Junior Women 15-18 Place: 2nd After worlds, it was time for a few weeks of the bike and then to submerge myself in base training. Base training means long hours on the bike and days filled with yoga, core, and strengthening exercises. Finally, after five months of base, it was time to race. But first, team camp. The week before Bonelli, the team flew out to my home turf, Marin, for a week of training. It was amazing to be reunited with some of my best friends and have some training buddies again. Power testing at Marin Spine & Sport On Thursday, we drove down to San Dimas and got settled into our new house- something that looked straight out of Great Gatsby. I was ecstatic to be back on one of my favorite courses and discover it in better condition than ever due to recent rain. Bonelli has always been one of the more grueling races- full of steep, punchy climbs and rutted, exhausting descents with limited time for recovery- so I prepared myself to be back in the pain cave. Race morning rolled around and I was ready. I knew the five months of hard training had paid off and my legs felt better than ever. The race started and I found myself leading. I dropped back and grabbed a wheel, settling in to race pace. On the first climb, I slipped ahead of the other girls and found myself first on the singletrack. I felt strong and confident as I picked my way through the rocks. On the next climb, Sienna pulled ahead and I stuck her wheel. Sienna and I had now broken away from the pack, being followed by Rachel, a teammate at World Championships. We worked our way through the first two laps together, trading off pulling, the pace growing a bit stiffer. I attacked on a climb before the single track and opened up a small gap. On the next climb, the girls caught back up and Rachel passed me before the next descent. She was able to pass a man in a different category before I could and opened up a couple second gap on Sienna and I. By the time I got around, Rachel was just barely in sight. I fought to close the gap but couldn't. Sienna dropped off my wheel and I rode the rest of the race alone, fighting to catch back up. I finished second. Although the base training has certainly paid off, I realize I have some mental fine tuning to do before the rest of the races begin. Overall, it was great to be back racing and I am honored to be part of the Whole Athlete/Specialized Team for the third year. The team's support never fails to amaze me. A huge thanks to everyone involved in making the dream work.
Next stop, Bellingham, Washington for a USA Team Skills Camp!
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