Races 4: Binghamton Circuit Race X2

It was raining steadily when I went in to work this morning and still raining when I left work and headed for Binghamton just before 10. The rain kept me company all the way to Binghamton, and I hold said rain responsible for the small open women's field. Only four women preregistered when I checked in. I did not foresee more signing up and I had noticed the fine print saying a woman of category n could race with a men's category n-1, so, given that one weakness I have been trying to work on is pack riding, I figured I had better sign up for the Men's 3/4 race as well. My race was scheduled to start at 12:30, and the men's 3/4 at 2:00. Each field racing 15 laps. It was slightly windy and I figured it would take the four of us women around 75 minutes to cover the 24 miles - so I was giving myself a 15 minute break between races. Plenty of time to put the second number on, grab a quick drink, and send out a text or two.

The course is a 1.6 mile loop around an industrial park. As advertised there were no corners and no tight curves - a good thing given the rain. The start went up a 2-3% grade for a short bit then down the back side, and was fairly flat around the back side of the loop. Around 50 meters from the start/finish the road pitched up steeply until just before the line.

As I suspected would happen, a grand total of 4 women lined up - one having raced the 3/4 race two hours earlier. I don't know the name of the repeat rider, the other two were Amy, and Margaret, who raced Check Your Legs. We started a minute behind the combined mens 1/2/3 and masters mens field. We went out at a reasonable pace and rode pretty steady for most of the race. We fell into a pattern where on many laps i led up the climbs, starting on the backside a bit before the steep section and Margaret led on the descent and much of the flat. Amy led a bit too at various spots. The other rider was just trying to hang on and she did until the second prime lap. There were a total of 3 primes (laps 5, 8, and 11 I think). I practiced patience on the bike on the prime laps and at the finish, making sure I was not on the front and letting Amy and Margaret make the first move, before countering. I took all three primes. Margaret made two attacks - one just at the bottom of the hill around mid race, and on the other on the last lap. On the last lap with around 1/2 mile to go Margaret launched a monster attack, that it took a fair bit of effort for me to reel back in, but reel it in i did. The attack did drop Amy though. The effort left Margaret pretty empty for the steep climb and I was able to pass her for the win.

Quick trip to the car for number #2, and something to drink. I hadn't brought anything for quick energy food since I had not been planning on racing twice, so just sports drink and a quick number change before lining up again. At least I was warmed up for this second race. I spent most of this race floating around the back half of the pack, getting VERY soggy, and having a bit of difficulty seeing anything with the wheel spray despite the glasses. Around mid lap I did help shut down one move off the front of the pack, though at that point I believe there was already a small break up the road. I managed to hang on despite the much faster pace for almost the whole race. Half way around the last lap there was a surge I just couldn't match and I found myself 4 or so bike lengths off. I was able to make up some of the distance and pass a few guys on the final time up the steep section and finished just a few seconds off the pack. Results for both races are up and it looks like I was 4th to last in the second race.

Jim Danvers came out to shoot us riding in the rain and has posted his shots on the Jim Danvers Photography site. He got there just before the Mens and women's 1/2/3 races and shot a lot of pictures of us. Unfortunately the rain picked up after that race and he had to pack up the camera. he has some fun shots.