Fitchburg TT

Today was the opening stage, the TT.  What a tough course.  Only 6.55 miles but I found it just impossible to get into a rhythm.  The course rolls uphill almost immediately, and is a series of rollers with some short flat and downhill sections and a downhill last 2 K into a flat finish.  The pavement is awful, so if you aren't jumping left and right to dodge potholes and seek out smoother pavement, then you're shifting and trying not to get bogged down on the hills.  I didn't expect to ride well since I haven't been feeling good on the bike after just getting over Crohn's issues, a virus, and starting my new program at school has me unable to train effectively, at least until I settle into my schedule better and can better make time for it.  I finished 23rd with a 20:41, which was actually :19 seconds better than I did last year.  Unexpected, given that my "opener" ride yesterday consisted of dodging traffic and pedestrians through Central, Harvard, and Davis Squares with a 20-lb backpack on my back and a saxophone hanging off my neck... but I do feel I am riding with more power this year than last.  Congrats to Silke who finished 6th with a stellar ride - you are riding so strong this year!!

So I had one bad snafu today which left me really in a foul mood after the race - sorry to those around me when I discovered that I had destroyed my expensive and beloved Specialized Ruby carbon handlebars by clamping my stupid aerobars too tight!!!  I KNEW better!  I was very afraid to clamp them.  Last time I used them for the Charlie Baker, they took a nick out of the clear coat of the finish, so I wrapped electrical tape around them thinking I was protecting them.  But that was really stupid because that made the bars slip, which encouraged me to tighten them more, and then I crimped them!  No body to blame but myself for that one.  Ugh. Not cool, especially since I am now a poor college student with no paychecks...

Anyways, I'm all fixed up with new bars (albeit cheap aluminum ones) and ready to give it my best on the hardest stage tomorrow.  I always get to the spot up the mountain after the left turn entrance to the park, after passing under the chairlift, and then just approaching the left-hand turn up the summit ascent, where I turn into a pumpkin, race over for me.  I hope to make it further this year.  But if not, oh well!  I'm really looking forward to the circuit race and the crit!!!  Those are good events for me and I will have fun playing!