The Race: USA Cycling Professional National Championships
The Course: 63.1 miles, including 2 trips over Lookout Mountain (a steep 3-mile climb)
The Field: Pro women
The Finish: 32nd
Nationals was held over Memorial Day weekend in Chattanooga, TN. I didn’t get around to doing a race report and now there’s the Philly race to write about, so this will be quick. It was a tough day. I was still dealing with a cold-like virus that left me uncomfortable, and I hadn’t managed my work/cycling balance well during the previous week, which meant a lot of unnecessary stress. It wasn’t a good combination and it showed in my riding. My mental game was weak and I cracked a bit on the 3-mile climb. I didn’t push as hard as I should have and let gaps open that proved too much to close. It wasn’t a terrible day and my performance wasn’t hugely disappointing, but it was frustrating to know that my mistakes had put me in a hole that impacted my ability to perform. It also seems like I’ve underestimated how much one has to be willing to hurt to ride with the excellent climbers. When it came time to suffer, I wasn’t prepared to suffer enough. It’s okay, though. All part of the learning process.