Impulsive with Tactical Error, but Back!

Recovery is an amazing thing! Did the Yale group ride Saturday because I wanted to see my friends. Was just going to say hi and turn around, but the weather was so nice, the pace so pleasantly moderate, and the company so good that it ended up being a rather lengthy ride. I felt borderline bonking the whole time but not exhausted in that post-stage race way that demands extreme rest. Sunday at the last minute I decided to race Bethel, mainly because I had a convoluted plan to pick up my brother, visiting from Alaska, at the train station near to the race. We had five riders at the race, and I was going to sit tight and do nothing, be a decoy in my series leader's jersey. I lasted about five laps... Kathleen was off the front with one other and someone in the field did a hard effort up the hill to try to bridge, stringing it out. I knew I could hop across alone, so I did. The three of us worked together - sort of - the other woman was doing basically nothing which didn't make me happy. I attacked and went off alone, but then once Kathleen attacked and got a gap on her I needed to sit up and wait, which I didn't do, uncertain of what was going on. But we both made it, 1-2. The Bethel Spring Series is one thing; national level racing is wholly different animal. The first real target on the horizon is a 50k national calendar circuit race in Richmond, VA on April 7th. People coming from California races will be flying - we will have our work cut out for us. Photo from mjstuart.com, copyrighted.