Gila Cliff Dwellings

Tired. This race really takes it out of you. My performance this year is so slow compared to last year. I keep telling myself it's all about getting my race fitness back but it's hard when you get dropped by people you know should not be dropping you. I can't remember racing being this much of a struggle since I first started doing NRC races.

Yesterday our team turned a bad situation into a good one. We ALL got dropped at various times on the first set of climbs and ended up chasing in a group of about 12 or so for the majority of the race. We really held it together and finally made it back into the peloton before the last major climb of the day. I blew up again about 8 miles or so out of town as someone made a move on a smaller hill and that was all it took for me. I solo finished the last 8 miles into terrible headwinds. I finished almost 9 minutes back from the leaders but really didn't care. All I cared about was getting over that finish line and off the bike. My body is toast right now. The hills are usually something I look forward to but there is such a lack of power for climbing right now. Maybe I will feel better at Joe Martin next week. 4 days of rest between Gila and Joe Martin should be good.

Here are some pics of the racing out here as well as our home away from home, the KOA cabins!

I will send another update after this Gila madness is over on Sunday.