2011 Iowa City Criterum Races

Snake Alley Criterium is my 2nd favorite criterium, Fox River Grove being my 1st. The difference is that Snake alley to me is like the lucky draw. Either you have it from the gun or your not making 10 top. Meaning if your not up there from the gun your pretty much done. Maybe it's a little bit like "cycle cross" start races. The special part of this trip though is that I was able to have my 5 yr old son Shane with me. Debra from Project 5 and her 2 kids (Luke and Izzie) all made the trip together.

The other great thing about all these Iowa Criteriums races this weekend was that all these races where part of the qualifying races for amateur cyclists to earn a trip to compete against the country top men and women professional bike races at the Nature Valley Grand Prix. So, knowing this, brought out some great competitors. Amanda Miller, whom took 1st in the Pro W123 along with Coryn Rivera 2nd and Kaitlin Antonneau 3rd.

Saturday: Women's 2/3: Raced started with about 30 women. It was 6 laps. Since I registered early I was 1st to line up. Raced started. I hit it pretty good but I made a mistake of not kicking it in harder as I got out of the saddle on the climb from the start to attack. Three women collided in front of me, part way up the climb. I had to unclip and walk up the snake climb. I was very unhappy but hurried to get back on the bike at the top. I had lost time. Got to the top, got on my bike and click it into my big gear. I pedaled like mad to chase. I kept pushing it, harder and harder up that climb every time, hoping to maybe catch the field. To my surprise, I was able to pass 4 or 5 riders.
Last lap, I passed a few more women and placed 23rd.





Women's 123 Race: 2nd race of the day. It was 12 laps. I was really excited just to be racing with some really great top riders. It was cool to see all the teams with 5 or 6 women. Race started and I held on with the field for the first few laps but there was a group that gunned it from the start that was ahead for sure. All I can say is that it was " FAST" and my goal was to finish. By the 10th lap, I was pacing myself to keep the tempo and stay strong. I was able to pass 1 rider. I came in 24th place. Not dead last. I'm not disappointed in how I raced at all. In fact, I was smiling as I was climbing, because my 5 yr old son was sitting about half way up the snake and saying to me " Mommy go get her, Mommy pass that rider, go mommy....go mommy" It was the best feeling to hear my son's voice. Also thanks to Gus Carillo, Debra and Luke and Izzie and Steve too. It was great having you there.



Melon City: All I can say about Melon City is this......"rain, hail, thunder, lightening,......... kids very unhappy.....so I decided to take my first DNS ever and take the kids swimming indoors. I was not happy with my decision but I learned my lesson about some things I can't mention. :) On the bright side I took a nice ride along the Mississippi River bike trail.


Quad City Criterium: The photo is the 1st call up to the line which I was in. There where about 35 women in our field. It was a big field which was awesome. I was feeling a bit tired. I wasn't sleeping well at the hotels we where staying at. Race started. I fell about middle of the main field. I stayed pretty much on the inside which I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. For some reason I had a really hard time moving up. Alot of it was mental. I felt I didn't have that "fighter mentality". About half way into I moved up to top12 on the back side of the course and then lost it. I just wasn't focused and wasn't staying on a good wheel. Last lap, tried again to go for it but I was just not in the game mentally. I placed 24th out of 35 women.


So much to take away from this weekend. It was by far not a weekend for results. It was a weekend of training and being with my son. After the race, there was a man that saw me standing next to my son by the start/finish. He could tell I was tired. He came up to me and said this. "You are an amazing women to put yourself out there, race and have your child with you. You are setting a wonderful example for your son, that some kids never get to see and do. Your are an example of living a healthy, lifestyle and keeping yourself fit and enjoying what you do." And so this comment just made my weekend complete.


Thank you Debra from Project 5 and Steve. And Congrats to the ABD team. They did an awesome job out there.

Onward to some road races and stage races............