Way to go @adm0629!!! 
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Thanks, Theia! Their version of Roubaix is 40% pavement, 60% packed dirt roads, so most were on road bikes but the winner of my category did it on a gravel bike. I didn’t get in a warmup and showed up to the line just in time because the kids started their race from a different location, just before. My adrenaline was sky high. I spent the whole first lap clawing to hang on to feel ready and to overcome my shifting issues. I only ride that bike on the trainer and outside a couple times a year so it doesn’t get the attention it deserves.
By lap 2, we were pacelining on the pavement bits but I still couldn’t get into the lower chainring on any hills. Just had to use the standing technique/grip and really focus on sinking down and pulling up with a decent cadence and carrying the speed over the top. We split apart with 5 miles to go (where the bulk of the hills are) and I was in 5th. I really tried to maximize every effort with changing the gears often so that I was increasing speed, then maintaining it. I pushed so many watts in the home stretch, readying myself for a sprint that I thankfully never had to do. (I really had nothing left and am not a great sprinter - mostly a TTer.)
-Angie
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@adm0629 what mental toughness. So much went in in that race. You should be super proud of yourself! Bravo! 
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