I'm turning the blog over to Naomi Cermak, a member of Team Terry. Naomi pushes a pen about as fast as she pushes her bike. This post is about her win in the recent Bristol Mountain Road Race. Enjoy!
Ever wonder what's going through that empty space between my two ears during a bike race?
Now the mystery is revealed....
Inside my Head....The empty space between my two ears
This entry comes with a "RAYOR" rating . i.e., Read at your own risk.
***
As Naomi lined up for the 2007 Bristol Mountain Road Race a number of thoughts started racing through her head:
As Naomi lined up for the 2007 Bristol Mountain Road Race a number of thoughts started racing through her head:
T-minus 5 minutes before the start:
- The whole team is bundled with arm warmers....Ann (who is notoriously overdressed) rolls to the start line minus the arm warmers. This sets off alarm bells in Naomi's head.....Rosie and Naomi convince Ann to put on her arm warmers for sake of the team's performance. Heaven forbid Ann would be less dressed than the rest of us....
T-minus 4 minutes before the start:
- Naomi has to go to the bathroom.
T-minus 3 minutes 58 seconds before the start:
- Naomi surveys the competition...."2006 Cdn National Timetrial medalist and pursuit champion, 2006 Cdn World Cyclocross Team member...."...
T-minus 3 minutes 45 seconds before the start:
- Naomi stops surveying the competition - it is freaking her out.
T-minus 3 minutes 30 seconds before the start:
- Naomi is hungry and wonders why she dumped her Clif bar in the car instead of eating it.
T-minus 3 minutes 25 seconds before the start:
- Naomi then remembers that she has to go to the bathroom....
T-minus 3 minutes 15 seconds before the start:
- Official starts talking.....Naomi listens for approximately 3 seconds before losing interest
T-minus 1 minute before the start:
- Naomi realizes that the official has stopped talking.....time to listen for the starting whistle
T-minus 30 seconds before the start:
- Naomi thinks that this last minute before the start is never going to end.
T-minus 15 seconds before the start:
- Naomi still has to go to the bathroom.
T-minus 3 seconds before the start:
- Naomi hates bike racing.
- The whole team is bundled with arm warmers....Ann (who is notoriously overdressed) rolls to the start line minus the arm warmers. This sets off alarm bells in Naomi's head.....Rosie and Naomi convince Ann to put on her arm warmers for sake of the team's performance. Heaven forbid Ann would be less dressed than the rest of us....
T-minus 4 minutes before the start:
- Naomi has to go to the bathroom.
T-minus 3 minutes 58 seconds before the start:
- Naomi surveys the competition...."2006 Cdn National Timetrial medalist and pursuit champion, 2006 Cdn World Cyclocross Team member...."...
T-minus 3 minutes 45 seconds before the start:
- Naomi stops surveying the competition - it is freaking her out.
T-minus 3 minutes 30 seconds before the start:
- Naomi is hungry and wonders why she dumped her Clif bar in the car instead of eating it.
T-minus 3 minutes 25 seconds before the start:
- Naomi then remembers that she has to go to the bathroom....
T-minus 3 minutes 15 seconds before the start:
- Official starts talking.....Naomi listens for approximately 3 seconds before losing interest
T-minus 1 minute before the start:
- Naomi realizes that the official has stopped talking.....time to listen for the starting whistle
T-minus 30 seconds before the start:
- Naomi thinks that this last minute before the start is never going to end.
T-minus 15 seconds before the start:
- Naomi still has to go to the bathroom.
T-minus 3 seconds before the start:
- Naomi hates bike racing.
Lap 1 of 3:
- Cyclocross girl attacks....Naomi realizes that she should've done a warmup.
- Cyclocross girl attacks AGAIN...Naomi realizes that she most DEFINITELY should have warmed up.
- Cyclocross girl attacks....Naomi realizes that she should've done a warmup.
- Cyclocross girl attacks AGAIN...Naomi realizes that she most DEFINITELY should have warmed up.
First climb: Naomi is quickly being pushed out the back of the group.
- Naomi watches cyclocross girl and pursuit champion create a gap between the field.
- Naomi watches as SHE gets gapped from some of her teammates. Somehow Naomi fights to stay on.
