Tulsa Tough consisted of three criteriums all around Tulsa. There were about 70 starters in the women’s field including some big names such as Laura Van Gilder, Jennifer Purcell and Christina Smith. Race one started at 7pm in about 40 degrees temp. It started off fast, with a lot of attacks. Someone near the front decided to come off going around one of the corners, making me to do another one of my famous curb hoping stunts. As I jumped the curb a group of spectators had to dive off their chairs as I was heading straight towards them (along with a couple others). In a criterium, when you get caught up in a crash you are able to go to the neutral zone and get a lap out, catching onto the field on the next lap.. I was a bit in the moment and forgot about this option so instead spent the next lap head down butt up chasing the bunch. When I finally got back on we went around the corner and the rest of the crash victims happily jumped back onto the bunch.. Lesson learnt! After a few more laps I felt like I was going no-where, looked down and noticed my tyre was flat (my race number was 13…shows). The rest of the race consisted of my head being elsewhere.. finishing somewhere in the bunch.
The next day I was determined to have a better day (I got my number changed.. quite superstitious). It was again a very hot day with everyone drenched in sweat at the start line. Was a very fast paced race with attack after attack. I chased a few, did a few, and then just focused on my positioning. With two or three laps to go I got caught up in mid bunch, along with my team mate Kate. Kate is a good sprinter when she is in good position so I let her know I was there and pulled her up to near the front so she was in good position coming up to the last lap or two. Once I got that done there was another attack and I spent the last lap suffering quite a lot. Again I finished in the front part (ish) of the bunch, with Kate somewhere in the top 10. The minute we finished, the lightening, thunder and rain started pelting down just in time for the men’s race.
The final day of racing went over the infamous ‘cry-baby hill’ which was something like the Tour De France. The crowd was HUGE with spectators all over the roads throwing water over you, pushing you, it was insane! There was a gnarly downhill with a tight right hander at the bottom. I felt pretty average for this race, so decided to race it hard and attempt a few things rather then just chilling in the bunch waiting for the finish. Mid-way through the race I did a hard attack coming into the hill, I stayed off for about a lap and then got caught coming up the hill again (the teams did not want anyone getting away). After attempting to recover I cruised in the bunch for a bit more. Then with one lap to go there was a NOW rider off the front, I did an attack again going into the base of the hill, unfortunately pulling the bunch along with me. With the downhill just before the finish I was a little sketchy as it was very steep. Finishing again in the bunch, somewhere in the top 20. 
Attacking the field up "cry-baby" hill. Photo from Jason Perry; http://www.jasonperryphoto.net/
Overall it was not the most successful lot of racing, but I still keep learning more every race and I had a lot of fun. We now head straight to Wisconsin to compete in the 11 stage Tour of America’s Dairylands.
After the race Kate and I set off for (what supposed to be) the 40 minute drive back home while Rachel stayed back at the race for work. We had some pretty good directions to get home and felt pretty confident that we would find our way.. Turns out the signing in Dallas is not that great and we drove about 30 minutes past the turn-off (to make it better it was night time, and dark). We decided it was time to stop and ask for some directions so stopped at the closest super-market looking place. Turns out we stopped in China town and ended up in a Chinese market-type place where not many people spoke English. After buying some Chinese vanilla wafers and attempting to understand the directions we set back out on the motor way. We found a familiar looking sign so took the next off-ramp, next thing we have police lights going behind us.. Apparently when you exit a highway your supposed to slow down by about 30 miles per hour.. Woops. We also pulled over to the left side of the road, In America you always pull to the right. I think the police officer felt sorry for us and let us off with a warning; we asked her for some directions and set-off again. After about 30 minutes we found the right signing and followed that, unfortunately the sign we were following was for the 121 North, we were supposed to go south. Everything became familiar all of a sudden and then we realised we were back at the race. So did a U-turn and headed SOUTH on 121, keeping a very good eye out on the signs. 2.5 hours later we were in familiar grounds back home. To top the night off the place we were planning on stopping at for dinner had closed, so we went to a nice Italian restaurant, got take away and got back home.. FINALLY.
