Memorial Weekend

Driving  down to Iowa for Memorial Weekend has pretty much been the tradition the last 10 years.  Snake Alley Criterium in Burlington is definitely my favorite crit of all time, probably because it isn't really a normal crit. It's one of those races that fits my abilities almost perfectly yet I still have a hard time getting a top 5. I was 2nd two years ago and that may be as close as I get to winning but I'm not giving up yet. This year I was 7th, I'm happy with the result but I think every race in the last 5 years I have been exactly where I needed to be when the race was won but for one reason or other I have not been able to make the selection. After doing the race so many times I am pretty good at knowing when and where things are going to happen and where you need to be and where you can hide on the course, but it's not so fun to be where you need to be but then not capitalizing on it..

You always need to be in the top 5 on the Snake so you don't get gapped on the downhill and being able to pedal for 50ft hard over the top is the make or break point. This year that is where I didn't have it. I think it was mostly the heat. The Powertap says it was 98 degrees average for the race and that is way too hot for me coming from WI where it's been 60s, 70s. It was total shock to the system and I couldn't recover at all and I couldn't make the efforts over the top which is where the winning moves always come from. I was so overheated during the race I took off my sunglasses because it felt cooler with them off of my face and all I could think about between laps 5-15 was laying down and falling alseep. I think I was in a bit of oxygen debt.
Still, considering it was only my 4th race of the year and it was super hot, top 10 is always a good result at the Snake and next year I'll have a little more experience and maybe a little more power on the top of the course.

The rest of the weekend is always training races for me and some time to relax away from home. This was our first trip with Jocelyn and we weren't too confident when we left that it was going to be a relaxing or enjoyable experience but she did really good. It works out nicely that most of the races have a park at the race so Jamie was able to have Jocelyn in the stroller while Ellie  tested her 3yr old freedom on the swings. 95 degrees for 3 days and Ellie was still going strong when we were packing up to leave.

 I was glad I spent some time putting in a new AC Condenser on the Subaru last week because the weekend might have turned out a little different if I hadn't. The old condenser had a leak that I finally found so it was leaking out the refrigerant. It took about 45 minutes to get in the new condenser and then I had my brother-in-law charge it up at his shop - ice cold AC again!

So, it was a good weekend of racing and being with the family. I got in 4 races total for a little fitness boost and we all got a good deal of sunshine and warmth. Looks like a high of 55 Wednesday so what is that, almost a  45 degree temperature swing from a few days ago - going to need armwarmers.