So I was finally able to race the League, on one of my favourite courses
We had six women signed up, all strong. Unfortunatly one had to withdrawl because of a cold. Then one got a drop out right out from the pen. The third couldnt connect and wasnt able to warm up, so started the race cold. And the fourth, who is our strongest (semi pro) got a drop out a few km into the race.
I was holding onto the front, and its a huge and very strong pack. 100 A-riders move fast. It got a little strung out and I did the rookie mistake of being on the tail end. Oh well, I was sitting in 80th something place and feeling a little meh⌠Then we were approaching Libby Hill and I thought I might just as well try. Libby is close to one of my strenght anaeroibic power, so I just flew up there at 6 w/kg and caught another group in front. This happened again on the next climb and the one after. After the flats on the round 2, we caught a new group and I was sitting in the top 30s. I think 31. Up the hills again me and two more riders managed to make a break and we rode into the banner with a big gap. But of course on place 33⌠points cut off at 30.place. The good thing is this is my best every placement in a top A field so I am very very happy. I also played very cool on the flats, and had a little competition with my self how low I could go on watts/HR in the draft. Sneaky
As I crossed the sprint banner, I thought, how did she get here in 6 minutes? Amazing.
I planned a leisurely pace because I also plan to do the TTT on Thursday. Well, it wasnât an endurance ride, but I didnât kill myself either. I found a group and stay with them until the climbs. I put my head down and slog up the climb, looking up, and passed 15 people. Your training plan is why I am strong. Yes, I know I am not doing an outstanding job of sticky with it this month. (sorry)
Love reading all your posts, some serious FOMO here. Richmond is a fun course and I like that the climbs arenât that long. You have to strategize for recovery prior to the climbs The rollercoaster version (which is the reverse then laps of the flat) is also fun but you have to be able to recover from the climbs then push for the flats.
oof, that was a tough race. I managed to hang on in the front pack until the second sprint. Iâm surprised I made it that long because I was at or over threshold most of the time until that point. When it all broke apart I found a group of about 10 to ride with. That broke up on the hills. I managed to keep with the front part of the group as it broke up and on the flats we started picking up stragglers and swelled back up to around 10. Thankfully this group let me hover around endurance/tempo because I started having some breathing problems and my legs were feeling trashed. I had a maple syrup shot and it seems to have helped at least for a little while.
Second time through the hills, I stayed in the group and we started catching up to some other riders and dropping some who had been in our group. On the 23rd st hill after Libby the group fell all to pieces and I pushed hard and managed to catch up a few riders that were ahead of me. On the final long climb to the finish I felt strong and was passing people, went from 55th to 43rd and had a couple others in my sights. But a little over halfway up my legs decided they were done and no matter how hard I tried I could not get them to go as I watched all the women I had worked so hard to pass, pass right by me and I ended up finishing 53rd out of 91. I was super disappointed and have no idea why my legs gave out. A little fatigued from my commute in the below freezing on my heavy winter bike? The breathing trouble I was having from the hard effort at the start? Maybe I went too hard for too long at the start trying to keep with the front group? Not sure. I have some time to think about it before the Everything Bagel in two weeks, which, since there is a little time before the first prime, hopefully will not have a start like Richmond did!
@Stefanie they are tough races for sure but oh so much fun. I love reading everybodyâs race reports. Hanging on to the front group is a common theme for most of us mere mortals Yesterdays race for me was much easier as in, I wasnât going all out trying to hang on for the entire race. I even tried for the 1st sprint. I knew I wasnât going to get 3rd place so eased off near the banner and came 6th. I hung on till the first KOM where things got strung out and the front group were gone. Second lap my group settle into a tempo pace until the KOM again spread the field. Having learnt from the 1st lap I made sure to stay with the ladies, even managing to pass quite a few of them. Iâm pleased that I didnât fade each time I went through the banners, but continued on as strong as my little legs would take me. I did however struggled to the finish line. I tried to get out of the saddle and sprint but my mind (and legs) had other ideas and convinced me I didnât need too, and that I would still get the same result staying seated so I sprinted seated Of course the minute I crossed the line I was so annoyed at myself.
I was however pleasantly surprised to get an ftp increase so mustnât be too hard on myself.
Sounds like everyone had a great ZRL this week!! Kudos @Coach_Theia!!!
I didnât race this week - its technically recovery week, and i stubbed my toe Sun and then still did an hr TTT practice on the bike and walked close to 8 mi to drop off my ballot and run an errand, so my toe was not happy. Its better now but i think skipping Richmond was a good idea. I couldâve jumped in with our AW Câs but they race in A so I wasnt feeling up to 2 laps of Richmond
Watching all of you have so much fun with racing, seeing the camaraderie, the support and learning the ânewâ (to me) lingo has encouraged me to try it. And, who knew it would be tomorrow night!
So howâd that happen you ask???
I rode with a group of Canadian women on Sunday who were discussing the poor job that Cycling Canada has done in creating equity for female e-racers. The said that while branded Cycling Canada menâs races have 4 categories, womenâs races only have one. They also noted that other National bodies including England, Norway, USA, Ireland and Argentina all ran full sets of female racing categories.
