Blog for Megan Hottman
Wow busy two weeks!
My last blog posting was from stage one of the gila. Our team went on to race days 2-5 of the event, which concluded Sunday May 2nd. My crash on day 1 really set me back in time and I spent the rest of the race trying to claw my way up in GC. I took a 13th place on stage 2 and stage 5 and did well in the TT and crit - eventually ending up in 17th GC when all was said and done. I went to the Gila for a top 10 result, but the crash in the first stage was a setback I just couldn't overcome. Nevertheless, the race was a huge success for our team - we survived 60-80mph winds, snow on the final stage, and the brutal stages the event offers.
After Sunday's "Gila monster" stage concluded, Rob and I loaded up the tahoe and drove back to denver, arriving around 1am on Monday morning. I spent Monday and Tuesday unpacking, doing laundry, paying bills and just trying to get organized, before hitting the road again on Wednesday morning. This time it was a 12 hour drive in the opposite direction - Fayetteville, Arkansas. My teammate Kat and I were able to borrow the Treads van and we took off for the humid south. We arrived there very late Wednesday night. This race was a 4-day stage race called Joe Martin Stage Race - also an NRC (national race calendar) event.
Unlike the Gila, which features tough climbs at altitude that really separate out the racers, JMSR has rolling courses at just above sea level, which means fitness isn't the issue -tactics and willingness to duke it out at the final sprint become the focus.
Stage 1: short and sweet uphill time trial - 10 minute effort.
Stage 2: 61 mile road race (ended in field sprint)
Stage 3: 69 mile road race (ended in field sprint)
Stage 4: technical 12-corner, hour-long criterium.
Our guest rider, Laura Van Gilder, took 2nd place on stage 3 and Kat also took 5th that day - which was excellent! Laura also went on to take 6th place in the criterium. There were 10 crashes in our women's crit so our team was luckily and blessed to avoid the wipeouts!
Right after the crit, my teammate Kat and I loaded up the van and drove back to Denver, arriving late Sunday night.
JMSR wraps up 6 weeks of 4 major stage races for me. I have successfully "raced myself into shape" for track racing! My first track race is in 2 weeks in Frisco, TX -I can't wait!!!
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