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The Tanya Lindenmuth diary
Last year was a good year for Tanya Lindenmuth, winning her fourth American National Women's Sprint Championships in a row. And this year should be even better. Meet Tanz, out latest diarist, as she tells all on the oval track.
US Nationals, Day 2: Passing the torch
US track national championships, Trexlertown, PA, August 26-30
Morning session
This morning went off without a hitch. But not without me having to work for it!
I raced Lizz Reap, a local girl and the fifth place finisher from last year. The first ride she went from the whistle. On a 333m track, sprints are only two laps, so I knew I needed to step on it slightly. I just relaxed, hung back and watched her very closely. She was starting to fizzle with just about one lap to go. So around the last half lap I made my move around her for the win. It was a great tactic! She knew she couldn't match me on speed so what else to do but try to "break my legs" by taking me long. The next ride saw me guarding the front. When we got the bell she took the lead and I again passed her on the back straight and dug to the line. I really wanted to open my legs up this morning in order to be ready for the next round tonight against Jennie Reed. I am usually conservative speed-wise in the first ride and then let it go on the second. Why work harder than you really have to? It's better to have that last little bit because you may need it!
Top seed Chris Witty (versus Martha Dunne) went through without a problem as well as fourth seed Becky Conzelman (versus Sarah Hammer). Third seed, Jennie Reed (versus Jamie Pettinato) had some tactical rides this morning. Jamie fixed her mistake of leading it out too hard in the first sprint and made the second sprint totally exciting by keeping Jennie high and trying to take her speed away from her. But Jennie's experience brought her across the line first in that ride also. Good Work Girls!!
Tonight the semis and finals take place where Witty will line up against Conzelman and I take on Jennie Reed. Let's see if we can make it an all-pink final!
End notes
I loved how Lizz went out there and executed her plan. I'd rather race than just cruise into the semis - THANKS!
Hello to new readers and friends, Nancy and Tom Ernst(as well as Wednesday)!
Evening session
T-Mobile in da House!
The magenta ladies rocked it tonight... I have been informed that our male counterparts don't appreciate the pink references so magenta it is. Said with a hard "g" so it sounds cool...
Witty's semi final rides against Conzelman were all-out as were mine against Jennie Reed. Both rides against Jennie were done well tactically with Reed taking me high both times to try to kill my speed. However, they were rather short sprints which greatly helped me get through to the final. I'm normally known for a longer sprint but I just didn't have the firepower behind it tonight.
We sat through about an hour of kilometre time trials and then we took to the track for our medal-deciding rides.
Reed and Conzelman went absolutely flat-out both times with Conzelman making one tactical error in the second ride giving Jennie the bronze.
As Witty and I lined up, I remember telling myself to "Be Ready!". Okay, so I didn't take my own advice. The first ride she dove underneath and got to the pole first. In my haste I had taken her off track and immediately stopped and went up track. Witty went on pure instinct here, I'm sure, and took off like someone possessed. Now, I'm sure she had a plan. But did I have to I play into it perfectly? She got a HUGE gap and I tried to chase it down but couldn't make up all the ground she had over me. So I thought; "Well, we will just go three rides then!"
I have never been afraid to go for three with anyone. I was feeling the other races I had in my legs already but was willing to go any distance required. One problem, the legs just didn't follow what I had in mind.
The second ride placed Witty in front. I took the lead coming around for the bell. I tried my razor move but she came around me on the back straight like I had the brakes on! I had a surreal moment then and wondered if that's how people have felt when I've done that to them... a very grounding experience.
Witty showed some fight from the inside tonight that I was happy to see. We can only make each other stronger now. Who better to pass the torch to than my own teammate? I have won the national titles in the Sprint and 500m since '99. The announcers were calling this championships my Tour de France. As in five in a row... Guess I have to start over now!
End notes
Placing second at nationals, on the scale of good and bad things, doesn't even register with the bad after the way the past few months have gone for me! It has been very up and down. Balanced one should say! I had a down time at Worlds, made PAN AMS an up and so now I am just cruising somewhere in between the two at the moment.
I am stoked at our depth. As I said before and can only imagine the one-two punch that we can deliver at the Olympics next year! Sometimes people forget that there is more than one spot. Just because you are or aren't number one doesn't mean you go or don't go...
I have pulled myself out of the 500m time trial tomorrow night. I know when to bow out gracefully and it's time to make room for some new blood. Not sure if I am officially on vacation yet, may ride the keirin once I have rested a bit. It is time to just enjoy my bike in a different discipline for a change!
Thanks to my mom, who, through her unwavering support, always supplied the smile I needed when I looked up along the boards!
And an official CONGRATS to parents-to-be Fiona and Tim Carswell in New Zealand... Auntie is almost on her way! They are having a boy who will be my godson. He, in his own little way, has been a motivation for me and I can't wait for him to arrive at the end of September!! I have been shopping like mad for him, too!
Cheers all!
Smiles, be safe
Tanz*