This group of women are advocating for Cycling Canada to open up more categories for women by 1. Inviting as many women to show up to the races (you donât have to be Canadian!) and 2. By asking us to spread the work ( hence my post here).
Hereâs a small part of Heatherâs note to me this evening:
âCycling Canada is hosting a weekly race series on Zwift, but while there are 4 âopenâ categories to race, thereâs only one womenâs race. Starting out in a mixed pack, either with the men or with the pro women, is tough when youâre new to the scene. Itâs crucial that race organizers give beginner women a chance to get out there and enjoy racing. (Thatâs not the same thing as getting dropped 10m from the start line.) A fun, welcoming* atmosphere and opportunities to play lead to increased participation overall. Showing the organizers that we have the numbers to justify multiple fields is the most effective way I know to get equity out there. â letâs show them what it looks like when we show up! Ready? GO!
The race series starts Wednesday at 5 Pacific time. I donât think you have to be Canadian to participate. See you there!â
So, if you feel like coming out in a show of female force and girl power! please joine this Wednesday or any future Wednesday 5pm PST. Iâll see you thereâŚIâll be at the back holding on for dear life!
Itâs less than an hour before the USA Cycling series I would join if it was on a different day or if the time wasnât so close.
USAC has seen the evening participation drop with last months climbing series but they do run 3 events each Wednesday.
How exciting @kswhite! If I werenât currently committed to the ZRL league series on Tuesday nights Iâd join a race. Are the races ongoing? If they are I might try one the end of December.
Had a great time in the ZRL TTT last night. Racing America East where the Bs are lumped in with the As is really hard. We only had 4 on my team last night with the full range from barely B to the upper end of B. So our team goal was to stick together like glue and have fun. We came 18/18 but we met our goal and ended feeling great.
It was really interesting because the first TTT we did we had 5 and as captain I tried to really focus on getting everyone to rotate through taking pulls and announcing when they were taking a turn and coming off the front. Last night we went the more organic route and whoever felt good surged to the front and took a turn and then faded back into the group when done. No calling out or anything and oddly it worked so much better and everyone enjoyed themselves more. I think it also helped that I didnât try to push the pace too much and since I knew the course really well I was able to call out instructions and warnings ahead of time. And when we came down to the final stretch even though we were tired, everyone was still feeling pretty good and everyone was able to kick it up for the last half mile and we sprinted in a bunch at the end and finished together in a group with everyone cheering each other and declaring what great teamwork we had. So while my competitive nature was disappointed, the rest of me was really happy that the team had such a great time together, which really is the more important thing.
WhoopsâŚI had replied earlier and did not hit âsendâ. So sorry! Iâm not sure of what pace. The category I was in was E for everyone and female. Done and dusted now for this week . Maybe we can do it together next week!
I too did the ZRL TTT this week, a low C on a team with higher Câs racing in a group with mostly A & B teams. I did it voluntarily to make sure the team had 5 going in but its still a little frustrating as other teams pass you. Like Stefanie, the goal was to finish together and although i felt like i held the team back a little bit afterward, they were super and told me not at all, sticking together was more fun than anything. We did get called classy by Dave on the AE Zwift Commun Live for how we handled getting passed by I think it was Cryo. We did get passed by one team (@Stefanie a sister team to one of your âfavoriteâ Thurs TTT teams) that i think in addition to they are never polite and let teams know they are coming or acknowledge the other team, they passed with 4 and had 2 others ~5 sec back that seemed to take their good old time going through us, even i would say sat in btwn a couple of us just a little bit. On the ZCL i noticed they passed another team as 6 and kinda sat and the other team commented about them not pushing past. Getting passed by our sister team was super motivating for me, we chocolate cheered them on - they were motoring and still took time to cheer us - and then beat said annoying team above!!
I was a little bummed that i wasnât going to get to race all of ZRL but its working out ok with some group ride leading and I became race director for my team recently so i have plenty to keep me busy with all the races coming in Dec.
Nice kit.
Yesterdays race for me was much easier as in, I wasnât going all out trying to hang on for the entire race. I even tried for the 1st sprint. I knew I wasnât going to get 3rd place so eased off near the banner and came 6th. I hung on till the first KOM where things got strung out and the front group were gone. Second lap my group settle into a tempo pace until the KOM again spread the field. Having learnt from the 1st lap I made sure to stay with the ladies, even managing to pass quite a few of them. Iâm pleased that I didnât fade each time I went through the banners, but continued on as strong as my little legs would take me. I did however struggled to the finish line. I tried to get out of the saddle and sprint but my mind (and legs) had other ideas and convinced me I didnât need too, and that I would still get the same result staying seated so I sprinted seated 
Of course the minute I crossed the line I was so annoyed at myself.
please joine this Wednesday or any future Wednesday 5pm PST. Iâll see you thereâŚIâll be at the back holding on for dear life! 
I would join if it was on a different day or if the time wasnât so close.