11/19/2007

Gina Kenny Report: 3 is the Magic Number for the Day

Lansing Cyclocross race report

ABD had a pretty good showing today. Jim Nowak raced both the 40+ and the Cat. 3. Eddie Bartley and Ken Krebs also did the 40+ race. Sue Semaszczuk and I did the Women's Cat. 4. I believe Jim did well. I, unfortunately, am not sure how anyone else did besides Sue and I.

The course was extremely flat. There was one barrier and one set of three barriers. There were some turns but nothing really technical except for one large sand pit. So, probably a good course for the rest of our team but not good for me. One of the usual fast girls wasn't there which was good for us standings-wise. After the first half-lap, I was fourth and Sue was fifth. Sue caught up to me and said we should try to catch Imelda March, a Team Kenda girl. We worked together and reached her. Imelda bobbled on her mount after the sand pit and Sue sprinted past her. I went to do the same to the right and she swerved right, next to a tree, so I backed off. We traded spots a few times, but I may have gone too hard to catch her and am just not as fast on the flats as she is. Sue, on the other hand, was faster than Imelda. Imelda started catching up but Sue held her off and beat her by less than a bike length taking THIRD!!!! The best she's done at cross and the best either of us have done at the Chicago series. I came in after Imelda, taking fifth.

I talked to one of the officials after the race about upgrading and I am now a Cat. 3 cyclocross racer! Yea for me! I plan on racing at the Wisconsin state championships in Hales Corners on Dec. 2. They have a separate women's cat. 3 race and I don't expect to do good but I don't expect to do horribly bad either -- well, I hope not anyway. Then, I'll do the Women's Cat. 1/2/3 race (where most of them have been Cat. 2's) at the last Chicago cyclocross race on Dec. 9 where I will get annihilated and wonder why exactly I upgraded. -Gina Kenny

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