After a very solid winter of training sprinkled with two surgeries, a melanoma and the extraction of four wisdom teeth, it is time to start racing.  And WOW, it has been a long time since I have either been in a race or a race simulation environment.  The World Championships were at the end of last September, and I haven’t even been out to a local group ride this year.  As a result, I am feeling fit, but I am far from race fit.  I am looking forward to flipping that switch and growth, as planned, to “ON or GO.”  It is certainly time to take the heart rate over the threshold, suffer a bit, and retrain myself how to push hard.   

It is also time to start traveling.  This involves getting the bag packed, the carry on back pack loaded, the travel snacks/meals made, the day of travel training done, the drive to the airport completed, and then the long good bye to my husband said.  Every year, this last part gets a little harder, especially this first trip because of its length.  Check, check, check, check, and check with a tear, and then it is off to security. 

Security is always a pain in the rear because of the disassembly and reassembly that is required.  First the disassembly:  my computer must be mined out of my bag, the hand sanitizer etc liquid bag must come out, and the shoes and belt have to come off.  Next the scramble:  all the miscellaneous items in multiple containers must be gathered while the tidal wave of stuff and people continue to come through.  Finally, the reassembly of the bag and the wardrobe:  usually, I just gather up my belongings in a handful and slide in my socks to the nearest and safest refuge where I can reorganize my bag and self.  Then, thankfully, it is off to the airport lounge for a moment of serenity, before the cattle call to get on the flight. 

The flying itself was fairly simple.  The first flight, LAX to FRA, was long, but I slept for most of the 11 hrs, so it wasn’t too bad.  I was also able to use my miles (FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) to upgrade, so I was traveling in the lap of luxury… almost Seinfeld-esk.  The layover in Frankfurt was only 3 hours, and the next connector from FRA to MXP (Malpensa) was just an hour long.  I was on the ground on Easter Sunday at 5:30pm… less than 24 hours before race time.  Perfect.

I slept great that night.  I woke up refreshed and ready to race, but I hadn’t been on the ground long enough to know that I was multiple time zones and half a world away.  I will describe the meat of the sandwich, ie write a Race Report, tomorrow.

After the race, we drove from Cittiglio to Moergestel, which is northern Italy to the Netherlands, slightly less than 1000km.  Essentially, that meant another evening and day of travel, especially since driving was slow as it was snowing all the way across Switzerland and then for most of the next day across Germany and Holland.  Eventually, though, late Tuesday afternoon I landed at my Euro home.  Time to settle in.

Let’s see… that means yesterday was Wednesday, and I took it easy.  Today was Thursday, and I managed to attempt and complete a motorpace session in light rain and 6 C.  All of this means that I know it is Thursday evening right now, it is really cold and wet in Holland, and it is time for me to go to bed!!

Check back for the World Cup race report… YES, I did race… I was listed on the results as my teammate Mirjam Melchers who had stayed home with a little bit of the flu.