Or...in our case, vice versa.
As some of you already know, the women's field were combined for the Fork Shoals RR on Saturday, which, in my opinion is great...it lets the entire team race together!
As some of you already know, the women's field were combined for the Fork Shoals RR on Saturday, which, in my opinion is great...it lets the entire team race together!
I am proud to say that none of the attrition involved TEAM headstrong. We were all there at the beginning, and the end, of the race.
But, a funny thing happened in our race yesterday. Strangely enough, sometimes when the women are racing together as a group, there is a pecking order established. Many of the cat 4's are intimidated and spend most, if not all, of the race at the back of the group. Even if they are having an easy time with the pace, they don't want to mix it up at the front, for one reason or another. Well it just so happened that in the final kilometer of our race, we were all grouped together and it was going to be one of those nasty pack sprints to the finish...you know...the kind that those damn sprinters like. The yellow line rule was in effect with the whole road opening up in the last 200 meters. Well before the final 200, on the far left in the oncoming lane, a person passes the women's field, going in the same direction. Everyone starts yelling "get out of the way, we're about to finish, you're gonna cause a crash!"...but there is no response...the person just continues up the road. This was a BIG person! Easily as big as Randall! But the catch was...it was a GIRL!!! Never was she at the front of the race until that last finish stretch, so nobody knew that she was in OUR race!
But, a funny thing happened in our race yesterday. Strangely enough, sometimes when the women are racing together as a group, there is a pecking order established. Many of the cat 4's are intimidated and spend most, if not all, of the race at the back of the group. Even if they are having an easy time with the pace, they don't want to mix it up at the front, for one reason or another. Well it just so happened that in the final kilometer of our race, we were all grouped together and it was going to be one of those nasty pack sprints to the finish...you know...the kind that those damn sprinters like. The yellow line rule was in effect with the whole road opening up in the last 200 meters. Well before the final 200, on the far left in the oncoming lane, a person passes the women's field, going in the same direction. Everyone starts yelling "get out of the way, we're about to finish, you're gonna cause a crash!"...but there is no response...the person just continues up the road. This was a BIG person! Easily as big as Randall! But the catch was...it was a GIRL!!! Never was she at the front of the race until that last finish stretch, so nobody knew that she was in OUR race!
She could have won while all the while we thought she was a dude! (although she would have been DQ'ed for blatantly disregarding the yellow line rule!). So, the moral of the story is...well, I'm not sure...but one thing I know for sure is she had the courage to disturb the pecking order! You go, girl!
2 comments:
G, I couldn't believe it either. I did see this person in the back of the pack at one time, but i honestly thought it was a guy warming up who was just in the way during our race. Wow, i was shocked at the end.....maybe that is how i ended up riding into the ditch, haha, not really.
One of the more bizarre finishes I have ever witnessed.
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