By Amanda Eaken -- Cat's Hill Crit (W1-3) -- 05/03/08

I have always loved this race. Cute little town, crazy steep climb, fun descent, great crowds, good old fashioned suffering. I won it by accident as a Cat 3, learned the hard way last year that changing both my pre race meal and drink mix concentration before a hot important race is a terrible idea, and came back this year determined to get the job done.

Metromint had a nice little gathering of women - Jess Layman fresh from the Cat 3 race, Jane, Jen, Elis, Ali and me - 6 on the line. We knew Shelley wanted to win the race, frustrated from her 2nd place to Karen Brems last year, so wanted to watch her. Shelley raced as if there was a QOM, which puzzled me to no end. She would FLY up the steep hill every time, and we all took turns covering her in case she really tried to make a go at it, but then she would sit up most every time.

The race was cut short for reasons I cannot explain, and so after gearing up for a long race of 25 laps of suffering I was shocked to look down at my watch and see only 25 minutes had elapsed when someone on the hill shouted-- only 6 laps to go! What? I confirmed this with Jen and several other riders, and sure enough two laps later the announcer shouted 4 to go!. Wow. Ok. Bizarre.

With one to go Tibco was trying to make the pace hard and Jen did a great job of reeling them back in. Up and over the climb the last time one Tibco was still on front, Flavia on her wheel, I'm on Flavia's wheel, Shelley's right behind me. Tibco dies around the top of the course, Flavia takes over on the downhill and I know I need to be first through that last corner. About half way down the hill I easily pass Flavia, look behind me to see Shelley sitting on my wheel and decide it's now or never. I go as hard as I can down that hill, take the corner blessedly fast, at last, with no one in my way squeezing their brakes, and start sprinting immediately for the line, convinced at this point that I have won the race. I hear the announcer scream "It's Eaken and Olds, Eaken and Olds, it's EAKEN at the line!" A few minutes later a look at the tape confirms my win.

Good times. Great fans. Thanks to all stellar teammates.