So I decided that I would do the women's open in the Downtown Greenville Cycling Classic on Oct 14th. Though 9 pro women stacked the start it was a great race. It is the first time I have NOT been a ball of nerves before a start. 15 laps and I had 5 teammates out there with me so at least I was in good company. The start was wicked, down the straight and in to the first turn, then the second which rolled up a grunt as crits go. As each lap went by it was harder to stay where I was with whatever group I was with. I found myself alone at some point, Dawn at one of the corners telling me to keep going. Good thing she was there or I might have quit.

I went with what I had in the tank for the rest of the race which wasn't much as I was alone with no one to trade pulls with and that damn hill took more and more out of me with each pass. The Columbian Cartel was camped out in the first turn screaming at me to keep going each time I cam around. The ringing of their cow bells giving me that little boost before I made the next turn. The Amy and three other girls pulled up behind me - thank the good Lord, so I though. Amy was as toasted as I was b/c the two girls with her wouldn't do any work and just sat on her wheel. There wasn't much left for us but to keep pedaling like hell if we wanted to stay away from the main group who were breathing down our necks.

Before we knew it we were on the last lap and the main group caught us. All we had to do was stay with them and our finish, granted one lap down from them, would count. As we approached the 3rd turn the girl in front of me slowed down and my tire brushed her rear derailleur. Luckily nothing bad happened but Amy was behind me and it almost took her down. She came around on my left and I went with her into the 4th and final turn. There it was, the finish, the hell which was the Downtown Greenville Classic was almost over. I managed to weave around Nicole and a few other girls so that I didn't finish dead last. I think I was 26th out of 30+. Not an outstanding finish but I didn't get lapped and left behind and I didn't DNF in a race with some seriously strong women (one of them the Masters 50+ National Criterium Champion)... life is good.

And I went back for seconds on Sunday with a smaller but no slower feild... 25 laps this time and I did DNF, oh well :)