This race was not only a physical challenge, but also mental. I had to deal with the ghost of 2002. 2002 was my first year back to any competition after a 3 year layoff. The Empire State Games were my first races back. That year I did well with 2 silvers and a gold in cycling. One of the silvers came in the road race. The woman who won gold in that race had gotten away in the first attack. I had seen her go, and I didn't respond so I settled on going for the silver. I'm not sure whether I could have hung with her, but I had not tried.

This year I recognized her, and decided I was going to go with her when the first attack came. This is my 5th time going to Empire State Games for cycling. Regardless of whether I've competed as a master or in the Open division, the tactics in the road race always seem to be the same. On the first major climb people go. In the masters competition all the women regardless of age group go with the masters 55+ men. So when the first climb comes the stronger guys go, and the pack breaks up into little groups.

Sure enough the first hill comes, and the hammer heads take off. I couldn't stay with them but I did end out in a group of 2 guys, and my main competitor. Later we were joined by two other guys. The six of us actually worked fairly well together, and on the second climb it looked like we might make it back to front group.

We didn't quite make it, and one point we had lost a few of the guys and we were down to Susan, one of the guys and me. Eventually the other 3 regrouped with us. First loop was pretty uneventful. There were no real atacks on the three climbs. I think we were content to work together. Every once in awhile Susan would jump a little, but I was determined to hang on, and those little attacks were nothing. Everyone just would get together and pull her back in.

The whole time I'm thinking to myself "If she doesn't crack this is going right down to the finish line, and I've never had to try to outsprint someone at the finish. What the hell am I going to do? I'm a triathlete, and we don't sprint to the finish line on our bikes. We slow down to dismount!"

I decided I wasn't going to worry about that since that was based on us staying together. I still had to survive the three climbs on the second loop with her, and I know how she climbs. She's light, and just spins away. So the first climb the six of us are together. One the 65+ riders says "I'm going to go ahead and get a little head start on this hill. I need a head start" The rest of us are together, and pass him. This hill is where the feed zone is for the open competitors. One of the NYC coaches who I sometimes ride with says, "Come on Polly you're riding strong. Attack now!" I wasn't exactly feeling strong, but surge a little just to give him a show. I get about a 1/2 wheel ahead of Susan and said. "Okay that was my attack." Every gets a laugh out of that as I resume my normal pace. I was in no position to go on some crazy attack.

We get to the second climb. Susan and I are in the front and the guys behind. She just starts spinning hard and slowly pulls away from me. She made going up the hill look effortless. I get to the top of the hill, and soon the guys come up on me, and we regroup. I'm saying "Let's go guys, I need some help here!" I felt a little bit like Lance having my "Disco Boys" to help bridge the gap. We caught up, and went back to the 6 of us pacelining and take turns at the front. I say to my teammate Dennis (yes, he's actually a member of my bike club) who's a duathlete, "Hey the multisport geeks are doing a pretty good job with this team tactics stuff."

We make the left turn and Dennis asks me if this was "the hill" coming up. I said yep. Once again Susan goes up to the front, and starts pulling away. I'm trying to stay close but she's getting further away. I glance behind me to see if my "boys" are close behind. They aren't. In the meantime Susan looks back at me every once in awhile, and sees she putting some serious distance between us. I'm thinking to myself, "Hmmmm this is going to be tough unless the guys come back."

I crest the hill, and look back one last time. The guys are nowhere. They've decided to let the ladies slug it out for gold on their own. My mind is going a million miles a minute, and I'm thinking, "Okay you won yesterday, so it won't be the end of the world if you don't win today. This has been a good race, and you hung close......Time out! Okay let's see what you can do on your own. At least make it interesting. She didn't descend all that well after that last hill. Maybe you can catch her. Go for it!"

The real hills were done, there was a screaming descent coming, followed by little rollers, and flats. I am usually a major chicken $h!t when it comes to descents, but having done the hill once already in the race, and several times in practice I knew I could really air it out. I had no one around me, and no oncoming traffic so I let it rip. I hit 47.6 MPH at some point but didn't see that until after the race. As I coming flying down the hill ,and back to the straight away, I can see that I'm closing in. The question is can I catch her after the traffic circle 1K from the finish.

I come around the traffic circle. I'm totally focused on Susan, and not worrying about the turn. I'm not always real confident cornering, but again I stayed focused on my quarry. I finally come up on her wheel with maybe 500 meters to go. I'm thinking to myself, "Okay do I sit here, and make like TdF sprinters and go around her at the last second? Do I go now, and try to hold her off?. Is it too soon?" I then decided, "The hell with it, do what you did yesterday in the time trial!" I put my head down, and blew right by her. I wasn't going to look back. I figured if she came back around it was going to be one helluva finish. I just didn't want to know about it. After I crossed the finish line I looked to either side, and didn't see her. At that point I pumped one fist and shouted, "Yes!" I have not mastered the two handed fist pump. On the official results they had us down with the same time so I guess it was awefully close at the finish line.

I was really pleased with not only the physical effort, but psychologically I was right on the ball. When the concession speeches started in the head, I just banished them. I think I caught her by surprise at the end. I don't think she was expecting me to come back like that all by my lonesome. I was glad I got the chance to chase her down on my own, and not have to depend on the guys to bring me back again.

I felt I rode a smarter race then she did. I suspect those solo attacks off the fron did her in after awhile. I had a little more in the tank when I had to go solo. But then again, I'm a triathlete, and I'm used to going solo. Though I'm not used to it coming down to milliseconds.

Absolutely nothing! I was prepared physically and mentally.

Rolled down the road a bit past the finish line, then came back to see others finish. Rode 3 miles back to get the car.


I hope I can carry the the physical and emotional highs on to Kansas City in two weeks.