Do It Scared
By: Chloe Eades
Brand new to Apex Cycling team, I decided to line up for my first criterium race at Mass Ave. Coming off an exciting senior year racing in the Little 500 for the third time, I’d built ample confidence in my bike handling skills—but I was still incredibly nervous for my first crit. I had always wanted to race one, but historically, my fear has held me back from taking the jump. The tight, technical turns on Friday's course truly scared me; I wasn't sure if I'd be able to be competitive when I was so focused on just staying upright.
As I stepped up to staging beside my teammates, taking in all of my talented competitors, the words my friend had recently spoken to me played through my head -- "just do it scared, Chloe." And so the whistle blew, the cat 3/4/5 women were off, and so was I. Scared, but doing the thing.
Thirty minutes later, my teammate Dorothy took the win, Katelyn third, and myself fourth. Man, was it awesome. Dorothy, Katelyn, and I made it a point to find each other during the race, saying "I'm here" to let each other know they had back-up. Coming from a Little 500 racing experience, I've always been on a team, but I've never actually had teammates in a race the same time as myself. Having Katelyn and Dorothy in the pack completely changed the dynamic of my race, and I absolutely loved it.
Saturday, the nerves came back, but I thankfully felt much less scared. I felt strong and confident next to my teammates, and when that whistle blew, I was ready to go. With the help of my teammate Katelyn, I was able to lead Dorothy out on the last lap, giving her a leg up to sprinting for the win. It was so rewarding to watch our teamwork lead to another win, giving us confidence heading into the final day.
Sunday, I approached the Parkside Throwdown at Indy Cycloplex with pure excitement; climbing is my strong suit, and I was determined to attack the hill on the course, using it to my advantage. The plan was to be aggressive up the climb and take the win, as well as securing the Omnium. Katelyn and I spent ample time at the front, with the goal of stringing out the pack. The pack was strong, though, and it stayed together for a field sprint at the end. After finding myself in an unfortunate position coming up the final climb, my only choice was to swing around the back of the pack and sprint as hard as I could to the front. I burned all my matches to make it to third place, following Dorothy in second. Standing next to Dorothy on the podium was such a special moment; another great race filled with teamwork and grit. What a way to end the weekend!
In reflection, this weekend was so much more than three successful races for Apex. This weekend, I finally raced my first crit, and then two more. This weekend was a testament to the strong team culture Apex fosters, further displayed by Dorothy, Katelyn, and I's constant teamwork.
This weekend, I did it scared -- and I'm so lucky I did. I am incredibly grateful for my experience at Momentum Indy and being welcomed onto Apex. I'm looking forward to closing out the season with such amazing people!
