Denver, CO United States American Cycling Association 46F / 8C Precipitation

Total Time = 32m 15s Overall Rank = 9/12 Age Group = Cat 4 Women Age Group Rank = 9/12

I'm starting to feel like a broken record complaining about the weather. For 4 out of 5 of these races, the weather has been dismal, cold, and rainy with gale force winds. And today was unfortunately NOT the 1 out of 5 days that was nice. That was last week. When I first got to the race, the weather wasn't THAT bad. Overcast, but threatening rain. There were tornado warnings east of Denver, but it was obvious that the weather was getting worse. I thought to myself, "yep, it will be raining by the time I start my race." I was pretty much right. By the time I started, the wind had gotten way worse and the sky was black. I was sure that a deluge was going to start while I was on the course. I think everyone is really discouraged by the crap weather week after week and half of the people just didn't even show up. Everyone is tired of being freezing, wet, and blown around. I don't blame them. If I weren't missing next week's race because I'll be in Hawaii, I probably would have stayed home too (they throw out your lowest time or a DNS for the final rankings), but I can't afford to miss a race if I ever want to place decently in this series.

I get out of my car and start to set up my trainer and immediately some guy who parked close to me comes over and starts talking to me. Never met this guy before but he's talking to me like we're old buds. I wanted to laugh because he has 3 Breathe Right nasal strips on his nose. You know, those things that open up your nasal passages or something. I've never seen someone wearing so many! Anyway, I'm trying to warm up and this guy is asking me about my bike, how long I've lived in Denver, what my times were in the previous races, and he has the gall to ask me how much I paid for my race wheels! Normally when I am admiring someone's equipment, I compliment it, but never ask how much it costs! Geez! My response was, "uhhhh, more than 5 dollars." I kept on saying "my husband this and my husband that" trying to give him the hint, but he wasn't going away. Finally he realized that he needed to start warming up and went away, thankfully. I felt like I had a cycling groupie.

When I was lining up for the start, Mark (markdills38) rides by and yells hello. It was nice to see a friendly face. :) But I was wondering what the heck he was doing out in this weather when he didn't have to be. He's tough going out for a training ride in that stuff. I'd be home on my trainer!