My Collegiate Cycling Career

Marisa Peacock
4.24.05

Though younger than most, I was reminded that I am not as young as I was once and forced to face this at four-thirty on Saturday morning. The plan was to get up, ride over to King Street Metro and pick up my Flex Car, drive back to my apartment and load up the car, drive two hours to race for two hours and then drive back two hours. I was exhausted just thinking about it and my body was none too pleased. After a busier than usual week working, riding and finishing up school work (there may have been some drinking, too) I realized that even if I could squeeze out a road race, I was in no condition to drive. Guilty, but too sleepy to care, I crawled back into bed.

To redeem myself, I slept the entire day, only waking to clean the house in thirty-minute intervals and watch episodes of the Gilmore Girls on the WB. Thoroughly rested, I set my sights on the next day's crit. My Georgetown teammates and I coordinated our schedules to carpool together to Frederick, Maryland at the Solerex Court. Though we had never formally met, except through e-mail, we bonded quickly and set off for glory.

Peter Kirsch, a former collegiate roadie from San Diego State was making his racing debut after five years. He rides every day, but hadn't raced since his college days. He raced first in the Men's C race and placed third! My race, the Women's B was next. It was a cool, windy day. The course was fast and fun with a gradual incline at the start/finish. The corner before the finish, though wide, was tricky for some and I vowed to stay in the front to avoid any mishaps. We had parked next to the Johns Hopkins University girls and I overheard less than stellar cycling conversations and witnessed their cycling calamities early on. I vowed to stay away from them, too.

About eighteen of us lined up. I was the only one who opted for shorts, while the rest layered up in tights. And we were off; I was off the front first but didn't want to shut them out entirely. I wanted to see what they were about. A woman from Navy rode beside me as we inched around the course at a very slow pace. Passing the officials at the start/finish, we were urged to start racing. So the Navy chick and I increased on the field. I stayed out with Navy and two others for the first few laps and we led the charge through. On lap four, the Hopkins girls behind me came through the corner rather tightly and caused a pile up. The lead group and I went unharmed and were able to gain some distance. I knew I was working harder than most and I was blocking for a line behind me, but my legs were feeling strong and considering this may have been my first/last collegiate race, I figured I'd stay up for as long as I wanted.

With seven laps to go, I was still at the front. Five laps to go and I was still up at the front, though I may have slipped back in line to catch a draft. With two laps to go, I was still at the front, but felt the momentum building. With one lap to go, the groups overtook me and though I rode with them, my dominance subsided and finished a mighty eighth overall. I felt strong and had more fun than usual at a crit. It was a nice change to ride with a group with whom I shared just as much, if not more racing experience. Usually I find myself trying to keep up and this time they were keeping up with me. Not a bad start to my collegiate cycling career (last night I dreamt that I qualified for Nationals). It kind of makes me want to go get my PhD so I can race for four more years!

Until then however, I will look to start as many conversations with "when I raced for Georgetown..." I behoove you to encourage me, at least for a little while.