Well it looks like Luann was released from solitary confinement! I know that you all missed the blog so hopefully this will be an awesome update. Lots has happened this summer and I am sure some of it will be missed. But don't be a hater, just drop me a line and let me know (and send some photos). It is especially hard to know what took place at Race Like a Girl. There are no sports updates where Luann has been hanging out!
So back in June on a hot and muggy night, Grinnell hosted a twilight crit. The women's Cat 4 race featured Lee, Sara and Abby. The race ran concurrently with the CAT 123 ladies which made for a very fast race. Lee hung on for a 7th place finish nipping Nancy L while Sara and Abby came in 10th and 13 respectively.
June 15 brought another evening crit at State Center for the Rose Fest.
Boy 2012 was not the year for evening crits are the temps were very high and storms loomed all around. Your Roving Race reporter hung out under a tent with injured VeloRosa racer Erika.
It was much better to be under the tent than to be Lee and Abby out there racing for their lives. This race was fast. It was technical due to the wet pavement along with the sharp 90 degree turns and a doggone steep climb into the wind. That Lee can tuck in and hide behind a blade of grass which proved to be valuable on this gusty night. The roses smelled sweet for Lee as she took 4th place. Abby hung on and placed 11th.
The next day was the road race where Carp made her debut. She hung with the lead group while Lee was in the chase group. Abby worked with a group further back to eventually take 11th place. The sprint at the end of this hilly course is uphill for about 700 meters. Lee had the lead pack in her view when she lost sight of Carp. She continued toward the line only to see Carp getting up off of the pavement. Now at this point you may say: 1. Lee was a great, encouraging teammate; or, 2. She is heartless. Either way, she is our own Velo racer! She yelled at Carp to get back on her bike and finish.
Carp got her bike back together and took off for the line. In the meantime Lee finished 3rd and Carp came in 5th. OK to be fair to Lee, she did immediately render medical aid to her badly bleeding teammate, Carp; found her a ride to the finish and then cleaned out her wounds (not that the latter was appreciated at that time!). In an all out team effort, Abby located a gas can to fill Lee's gas tank (Lee is still a city kid where gas stations are plentiful). Being nice Iowans, the folks near by gave up a few gallons of gas so that Lee could get to a town and fill up before taking Carp to the doctor. Overall, this reporter, gives the Pink Gals an A++++ for the team effort.
Your Roving Race Reporter,
Luann
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