The race was out in Melba, ID. We started at the Melba Senior Center. There were 6 1/2 women: Jenn Halladay & Sarah Brown (Tamarack), Sarah Barber & Jeanne Rumps (Bob’s), Jennifer, and me (America’s Dairyland). We started with the Master’s B group. We did 44 miles; one big loop and two finishing loops. We had a neutral start, and the women were at the front. the first uphill up Cave Creek I attacked. It didn’t do much. There was a wind which kept the big loop tough at times. There were a few attacks.

On the back side of the big loop Sarah Barber threw her water-bottle and I talked to her about that. She said that she would pick it up after the race. Then the men let the six of us women roll away from them. We did a pace-line for a while. Then Michael Van Lierop (Intermountain Orthopedics) blew by us. He was off alone. We decided not to chase because that wasn’t our race. Then the rest of the men caught us. They chased on and off, and Michael’s gap kept growing until he was out of sight. As we started the finishing loop the first time we had to make a hard right turn onto the feed zone road. Some of them didn’t turn. There was a crash when a guy rear ended Sarah who had stopped. We waited until everyone regrouped.

Then we road pretty steady the rest of that lap. At the start of the last finishing loop we could see Michael ahead of us. After we caught Michael there was a hill and Jenn pushed it up the hill. Sarah Barber and I went with her and we were alone. Jenn wanted to work. I rolled through a few times, but Sarah wouldn’t work. I attacked and Jenn chased me. I told Jenn she needed to make Sarah chase, but she wouldn’t listen. Then Sarah attacked and Jenn chased again. Then we rode with Jenn leading it out. At 1 km to go, Jenn started picking it up. I was to her side so I wouldn’t get boxed in. Jenn was really going hard and I couldn’t believe it when we still had 500 m to go. I got on Jenn’s wheel until 200 m when she stood up to sprint. I shifted down and took off. I was so elated to hit the finish line. I won, Sarah 2nd, Jenn 3rd.