idea of whether or not I had made my goal of beating my previous time on the course.

I waited almost 4 hours.......

Finally, the scores were posted. It took everything in me not to sprint across the dining room floor as I made my way to the list. Starting from the bottom, I looked for my name....still not there....no....where the?..... To my utter shock I found my name at the top of the list! Secret Goal '09 was accomplished: Win a ROY TT!!! My first ROY TT win ever!!! (actually, my first ROY win, period) The only other was a part of a stage race last year, but I didn't even find out until the 2nd stage was completed, so the effect just wasn't the same..... And only 7 seconds of the top female in the 20K open, a Cat 2 rider for Flanders! I had felt that my race was done well, but this was more than AMAZING as a type of validation.

Still to this moment, I find myself smiling sincerely as I pass by the mirror in the bathroom. Still, utterly shocked. And beat my time from last year by 36 seconds even with the 30+ mph wind gusts!!! It was quite simply what I needed to help my cycling season: a major boost in confidence, and a fabulous case in patience...and perseverence.

Beaming,
Kristy Kreme

Ken Woods RR & Campus Soak Fest

Its official – racing season has begun – made quite apparent with the first double-feature of the year… Ken Wood’s RR & Campus Crit. Goodbye lazy Sundays spent in my pj’s and hot cocoa in my hands….Goodbye sleeping in…..Hello early mornings and 3 hour naps on Saturday, and all the fears, cheers, jeers and beers that come with it.

Ken Wood’s was a great time – 20 degrees warmer than last year and only ½ the wind. We had an awesome 22 woman field, which is always fun to ride in, plus the fact that 4 of them were my teammates – Hollywood’s Hellians. Everyone rode awesome and we had an amazing finish with Madone charging up the final climb to take 3rd, myself in 8th, the OC surprising us all with a strong 10th place (just weeks after the little man arrived), Points was close in 11th, and BOB rolled in ahead of a couple competitors to take 16th in her 2nd race ever. Nice work ladies!!! Can’t wait for the next one.

After a hard effort, we hit the bar for burgers & beer and made our way home for a lazy night. Morning came early on Sunday, though, and we were back in the car for another round. We headed to the U for the Campus Crit as the skies opened up and dumped hours worth of rain on us. By the time we parked the car, the sky began to light up and the thunder was an ominous threat of cancellation. A little to wet for comfort, we sat inside the registration building and waited out the thunder & lightning for 2 hours. Luckily, it ceased, but the course was still flooded with many areas of standing water, creating more obstacles on the already sketchy course.

Unfortunately, the rain kept the races from reaching their full potential with extremely low participant numbers. In the women’s 4 race there were 3 of us…. And I was perfectly fine with taking 3rd – Both Points & Dano are experienced racers in the rain, whereas this was my first wet crit ever. Though I held a strong speed, my inability to corner as fast and as confidently hurt my chances of ever staying with them so I simply rode solo trying to get faster and faster as I went along and the nerves slowly receded.

Cold and wet, we stuck around to cheer on the small field of ½’s afterwards. Hwood rode awesome in the race; a total natural on the bike in adverse conditions. The rain started to come down so hard at one point that he actually had to ditch his glasses (prescription!) and you know this super-duper newly wed was right there to catch them as he rode by…. No matter how unskilled some might think I am, Ray!

Once it was all said & done, it was just so nice to run home and throw on the sweat pants and warm up!! I know we need the rain, but how about just from 11:00am-4:00pm Mon-Fri so I can get out an ride more, eh? Ha! Looks like that’ll be unlikely this week. But hey, it’s just the beginning….there’s a whole lotta racing yet to come!

Amping up for the year,
Kristy Kreme

Bueller? Bueller?

Time jets by so fast when you're flyin by the seat of your bib shorts! I can't believe it's been almost a month since my last blog. But, by the bags under my eyes, and the full memory card on my camera, it was definitely time NOT wasted.

To kick it off, we headed south w/ 10 other SC peeps for spring training in the Ozark Mtns in Arkansas. Luckily, the dumb-a$$ redneck encounters were minimal (see: being used as pellet gun target practice as we made a 3 mile, 11% grade climb on our bikes).... and even better yet, the riding was AMAZING! We'd start each day with a sweet 3 mile decent out of our secluded mtn side cabin, and then battle the wicked steep 3 mile climb at the end of the day. Each day had a minimun 4500 ft. of ascending (one day some of the guys did a century w/ 10K of climbing!). It was so much fun, and the best part was getting to know my teammates so much better and share a TON of great laughs!

By the way... if you see us on an episode of Cops in Kansas City, let me know! Let's just say, getting in a car accident in the middle of an ice strom w/ some RENOB fleeing the police is more than it's cracked up to be!

After we returned, it was Game On for Hwood and I at the shop, burning the midnight oil for a week straight just to catch up. As usual, though, we didn't let the lack of sleep keep us from yet another rockin' SURLY JONES show! This time, instead of just takin photos and partying the night away, I got to kick it in the VIP room and pull some light Roadie duty. Saweet! It was a great show - get out and see 'em soon! We snuck out shortly after 1:00AM to catch 5 z's, then rolled into the tax man's office w/ coffee in hand and a lot of fingers crossed. Hopefully Uncle Sam loves bike racers....

No, we didn't return home after that - once the paperwork was done we were Eastbound and Down for Hellians Training Camp in Prescott, WI. (yes, I think Hellians looks better with an A) The team is WICKED HUGE this year with 9 women sporting the Black n White! Pelatons everyware: BEWARE. Most fun wins!!! Arkansas was the perfect precursor to this training ride, helping me up the climbs time and time again. I can't wait for the racin' to begin.

The arms have officially been ripped off the fun meter! Next up, watch for me swingin those arms overhead, practicing my "whoo hoo's".

Kristy Kreme