Early Season Riding?

This, the second week in April, finds upstate NY in a cold snap once again. Only the really intrepid have been riding, as the intense winds, temps in the 20s and spotty snowstorms with icy flakes driving horizontally into one's face, it's just not really motivating...The local xc skiing is non-existant, however, an hour north of Syracuse is the land of never ending snow. There we've enjoyed even as late as this week absolutely fabulous skiing, which doesn't exactly mimic the routine we need on the bike, but is still not too shabby for one's cardio fitness.

Outside NY, some Nearly NY Bellas HAVE been brave enough to test their winter training: Ivy Luhrs a Maine Bella made the trek to Ninigret Park in Rhode Island for the Chris Hinds Memorial Criterium. She came in a respectable 12th place.

She writes:
There was supposed to be a separate Cat 4 race, which would have been more to my liking at this time of year... but because of the low turnout it was an "open event". As you can see I was mired in a Team International Bike Sandwich. Was hard to try get away with so many women on one team working to cover any breakaways, on what was a cold, windy, and very tight course with lots of turns. With so many teammates on hand, Team International was trying to launch as many riders they could off the front, so there was one attack after another. All I could do was try to keep them in check without using too much of my own energy, was difficult task to say the least

I think I did a good job considering it's only the second time I've ridden with 'people' this year, LOL! The regular weekly rides here in my area of Maine won't start for another couple weeks, then I'll really be able to get my legs fully back online. I've trained pretty much alone all winter. I feel I did my best, this being an open race and the first of my season... and there was at least four cat 2's making this girl work very hard. I never wouldn't have been able to hang with them last year, so I feel I'm finally improving.., yippee! So, here I go...my next race will be at the Turtle Pond Circuit Race in Loudon NH, on April 21st.

Good job, Ivy, looking forward to hearing about your next race and hopefully some of the NY Bellas will be closer to the competition than riding with fenders in the slushy, sandy, salty, rainy, ...well, whatever.