The Race: Nature Valley Grand Prix Uptown Minneapolis Crit
The Course: 28 laps, 6 corners
The Field: Pro 1/2 women
The Finish: 9th

We got home from last night’s crit really late and I squandered my free time this morning poking the asshole cat and inserting “that’s what SHE said” into conversations. As a result, writing this report got pushed to the last minute and now I’m writing it during the van ride to the next race.

If you want real insight into my charming pre- and post-race personality, you can see my Nature Valley feature video here. Also, who says “prognosticate” in an interview while riding the trainer? I can’t decide if I deserve props or a bitchslap. My teammates vote for the latter. This is why I love them.

The race was tough – I was nearly involved in four crashes, four of my teammates hit the ground (and bounced with minimal damage, no doubt thanks to the protective layer provided by the 8,368 calories we’ve eaten each day), and the race was neutralized and restarted after 8 laps due to a big pileup. I was on edge the whole time and constantly redlining to hold position. A small break escaped mid-race and I bridged up just in time to have the riders sit up. The field caught us and I decided to keep going, but when you have roughly .83 seconds on the field and 90 women are hungrily bearing down, that is not smart. I sat up and reintegrated into the pack. I wanted to try to attack a few laps later, but as my teammate Joy helpfully pointed out when I shared this, “Uh, you might want to move up first.” Apparently attacking from 25th wheel when the field is strung out might have some disadvantages.

With somewhere around five laps to go, a crash exploded on the back stretch of the course and I was almost taken out by a flying bike. The riders ahead of the crash floored it as they prepared for the finish, so it took a big effort to get back up to speed and stay attached. Then Exergy started one hell of a fast leadout and the final laps flew by. The field blew up, but I refused to give into the feeling of wanting to barf and die and I came into the final corner in position to sprint for a decent finish. I was happy to end up in 9th and finish wheels down and not dead.

Learning the importance of not manifesting my pre-race anxiety by running around like a drunken hamster.
Learning the importance of not being the first one in and the last one out of the chamois. This was the first time a teammate beat me into the shorts. Winning at vaginal health!
Learning the importance of post-race recovery while stage racing. I spent 40 minutes sprawled out in the mechanics’ van with my feet up.

2 thoughts on “NVGP: If I tell you my secret plan, it’s not a secret plan, DUH”

  1. Without failure the worse I feel at the beginning of a race, the better I feel at the end, and the stronger I finish. The human body and mind is just one big black hole to me. Two top tens, you have much to celebrate about. You’re make’n it happen, right before our very eyes. Beautiful Finish!!!

  2. Lindsay you are so rocking this race series. I just looked at the results from today and you moved up in the GC. Keep going. You are simply amazing

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