Tulsa Tough

Many things have changed in the past three weeks (graduation, moving, sad goodbyes) but I am finally on the racing track again down in Tulsa, Oklahoma. After Nationals I took some time off to rest up for the long season of (mostly) track but also road. Because of this time off, Tulsa is hard. Very hard. There are some specific things I could have done to prepare more for this race:

1. Take less time off.
2. Celebrate less.
3. Intervals in the sauna.

But, so what, the race is hard? It's time that I get myself into gear. My legs missed this burning, exhausted feeling...alot. And I sort of forgot how much I love racing, it's nice to be reminded again.

Tulsa Tough is made up of three crit races. The first two are fairly flat and technical and the last is a steep power climb with a screaming downhill into a tight corner. These are fabulous races. The race promoters do a great job promoting the race, giving out tons of prize money, even displaying the races on JUMBOTRON TVs around the course. The Tulsans get really into it and many people see it as a reason to hang out on the street and drink beer. In fact, yesterday before the race we had an inspirational exchange with some passerbys in a car. Went like this:

Man: Y'all inspire me so much, you have no idea. You inspire me SOO much. You're great.
Girlfriend of Man: YEAH AND HE'S A SOLDIER!!!!
Man: Y'all are an inspiration to us!! And you look so great in those outfits.

Other than the race being hard, yesterday (Friday) was smokin' hot (upwards of 95 degrees). I felt okay for the first part of the race until I felt my back tire start to rub, so I reached back and undid my breaks. But then it was rubbing even worse and every time I stood up I could feel my back wheel moving around. Loose. Skewer. This has happened to me before, but luckily that time it was a small race, I was off the front, and I argued with the officials until they let me have a free lap. But this time, I knew I wouldn't be as lucky. I tried to ride with it loose as long as I could, but the second something like that gets into your head, you start to suck. The last chance of surviving the race I had was to go to the pit and beg for a free lap. The official sort of laughed at me, asked me what happened, at which point I claimed someone ran into me and undid my skewer. But, he wasn't having it. He told me I would have to chase back on, no free lap. I tried harder for the free lap. Eventually, he told me he would let me get back in with the pack, but I would be 1 lap down. Whatever, I need to finish the race for confidence at the very least. So I finished, didn't want to sprint. I probably actually got somewhere around the 30s but because of my 1 lap deficit I am DFL in the results...AWESOME.

Today is a new day (an even hotter one) and a new race, hopefully we can have fun out there and win some money!

Photos coming soon.