There are so many stories to tell and so many laughs that were had!
The VK team for the Vuelta El Salvador were: Liza Rachetto, Ruth Winder, Jessica Cutler, Starla (Starier) Teddergreen, Jeannie Khuajek, and myself.
Liza, Ruth, Starla, Me, Jeannie with Jess MIA
Every team was given a sponsor and a driver for the 2 weeks. We were lucky to get the best. Huge thanks to Thule and Wilfredo. Wilfredo seriously knew his way around eveeerywhere, the best driver and friend the whole trip. Even though he could only speak spannish.. and us mainly only english with very broken spannish we created our own kind of lingo. He was truly awesome.
Jono and Wilfredo
We were one of the few lucky teams that got to stay at the Hilton hotel... fair to say that it has by far hit the top of the list as best race hotel! two weeks in the hilton were not soooo bad ;)
The day before racing started we got escorted on a ride, not nowing where we were going, we just followed the car infront.... next thing we know, we were cutting laps of the free way, pulling a few U-turns across 4 lanes... no biggie. Sure was one way to get the heart rate up without doing openeing efforts (we all started off saying that we were going to do some efforts... we were all far to scared to deviate from the group)
Free way ride...
Team presentation - like no other.
We started with a 100km 1 day race, which was a bit of a shock to the system racing in 40 degree suffocating heat and ending up a 30km climb. Fair to say I was glad this was not counted as part of the stage race... and taught me a good lesson about cooling your self down before you get to hot.
The racing for me started off great, and I was only feeling better each stage as I got more use to the heat. The first stage we rode along the roler coaster coast (constantly up and down) and then finished up a 10km climb. Starla was in the break all day which was caught just before the final climb. Ruth and I climb our way to 8th and 9th on the stage. The 2nd day we had two races, a TTT and a circuit race. We were 5th in the TTT and then I was 8th in the messy finish in the road race.
Day 3 was a 50km road race with a 30km climb of a Volcano... with an ave of 10% and multiple Km of 25%....I went to bed looking forward to the stage as I knew it was going to be a hard one.... aaand I woke up with a stomach bug!!! I forced as much b-fast into myself as I could and we were escorted to the race (Ohh yess, did I mention we had police escorts to the start of every race...craaaazy). I knew it was going to be a long day, but I was determined I would be OK. I was not. I hung out at the very back of the bunch all day and top teamate Jeannie hung out with me all day to make sure I made it to the finish. I couldn't eat all day and every time I drunk I vomited. Once the climbing started I was completely OTA, and started the long painful slog to the finish. There was a bus following us most of the way up the climb, the driver occasionally hopped out and ran beside me, clearly I was going no where fast. Eventually after what felt like eternity and thanks to many 'positve thoughts' and encouragement from Jeannie, we made the finish line, I curled up in the car and we went back to the motel. I was hopeful it was just going to be a 24hour sorta thing. But it was not. It lasted 5 days, any food that I did eat was literally running straight through me. A few other girls on other teams had the same problems. After a course of antibiotics I was better.... weehuuuu.
So I spent the rest of the week in bed, watching TV, and super jeal of everyone racing.
My team mates raced awesome!!!! and I am sure there are many good things to come for VK this year.
Good times were had in El Sal.. and the spectators and fans at the end of every stage were insane. So so many people, so many HAPPY people it was awesome.
Highlight of the trip would have to be drinkning 100% fresh coconut water and then smashing them to eat the meat :)
Since El Salvador, I have been hanging out and training in Nor Cal with my awesome host family for the year, the Lerners, they are so lovely!
This past weekend we traveled to SoCal to race San Dimas and lets just say I had the hardest crash I have ever had.... racing down a hill and hitting a pot hole that was hidden in the shade of the trees is not a fun experience I will tell you. But I am all good and am now reeeeaaally ready to race redlands in 1.5 weeks time!
On wards and up wards!
Ciao,
Kate :)