Tucson, AZ — This morning is the road race and it is a good thing we’re starting early…the temperatures have been above normal for this time of year. It was getting close to 90° every day. Heather started a little bit before me but I still had time to take a picture. My race was interesting…even though the flyer said Cat 2’s would have their own race, they decided to combine us with the Pro/1’s for both the road race and circuit race tomorrow. They would still score us separately, but the whole dynamics of the race will be change. Not to mention…I’m not sure I would be able to hang on the climb racing with the Pro’s!

As expected, my race started fast and we were doing 34 MPH on the flats. I was able to hang on, but I was feeling at my limits a couple times. The first time up the climb I got dropped and had to start chasing. Fortunately there were some people behind me and we organized and started to paceline. It took us a half a lap, but we finally did catch, just in time for some more attacking to occur up front. Now I was at my limit and decided that if I got dropped this next time up the hill, I’d pull myself. As predicted, I got dropped on the hill and called it a day. I rode in with another straggler, but he kept going while I called it quits.