- Naomi watches cyclocross girl and pursuit champion create a gap between the field.
- Naomi watches as SHE gets gapped from some of her teammates. Somehow Naomi fights to stay on.
Second climb: (this is the major climb of each lap) Naomi watches as cyclocross, pursuit champ and an unknown strong girl gap the group. Naomi doesn't want to close the gap.
- Naomi's legs burn too much.
- Naomi is wondering whether she looks as though she is 500lbs because her legs sure feel like it.
- Naomi starts cursing her coach because obviously this awful leg feeling must be his fault....then Naomi decides she should close the gap.
- Naomi sucks major wind (still climbing).
- Naomi starts gasping
- Cyclocross girl attacks but Naomi anticipated the attack and everyone stays together.
- Naomi hates bike racing.
- Naomi's legs burn too much.
- Naomi is wondering whether she looks as though she is 500lbs because her legs sure feel like it.
- Naomi starts cursing her coach because obviously this awful leg feeling must be his fault....then Naomi decides she should close the gap.
- Naomi sucks major wind (still climbing).
- Naomi starts gasping
- Cyclocross girl attacks but Naomi anticipated the attack and everyone stays together.
- Naomi hates bike racing.
End of lap 1:
- Naomi is sucking so much wind you'd think she is trying to swallow up her rivals. Naomi hopes to hell her teammates catch back on.
- During this moment Naomi realizes that she is not the only one from Team pink that is hurting like a....[insert bad word].
Naomi sees team pink join back into the group....Naomi is relieved until she realizes that there is no sign of Kerry. This upsets Naomi.
- Naomi is sucking so much wind you'd think she is trying to swallow up her rivals. Naomi hopes to hell her teammates catch back on.
- During this moment Naomi realizes that she is not the only one from Team pink that is hurting like a....[insert bad word].
Naomi sees team pink join back into the group....Naomi is relieved until she realizes that there is no sign of Kerry. This upsets Naomi.
Lap 2 of 3:
- Naomi decides she should eat a gel...it's chocolate flavored - her favorite. Someone decides to be a pain in the butt and attack while Naomi is eating her "chocolate pudding"....Naomi starts chasing with chocolate pudding hanging out of her mouth. Naomi tries to dispose of the gel wrapper back in her jersey pocket - the wind whips the wrapper out of Naomi's hand. Naomi is upset. She doesn't like to litter and she hadn't finished her chocolate gel. Naomi wonders whether she should turn around and ride back to where she dropped the wrapper - Naomi decides (while watching the leader ride off into the distance) that this is not a good idea.
- The peloton gets antsy and a men's group passes the women's peloton. Things get messy. Naomi is tired and trying her best. Naomi wants to stop racing.
- Naomi decides she should eat a gel...it's chocolate flavored - her favorite. Someone decides to be a pain in the butt and attack while Naomi is eating her "chocolate pudding"....Naomi starts chasing with chocolate pudding hanging out of her mouth. Naomi tries to dispose of the gel wrapper back in her jersey pocket - the wind whips the wrapper out of Naomi's hand. Naomi is upset. She doesn't like to litter and she hadn't finished her chocolate gel. Naomi wonders whether she should turn around and ride back to where she dropped the wrapper - Naomi decides (while watching the leader ride off into the distance) that this is not a good idea.
- The peloton gets antsy and a men's group passes the women's peloton. Things get messy. Naomi is tired and trying her best. Naomi wants to stop racing.
First climb: Naomi remembers Rosie's sisters yelling "KERRY"....Naomi is laughing to herself because she is at least 2x the size of Kerry.
- Cyclocross girl attacks again and Naomi rides someone else's wheel up to cyclocross girl.
- Cyclocross girl attacks again and Naomi rides someone else's wheel up to cyclocross girl.
Second climb: Naomi figures out whose wheel to ride up the major climb. - Naomi has now sucked enough wind to swallow up the whole peloton.
- As Naomi's bike starts making strange noises Naomi think that she should just roll off her bike and lie on the side of the road.
- As Naomi's bike starts making strange noises Naomi think that she should just roll off her bike and lie on the side of the road.
