TR day 2

Since my day was less eventful I'll start with what I forgot to mention yesterday.
Due to the limit of 75+- riders in this race they came up with a classification system that makes it one open class bases on preset handicaps based on age and sex. So since I'm female under 40 I get 14%. Both female and male over 40 get the same handicap in increments each five year I believe. The handicap is deducted from previous years course record (still not for sure about this) and that gives us minutes that they deduct of the start time for the rest of the field. So today I started at 920 vs 10 for the main field. There is only one other person on the course before us, she stared before 9 sometime. Now we become chase rabbits for everyone behind!
If only the women's field was deeper this might work really well, but for me it means a very lonely ride for a long time. Yesterday that wasn't too bad as the terrain was enough to keep me entertained but today I was really looking forward to checkpoints to say hi to the people there. It's hard to get the real stage race feeling that I'm used to with the star line adrenaline, all the people, find your group u work with for the week, stories we can share etc. And on a day like today, and days after tomorrow when the flatter stages start, your fighting the wind by your self all day. Until the end of the day when the lead men come cruising by and you enjoy a little fun times hanging on them, until a climb have to ruin the fun, if I only can handle the burn on the hills to stay with them. Though this is a different race and rules are up front so take them for what they are. They do a great job with everything after the finish and because it is such a small crowd you get to know most and their race stories at that time.

Today, in short, it was hard, very hard. I couldn't settle in a nice pace, if I did I was barley crawling in the wind, so I could be out all day in a comfy pace, or work really hard and get to the hotel before dinner! I chose dinner. When the lead group of five today, vs just one guy yesterday came by around the same point of the race as yesterday, I think about 40k from finish, I finally got the joy of riding with a group, high speed fun! Lost them on the next longer climb, but enjoyed the short bit of time. One of them I ended up riding with a bit later as the pace got to him as well. The course was great if it wasn't for being so exposed to the wind from the south, of course where we are heading. But a few old towns, a super neat valley at the start, an old castle, some more roman cobblestones, some dirt, some exposed rock, so no complaint, I just like to share this great rides in accompany with some other riders today. Hopefully I didn't empty the tank for tomorrow, which some says is harder than both today and yesterday, we will see.
Oh, fourth yesterday, sixth today.

Tomorrow
Star 10
My start 913
Dist 105
Elevation looks like lot forget how much...

So far this race is highly recommended, hard but well put together and some really great course layout which gives a bit of everything. We need to deepen the women's field and I'm sure a woman can take home the gold.

Happy racing!

*****************
kate aardal
*****************
Sent from my iPad