2009-02-15 Pine Flat RR report

Cat 4 women
Originally uploaded by queenjill

This was the day after Cantua Creek, out at Pine Flat Lake east of Merced. The terrain was neither flat nor pine-covered, so the name is still a bit of a mystery. Anyway, there were only six entries in the W4 field, four of us Velo Girls (Yari sat it out due to some knee pain). Five of us, including Christine of Reno Wheelmen, had raced at Cantua Creek the day before. At the starting line, we all talked about how this would be essentially a training ride, as none of us was feeling fresh -- we even joked about blowing the whole thing off and riding down to the Blossom Cafe for waffles. The sixth woman, also named Christine, was unattached to a team; it was her first race.

The race began down at a marina, with a steep promenade up to the course from the starting line (see photo). There was a lot of grumbling on the way up. Up on the road, I got to the front of the group, because the Velo Girls had agreed that Emily should not pull at all during the race if possible, to help make up for her pulling the day before at Cantua Creek. We were keeping a very recreational pace at first, on an out-and-back section of about 20 miles. Unattached Christine launched a few small attacks off the front; we all picked up the pace a little but for the most part we were happy to let her go off on her own if she wanted, not believing that she could last for long on her own on a 62 mile course. However, after the turnaround on the out-and-back section, Reno Christine decided to follow Unattached Christine on an attack, and Emily chased along.

Vanessa, Dana, and I half-heartedly worked together but none of us really believed that we were going to catch the other three. My achilles tendons were starting to ache, and I decided that trying to ride another 42 miles on them would probably be a mistake, so as we passed by the marina I peeled off and called it a day. Dana was determined to finish, and I talked Vanessa into going with her. So I was alone down at the cars for awhile.

According to Lorri and Yari, who were following Emily and the Christines in a car, it was an epic battle to the finish. The three of them worked together for awhile, until Reno Christine dropped off, and Unattached Christine went ahead. Emily finally got UC back in sight somewhere on the final climb (which went on for miles and was reportedly very steep). Emily would close the gap, but UC would launch ahead again, until finally UC had nothing left -- Emily passed her with less than 100 meters to go until the finish line. I wish I could have seen it! Lorri said that she and Yari were holding hands in the car and screaming.

Vanessa apparently called it quits around the beginning of the final climb. Dana finished by herself, but she finished, and was rewarded with a t-shirt. I wish I could have finished but even if I could have muscled through the achilles pain, it probably would have put me out of commission for the rest of the season. It also doesn't sound like the kind of course best suited for my abilities -- too much climbing. I think I have a better shot at flatter courses like Cantua Creek.