...IS an awesome race. It is my favorite crit on the OBRA calendar. Fast, technical, aggressive corners. In a word: Sweet! Love it almost more than any other race.

That said, I knew I was in no shape to do very well at crit on Sunday, but I still had to show up because I so enjoy the course/event. I've been benched with an injury since last season, and only started training again seriously a couple months ago. I knew I wouldn't be "competitive" in this race, but I had to do it for the love of the race.

I was one who got pulled. I wasn't lapped. Wasn't off the back. I'd been with the lead group but couldn't hold it, I began to drop back to let the group behind me catch me so I'd have riders to work with to the finish. But when I crossed the start line on one lap I just wasn't where officials would have liked me, which was in a group. Never mind there was no danger of me being in anyone's way at that point. The hammer came down. What could I do?

I've registered my complaints with the powers that be. Part of the explanation I was offered at the race was there "weren't enough officials to keep it all straight". This confused me, because the men's race just prior had riders strung out who didn't get pulled!

Last year saw similar issues, and in more races than just VCC. My thinking remains unfazed: Grouping the 1/2/3/4 women together is a problem. It's not a fair race for anyone, really. But separately, the fields aren't large enough for the promoter to justify even holding a women's race at all. Until there is a ridiculous number of Cat 1/2 women in OBRA land this is going to keep happening. The only way you become a Cat 1/2 racer is to keep racing. And sometimes that means having a crappy race.

Bear with me... this is where it all comes together.

Women's racing has been up this year across the board (well, except the MTB situation). We need to keep up the efforts that promote the sport to women to grow it even further. The more women who start road racing, the more who keep racing, the more who upgrade, the better the races will be.

Stay with it, ladies. Be a part of the solution. Volunteer at races. Organize a MTT ride for your team to find more women to ride, train and race with. There is officials training every year and OBRA always needs more officials AND volunteers. But most importantly, KEEP RACING.

It's only going to get better if we keep racing, and keep supporting other women who are racing or want to race.

Now, about that mountain biking situation...

Uma "Faster than Slow but Slower than Fast" Kleppinger