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From June 11-15, I certainly was playing the role of a sponge. I learned sooo much and had sooo much fun with Kristin, her teammate Emma Rickards, Emma’s fellow aussie friend Kate Bates, Kristin’s husband Joe, and Jim Miller. I also went to Nature Valley with a fellow awesome LaGrange teammate, Michelle Orem. I will never forget the experiences and moments I shared with them…

The first stage was a downtown criterium in St. Paul. But it was pouring rain. They even had us race the course backwards for it to be safer. I started near the very back of the 145 woman field and from the gun I worked harder than ever to get myself in the top 15-20. From the back I knew someone was off the front because we were strung out and I was picking riders one by one. And I was more than sure that the rider off the front was Kristin. I kept fighting and fighting and finally I got to the front with about 10 to go. I tried to stay relaxed and composed in the rain and to watch out for sketchy riders and leave a safe gap. Almost every lap someone took a spill, either because of the ginormous, slippery, deep manhole covers or the slick road paint or taking the wrong line. But with about 2 to go Kristin had already LAPPED us and she was now on the front hammering away. And I ended up with a very surprising 10th place. I was surprised because I didnt know I was that far up, but I certainly am happy about how I did.

After all the comotion with racing in the rain, the officials decided that the first stage will not count at all for the stage race. So basically, we raced yesterday for nothing. But you just have to move on. The original second stage is now the first stage. The Canon Falls Road Race was about 70mi. We did a nice big rolly loop then had 5 laps of the finishing circuit which was blazing fast. The first 2 laps were just trying to hang on for dear life. On the downhill I was spinning super fast to keep up, and by the time it came to the climb I was already tired from the downhill and I had to work extra hard. By the 3rd lap i was barely hanging on by a thread, then I saw Meredith Miller come around me and I grabbed her wheel right away, she told me to chill on her wheel and I did. So thanks Meredith for pulling me around for 2 laps, I really needed it!!! I placed 73rd while Tina Pic took the win.

The next stage was the St. Paul Riverfront Time Trial. It was pretty windy day, but the course was beautiful because it was flat and ran along the river then had a steep about 1k 8-9% climb to the top of the finish line. I checked the course out and figured that if I dont go 100% on the flats I can save for the climb and go all out and can make a lot of time. But during the race I think I went a little too easy on the flat part and ended up with 66th place and now 69th in GC.

Later that night was the Minneapolis Criterium. It was a completely dead flat criterium, it was also windy but the tall buildings around the course sheltered us from the wind. Although I am not a significant person, before the race started I was called up to the line, which was nice to start near the front of about 100 girls! The race started fast with Kristin and Emma keeping the pace fast to keep the race safe. Jim and I made a bet the night before about how many Kj I burned in the Canon Falls RR, I won the bet, put I put my money on the lower number which meant I had to go for a sprint today. So I watched the first sprint to see how the ladies went for it. Then I planned to go for the second sprint. I came from around 20th wheel and just spun my 45×12 all the way to the line, Joanne and I even got a gap after the sprint, but I didnt want to waste energy on a breakaway that will most likely get swallowed back in the peleton. So after that sprint I just chilled in the pack and waited for the finish. I couldnt get myself in the best position because I couldnt get on the right wheel, but that was OK and I got 37th on the stage and now in 64th in GC.

Now the real hard racing began on stage 5, the Mankato Road Race. Mankato is a nice small town about 1 hour away from the city. Today was a 90mi race with a 4 lap circuit at the end. When the great Dave Towle was talking before the race start he mentioned a little secret of mine that is now no longer a secret…if you were there you know what I’m talking about…(**wink, wink). The main goal today was to SURVIVE. I barely even train for 90mi. Jim was expecting that he’d have to throw me in the car after about 80mi in the winds, but he was wrong. I survived all the head winds, cross winds, and super fast tail winds. And by the time we got to the finishing circuits Kristin took off and I took off the back, haha. I just went my own pace up the hill and hammered on the downhill. I finished in 54th and now was in 56th in GC, while Kristin took the win and was still in the lead.

And finally the last notoriously famous stage, the Stillwater ‘Criterium’. I put Criterium in quotes because I dont think it is a criterium…it is more of a mountain. the climb in the course is said to be an average of 24%. 24!!!!! that is a big number, haha. But I pre-rode the course for warm up and heck! It hurt just cruising on it. When the race started, it started fast with an attack from Kat Carroll. I tried to keep myself in the front especially in the downhill towards the bottom of the climb. The next lap I was supposed to attack. Then suddenly my chain drops and right when my chain was just getting back up Amber Rais hit me from behind and we both went down. It was just a small fall everything was fine besides the fact that the pack is wayyy ahead of us now. While Amber was radioing her director to find out if we have a free lap, some locals helped me back on the bike and Joe ran down to help push me up the hill to catch up. Now with all the adrenaline rush I sprinted up the hill and caught the back of the chase group. But after that rush, my energy crashed and I was beginning to lose contact with the group I was with. But once I found my rhythm again I began to fell more comfortable on the climb as the laps went on. I finish in 45th and lastly finished in 51st in GC.

I’ve been so humbled by this experience knowing that not all juniors have to chance to race together with best of the best. And having Kristin and Jim on the radio during the race and correcting my wrongs and telling me what is coming up was a tremendously awesome learning experience. I am just really grateful that there are people out there that are grooming the young buds to eventually blossom into a world class racer just like them. I just cant wait for my next race because each race that I do is a stepping stone learning experience to becoming a great bicycle racer. So life as a sponge is great…I’m just soaking everything up…

Thanks!
Coryn