a good day at Palos.

(Photo: Dave Bowers)I woke up sick. I spent most of the morning in the porta potty. I don't think anyone believed me, since I'm really good at race day excuses. But I'm home sick today, writing this from my day's perch on the couch. I canceled my flight for today. Believe me now?

Anyway, left Ben in bed and got a ride with Erica to set up the Half Acre Cycling compound at 8am. The HAC riders started arriving. And they kept coming. By the Sport start, we had at least 20 teammates n' friends there, including Sarah and Gavin who only ride track, and roadies Josh, Isaiah, and Vince. They drove out from the city to sit in the tent, drink beer, and cheer. What a team. Erica went off at 9am, and won her age group!

When my start came, the dread came. I was sure - SURE - that the lack of a porta in the woods would result in some messy problems. I lined up with the ladies and we introduced ourselves and chatted, I remembered some of them from last year like Liz and Cyndi and Cynthia, and said hi to Sonia from WI. We inched up and started. I didn't try very hard.

I forgot how climby this course is, and how many guys can't climb. Lap one was a slow group ride, stuck in trains of 12, passing where I could. I'm an aggressive passer since I figure these guys aren't in my race anyway. I was really, really surprised to be passing guys on singletrack. Some of them looked for real. Some of them had shorts on where I could see the crack. It was a big mix.

By the ravines on the first lap, I saw Cynthia behind me, and decided I needed to let her go. Pushed hard and passed several folks up the hill and through the parking lot, then spied the next woman in front of me - Liz. As we came onto the grass for the lap, I came around her. She's fast. I managed to put a little gap in between the start/finish and the singletrack, but it wasn't enough. Liz is a good climber. (Photo: Erica Chianese)

That whole lap, Liz was right behind me or right in front of me. I came up on teammate Bob, and thankfully a little chat with him meant I could take my mind off things. Liz was in front of the two of us, and Bob was falling off her wheel, so I had to jump. Into the ravines, I took the wrong line, pedal struck, and watched five riders come around me, including Liz and Bob. The rest of the lap was a frantic chase. I was way back... then back... then I saw Liz, just as we hit the pipeline. Railed through that little singletrack part and pushed hard up the double. When we came onto the grass, she was 20' in front of me.

I passed the three guys between us like they were standing still and came up on her. At the bottom of the finish hill, we were right next to eachother. I turned to her and said something uninspired like, "This is going to suck." She cheerfully replied, "It's all yours."

Why she didn't contest me on that hill I don't know- she's a better climber- but she just let me go. And that was that. 3rd woman, 2nd in age group... behind Sonia who we all know is faster than me anyway!

The rest of the day was a blur of shouting. Running up the hill after teammates. General tomfoolery. When Ben finished, I ran up to the finish with him and we kissed at the top of the hill. Hearts. He was age group 2nd too. Al hosted an after-race cookout that was awesome - thanks to the Thom family!- and everyone was feeling the love.

(Photo: Dave Bowers)