I thought I should update everyone about what’s been going on because I haven’t written in awhile. I went out to the USGP in Louisville, Kenutcky a few weeks ago and got really sick. It was the dustiest race I’ve ever done and my lungs were not cooperating. I had to pull out of the race and get put on oxygen. Here’s a clip from the start of the race (don’t worry Jen Maxwell who flipped over was fine and finished 13th that day):
I couldn’t finish either day of the USGP, and I came down with a nasty case of bronchitis and stayed in bed for 3 days. I wanted to so badly race at Beacon because it is my favorite course in the MAC but it just wasn’t going to happen. I finally went to the pulminologist and he diagnosed me with exercise-induced bronchospasm (EIB). EIB causes breathing problems during exercise, and when you’re exercising alot, your airways dry out, become irritated, and constrict (which makes your lungs burn and harder to breathe!). So, that’s what’s happening to me everytime I race. It also increases your susceptibility to respiratory illnesses like bronchitis. So after sitting out for a couple weeks, I decided to jump back in. My coach told me not to expect much lol.
I raced Fairhill this weekend. I’ve been trying to conserve my starts. I don’t necessarily consider myself a sprinter on the road but my starts have been kinda ridiculous this season, and I’ve been making a serious conscious effort to not start out so hard. So, I had a good start but had no snap, and am not very good at riding off-camber sections. I was falling off pace and got crashed into halfway through the race. I ended up sprinting for 7th so at least I still have a little bit of the finishing power I had during the road season. My skinsuits have finally arrived and here is what they look like (photo courtesy of Dennis Smith):
On Sunday, I raced a local race in Schwenksville, PA. The course was not very suitable to me. Very soft mud that made me feel like I was sinking into it. I chased 2nd alot of the race and was able to come out on top with an attack into the last set of barriers to finish 2nd. Selene was definitely the strongest on the day finishing over a minute and a half in front of us. So, hopefully I am on the upswing and can recover well from this weekend to be able to pour it on in the next race.