Lap 3 of 3:
- Naomi hears Kerry's voice and realizes that Kerry has caught back onto the group (Naomi rejoices). Naomi finally realizes that the group has shed 1/2 of the riders from the start line. Naomi does some mental math and wonders whether Kerry has the turbochargers this week as she must've done some crazy work to catch back onto the group. Naomi is VERY impressed. Naomi then realizes other people have caught onto the group too...Naomi starts to wonder if there is a short-cut on this course that she has not been informed about...
- Naomi hears Kerry's voice and realizes that Kerry has caught back onto the group (Naomi rejoices). Naomi finally realizes that the group has shed 1/2 of the riders from the start line. Naomi does some mental math and wonders whether Kerry has the turbochargers this week as she must've done some crazy work to catch back onto the group. Naomi is VERY impressed. Naomi then realizes other people have caught onto the group too...Naomi starts to wonder if there is a short-cut on this course that she has not been informed about...
First climb:
- Naomi is about to have a panic attack because she thinks there will be an attack
- Naomi was wrong
- Naomi finds that she is in a front group of 4 - but again - she is the only pink. Naomi starts praying that her other teammates come back!
- Right before the second climb her teammates catch back on and Ann tells Naomi to "take a break" thus Ann starts pulling. At least this is what Naomi thinks Ann has said but it could have been a mirage by this point in the race. Whatever Ann said - Naomi is grateful.
- Naomi is about to have a panic attack because she thinks there will be an attack
- Naomi was wrong
- Naomi finds that she is in a front group of 4 - but again - she is the only pink. Naomi starts praying that her other teammates come back!
- Right before the second climb her teammates catch back on and Ann tells Naomi to "take a break" thus Ann starts pulling. At least this is what Naomi thinks Ann has said but it could have been a mirage by this point in the race. Whatever Ann said - Naomi is grateful.
- Naomi thinks she sees an elephant cross the road. Now Naomi knows that she is really losing it.
Second climb:
- Naomi rides the wheel of the pursuit champion.
- Naomi and her bike now sound like a broken boxspring mattress.
- Naomi really wants to just sit on the side of the road.
- Naomi hears pursuit champions coach yelling.....Naomi looks back and realizes that her and pursuit champion have created a gap.
- Naomi also realizes that her and pursuit champion are catching the race leader. Naomi tells pursuit champion that they need to step on it and Naomi pulls through...
- Naomi rides the wheel of the pursuit champion.
- Naomi and her bike now sound like a broken boxspring mattress.
- Naomi really wants to just sit on the side of the road.
- Naomi hears pursuit champions coach yelling.....Naomi looks back and realizes that her and pursuit champion have created a gap.
- Naomi also realizes that her and pursuit champion are catching the race leader. Naomi tells pursuit champion that they need to step on it and Naomi pulls through...
- Naomi and pursuit champion catch the race leader...Naomi starts yelling instructions...Naomi is wondering how she is still pedaling her bicycle.
- Naomi is wondering why it is taking so long to make it to the descent.
- The threesome finally reach the descent - Going down the descent Naomi thinks "Now don't "F" this one up this time"
- Naomi checks to make sure she is in her drops
- Naomi finishes the descent and then BANG - race leader attacks, BANG - pursuit champion attacks...Naomi thinks "SH@$!!" but then Naomi quickly gets on race leader's wheel.
- Naomi starts her acceleration.........(Naomi accelerates like an 18-wheeled transport truck)....Naomi is thinking "NOW NOW NOW...Don't run out of room....".
- Naomi has inched ahead - Naomi crosses the line....Naomi thinks...
- Naomi checks to make sure she is in her drops
- Naomi finishes the descent and then BANG - race leader attacks, BANG - pursuit champion attacks...Naomi thinks "SH@$!!" but then Naomi quickly gets on race leader's wheel.
- Naomi starts her acceleration.........(Naomi accelerates like an 18-wheeled transport truck)....Naomi is thinking "NOW NOW NOW...Don't run out of room....".
- Naomi has inched ahead - Naomi crosses the line....Naomi thinks...
I LOVE BIKE RACING!
Naomi also realizes...
I don't have to go to the bathroom anymore!
Thanks, Naomi! And to all of you on Team Terry -- I LOVE BIKE RACING, too! Here's Kerry sharing the joy of her teammate's win.
Tailwinds,
Georgena
Georgena
