Reading Pro Race

The intention was to get out to Reading to watch the women race yesterday. That was our intention.

It started off on a good note...I arrived at George's house before everyone else, which was very fortunate for me. Fortunate because Tina Pic had woken up feeling less than great and decided that she should not race in Reading. So, rather than being out of the house with her teammates, she was sitting in George's kitchen. I got a wonderful chance to sit and talk with her and George about their races, my races, training. Turns out, Tina and I share one thing about racing... we both struggle with keeping position at the front. Someday, I'll learn patience like she has and realize that you only have to get to the front once...right at the end! :)

We then headed out to Reading. We left a little later than usual, but we were still making good time...until...we hit a MASSIVE traffic jam! We were stopped dead on the highway. We were only a few miles out, but there was construction shutting down one lane, so we sat. After getting through, things again looked up. We were cruising along until we tried to get off at the exit. That's when we, and every team car for the men's race, found ourselves incapable of getting to the race! George volunteered to take the wheel and let Sally, Alex and I out on the off-ramp to run over the bridge and catch the race.

The Rock Racing Team vehicles stuck in traffic!

Only Rock Racing would drive Caddies around!

It's all about the look, people!!!!

I think we saw the last few laps of the women's race...but the first time they came through was enough for us to know exactly who was going to win! There was a break of six, including Ali Powers, Laura Van Gilder, and (of course) Ina-Yoko Teutenberg. And of course, Ina won. This woman is absolutely unstoppable. On Tuesday, she chased down a 35 second break on her own...IN ONE LAP!

Then, I latched onto Anne's hip to learn the ways of getting photos with the pros! My first photo op was pretty easy - it was Tyler Wren! Since Tyler's a local boy, and he knows several of us on the team, he was more than willing to stop and chat with us and let us be goofy and take a picture with him.
The next one took a bit more work...the Slipstream guys! We had to call them over as they were standing in line to sign in. They graciously came over and Anne snapped this shot! THANKS, ANNE!!!!!
This is me with Tyler Farrar, Steven Cozza, and Mike "Meatball" Friedman (who later worked his ass off in the break during the race! GO MIKE!)

Anyway...the day was fun...now I have to focus on the race tonight and the TT tomorrow. My knee is acting up a bit, so I've been icing it and have my biofreeze ready! Lots of water today and a BIG breakfast is on the way! :)