Redemption

After last weekend's fiasco of a race at Duluth, I made some slight change to my priorities. NYC 100k was originally going to be my end of season fun race. It is a double points NROC event yet given the competition, I did not expect to do well even if I dedicate training resource for this race. My original plan was rather simple: cross the finish line helmet side up at a fun easy pace and collect the NROC points.

Unfortunately, my poor showing at Duluth landed me at the bottom of the NROC pro women category. As race day approached, I slowly came to the realization that I actually need to take this race seriously if I want to reach my goal of NROC top 5. Oops, there goes my Saturday morning fun skate. When the updated confirmation list became available on Wednesday, I tossed and turned in my bed with many race plans running through my head. I was pretty confident that NYC 100k would turn into another typical girls' race alternating with surges and slow rolling. That kind of race does not play to my strength and I wanted nothing to do with it. I want to skate a steady efficient pace but the success of my plan relies on having allies. Easier said than done.

This is what I proposed to a few girls. As soon as the pack begins to do the surge and slow down, we would let the pack go but never let them get too far ahead (i.e. don't get lapped). We skate coorperatively at a steady pace to conserve energy. When we inevitably catch up to the main pack late in the race, pick up the pace for a breakaway. Risky? Heck yeah.

When I stepped on the start line, I was confident that NCJ and I would work together to carry out my race plan. Unfortunately, two against nine meant my plan may not work out after all. I was gambling on the fact that the main pack would skate slowly and uncoorperatively.

It was before end of lap 1 that both NCJ and I let the main pack go. We picked up a couple of 42k girls from Empire and sat in their draft until we eventually dropped them by lap 3. NCJ and I worked well together, keeping each other company. I noted that she climbs very efficiently and rolls downhill like a bullet. I had to keep stroking just to stay in her draft going downhill. I remember at one point, a pack of three guys were ahead of us by 25m when we began the descent. By the time we reached the bottom of the hill, we closed the gap to less than 5m with just the two of us!

The miles slowly rolled by and NCJ's husband gave us race information every time we crossed the feeding zone. "They're slowly down!" "You guys are making up ground" "Just ahead of you! Closing the gap! (complete with lots of arm waving)". At lap 10, it finally happened. The marathon girls finished their race after the first 8 laps and the main pack was down to 7 girls. As I predicted, nobody wanted to pull and the pack slowed to a crawl. NCJ asked me what we should do. "The race is only half done, no way would they let us break away from them. Let's just stick to our steady pace. If they sit in our draft, so be it. But try to rest as much as we can in the pack."

Let me tell you, it was the most exhilarating feeling when the two of us blew past the pack and opened a gap behind us! NCJ and I both giggled at the absurdity of it all.

Obviously the pack caught up to us pretty quickly and we were caught in the dynamic of pack racing. We stayed in the pack for fewer than two laps before ME attacked on the climb and the pack broke apart. I was left in the dust and thought for sure that I lost the race. Well, I had a good run anyway and it was fun skating with NCJ. My training prepares me well to skate solo and I was mentally ready for it. I pounded out the miles despite my body complaining louder and louder. There were still many laps to go. As long as I did not give up, anything could happen at a race.

With four laps to go, I was absolutely surprised to catch the pack of four girls including two from Cado Motus. That was unexpected and I wasn't sure what to do with the pack. I pulled the pack as if I was skating solo (i.e. stood up to rest whenever I felt like it) while trying to come up with ideas.

When we crossed the feeding zone with two laps to go, I instinctively attacked. The girls were standing up and the hill was just ahead. I would not stand a chance if the race came to a field sprint so I must break away. Two laps was not frighteningly long if I succeed and I could still plan for more attacks if I fail. I attacked the climb like there's no tomorrow. My legs were screaming in pain and I wanted nothing more than to stop. However, I knew that this was it. As soon as I got out of sight, the pack would lose their determination to chase and slow down for their own field sprint. I looked back every so often and the pack never reappeared. I just kept skating. Must kept my legs moving. First my left quads cramped up then my right. I ignored the pain and focused on staying upright. I could not afford to crash.

Those two laps felt like an eternity but it finally came to an end. I crossed the finish line at 4:00:51. I sat on the side of the course coughing up my lungs. The leg cramps kept me on the floor but I did it. I really did it.

I came 5th overall and 4th in pro open women (official results available here). The unexpectedly high placement also put me back into 4th place in the final NROC standings. I cannot possibly ask for a better race to end my 2009 race season.

Comments

[Gabor Kmetyko]

Congrats Candy!

So you see, you *can* do it! Nice job!!!