Last week we had Junior Nationals in Orange County, California. We Flew in on Monday and went out for an easy ride. The rest of the team got in later that night.
On Tuesday the entire team went out on a pre race ride on the TT course and we also had packet pickup over by Disney.
Day 1 of nationals racing was the time trail. Team swift had riders racing all day.
Starting with me at 11:30 and ending with Stanley at 3. I woke up early and was pumped up and ready to get out and race. After breakfast Coach Laura and I rode over to the course to find my dad (he had run out to the local Wal-Mart to buy a tent because it was scorching hot and no shade).
This is my first year in 15-16 so it’s also my first year of doing 20 k. The course was actually just short of 20 at 18k. The first 3 miles was uphill. We started on a bike trail and merged onto the road. The only sketchy part of the course was on the trail. There was a sharp left turn with a bump where the trail narrowed from about 1 1/2 lanes to 1/2 a lane.
The big hill was a real grinder. It was the make or break of the race but after you crested the hill it was basically all downhill to the turn around and an easier hill to the finish.
I started at 11:33. I was mid way in the 15-16 girls and the last of the 15 year old to start. I was happy with my position and was ready to get out on the road. A few deep breaths at the start and then I was off. After about 30seconds I could just see my 30sec girl up the road. I was closing in and that got me going a little faster. I caught her just before the tunnel that leads to the sharp left.
Once I had merged onto the road I started the hardest part of the course, the long grind up to the top of the hill. I was caught by a girl half way up the hill. I paced off her for a little but she was flying. Finally I crested the hill. I could see another girl in front of me. After a little descent I flew by the finish. Only about 6 miles left.
Right before the turn around I was caught by Coryn Rivera and then I caught another girl. I caught my last rider right after the turn around. There were a couple girls that caught me so I was able to use them to pace off of for a little while.
After powering up the final hill I could see the 500 meters to go. After that the race went by quickly. I ran a 36:59 and got 7th overall.
Team Swift had two riders on the podium in the TT. Ryan Eastman placed 5th in the 15-16men and Stanley Goto got 4th in the 10-12men.
Thursday was the Crit. It was in the Angels Stadium parking lot. The course was dead flat. It was made up of mostly bends and not really sharp corners. There as a 180 about 500 meters from the finish. That was where all the crashes happened.
We had 20 girls in our race. As we waited at the line the announcers told us all the top riders from the TT. I knew them all and had raced against them before.
Right from the gun there was an attack. I had a bad start and a bit of a scare but once I got clipped in I was back into the front of the field. Throughout the race there were many attacks. Coryn Rivera and Katie Antonneau had placed 1-2 in the TT and we all looked to them to cover the moves. By the time that we had reached 4 laps to go Katie and Coryn looked tired. Kendall Ryan (4th in the TT) attacked. She got a gap and no one responded. As we came around with 2 laps to go her gap was still around 30 sec. We weren't closing. Jessica Prinner (3rd in the TT) attacked as we came around for the bell lap. She got a gap but people started chasing when she went.
As we came around to the final corner and went through the 180 Coryn hit the barricade and flatter her wheel. Then an attack went. We still had two riders off the front so we were sprinting for 3rd. As we rounded the final bend I was in fifth. Everyone was holding their position but a girl snuck in on the outside and nudged me out of 5th into 6th.
Team Swift got 1 podium (Ryan Eastman 3rd in the 15-16) and two top 10 (Stanley Goto 9th in the 10-12 and myself 6th). Also Lindsay Meyers (Team Dewar's and former Swiftie) got 5th in the Women U23.
The next day was the RR and my last chance for podium this year. I felt good at the start and was ready to go. The course was hilly but it was a lot easier than the years past. It was a little over 4mi. The women 15-16 had 7 laps (56km). From the start it was downhill, there was a steep, little uphill as we entered into a school on the back side of the course. It leveled out but then kicked back up again as we exited the school. We passed the start/finish and then went down a roughly 1mi long descent, after 180 at the bottom and it was back up to the start.
On the first lap we all stayed together. Everyone was looking around to see who would launch the first attack. Half way through the second lap Coryn attacked. Everyone followed but she had a gap. It split the field up. I was in the first chase group on the road with 3 other riders. We started a pace line trying to reel Coryn back. We were caught by a few other riders. Our group now had 7 or 8 riders and we were all trying to get it organized to catch the leader.
We chased for a couple laps. At the 180 she was 30 meters away. I sprinted out of the corner and was able to bridge up without dragging other riders up. We didn't work together and were quickly caught. Coryn attacked again. Katie reacted first and I followed. We gapped the field and pulled away. I was struggling to hang on her wheel up the hill. Once we crested the hill I tried to put in solid pulls. Katie ended up being the work force that brought us back up. I was tired.
We bridge up to Rivera just as we entered the school. I put in a few pulls but dropped on the first hill. It was the beginning of a long time trial. What was left of the peloton was chasing me. It started out as 5 riders and as the race went on slimmed down to 2.
The 2 riders caught me with 2 laps to go at the top of the finishing hill. Almost at once they started attacking. I was tired and just tried to follow. We stayed together through the school but when we reached the next hill they attacked again and I dropped.
I could see them pull away as I made the descent. After the turn around I could see that I still had a good sized gap on 6th place. I put my head down and grinded up the hill.
1 lap to go! I was pressing on. I found a little bit more energy in my legs. I made it through the school and over the hill one last time. Just 1 more hill. I didn't know how much of a gap that I had on 6th. I was praying that she wouldn't catch me. Once I made it to the 180 and had gone a little ways I still didn't see her come around and I could now relax a little. I had made it on the podium. The final grind to the finish hurt. I was very tired and very happy at the finish. I was excited for my first podium of the 2008 nationals.
Team Swift had another top 10 finish from Stanley Goto and a 15th from Joey in the 13-14 men. Ryan crashed out in the first lap and broke his collar bone. Lindsay Meyers went on to get 2nd in her race on Saturday and Tyler got 11th in his race on Sunday. Awesome racing from Team Swift (and Dewar's)!!!
A special thanks to Mr. Goto and Mr. Scott. They got me some cold water on my first feed in the road race. Also to Coach Laura, her advice is awesome!!! And of course to dad! He got me to nationals, drove me around, and took care of me at the races.
This year I'm going to do more races in the Fall Season. Maybe even a little cyclocross. I don't know when my next race is but I’m look forward to the rest of the season. I'll have pictured from nationals up soon.
Thanks for reading,
Ciao
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