I just completed my first ZRL race in over a year. I raced with the Pink Cheetahs’ D squad. Only 4 per team in this session of ZRL giving us a field of 37 women. It went really well! The course was Legends and Lava, so I knew it would be painful, but painful for everyone, not just me 
I did as Coach suggested and focused on staying with the front group as long as I could. I ramped up my cadence and watts about 15 secs before start and easily hung on until a section of them split off. I stayed with the second group of about a dozen women. PR’d on Titans Grove climb, but lost the group on the downhill. A teammate helped me back and we stayed with the group for the rest of the race. I paid attention to how I could use the draft, cadence, and gearing to get rest in the group. I decided not to sprint and instead to save legs for the Volcano climb. But I still had to go hard to stay with the pack and here again, I used my training here to pay attention to my surges and keep them at a level where I knew I could still recover and have energy for the rest of the race. 
I felt good about my effort on that climb, though I didn’t PR. I had been nervous about not performing at a level that the team hoped, but I ended up being the first of my team to cross the finish 
I don’t think I would have had such a positive attitude or such strong legs if it weren’t for the training I’ve received here since January. So thank you for that!