Not According to Plan

 Never Believe a Nay Sayer!

PreRace Workouts:  Having completed my first race two weeks ago, I made sure to ride twice a week for the last two weeks in order to improve my strength.

Race Day: F-F-F-F-Freezing

 Although it was cold, I was doing this!  Today's goal:  finish in less than 2 hours.
  

Competition says "hello".  (BTW the lump on my back is my water pack)

At the start line, I met this wonderful lady.  She was incredibly nervous about this race and didn't want to be last.  Pffft, she was leagues ahead of me.  Lesson learned, never listen to other racers tell you how slow they are. . .they are setting you up.  Having already done this once, I already knew I was back of the pack material.  Once again, I took off in last place and held my position throughout the course.  The lady I was talking to?  She completed three laps 33 seconds after I completed two. 

Lap 1 - The look of misery

Lap 1:  As I worked my way around the first lap, I realized this wasn't the same five mile loop as last time.  We reversed direction and there were a LOT of up hill climbs (or in my case up hill walks).  By the end of the first lap, I was running slower than two weeks ago and I had major cramping in my right leg.  This was definately an OFF day.

Lap 2:  Not sure I could feel more awful.  I was now walking up EVERY hill and barely staying on my bike on the downhills.  The only positive part of this race was the  beautiful trails that we were weaving through.  I do love those swishy, twisty trails!

BIG DISAPPOINTMENT!  As I came through the counting corral, I was pulled off the track.  New rule:  If you don't clear lap 2 in 1 hour 30 minutes, you are done after lap 2.  I finished lap 2 in 1 hour 38 minutes and 4 seconds.  I was passed by everyone except for three ladies.  As I dragged my bike to the car, the tears started.  I had failed miserably.  I stunk at everything.  The climbs were too hard, the downs were too bumpy, I hated getting passed by people, I'd never get any good at this.  I have become a nay sayer!!!

And then there were two!

Much to my displeasure, I was awarded a fourth place medal.  I told the guys that if I can't complete three laps, I shouldn't get a medal.  I didn't mean to make them feel bad, but getting a medal just because you only had four racers in your age catergory really isn't like earning a medal.  Later, as I reflected about it, I decided I earned this medal after all.  Who else would race an event they knew they were going to be last place in? 

The cheering squad.

As I pulled myself together, I realized I had a cheering squad.  My oldest and youngest arrived and were there to make me smile.  A new determination set it - I wasn't going to do this poorly EVER AGAIN!  GAME ON!!!  When I got home, I purchased a training manual for beginner mountain bike racers and specifically female racers.  I had a plan and darn it, I wasn't going to be last again!!!

Mountain Bike Racer or Survivor?

WHAT WAS I THINKING?

In a life defining moment, I decided I would race all of the local CCCX-MTB XC races this year.  My thoughts were on doing something I had never imagined I could do in the hopes of pure survival.  I had been riding mountain bike approximately once a week for about nine months.  My longest ride was around ten or eleven miles.  The first race was a five mile loop that beginners (that would be me) must loop three times through.  As a Math geek, I knew this meant fifteen miles total.  As a fairly new member of the local mountain bike club, I told no one (OK, my husband knew) what I was up to.  I was in total stealth mode - or maybe I was giving myself an out if I turned chicken.  Reguardless of my reasons, I geared up on February 4th, 2012, and loaded up my bike. 

I am doing this. . .I am doing this. . .I am doing this

Paperwork done, I walked my bike to the start line.  The nerves kicked in and I really began to question myself.  What was I thinking?  This is really gonna hurt. 

Those girls look like pros, not beginners!  I'm doomed!

Lap 1:   The race started out on a road for about a 1/4 mile and turned into a single track straight up a hill.  I started out in back and held that position for a looooong time.  By the time I finished walking up that first hill, there was only one rider in sight and she was walking that same hill with me.

Lap 1

When I finally made my first lap through the counting corral, not another racer was in sight.  I was tired already and thinking about calling it quits, when I heard the stunned voices of those that knew me as they realized I was racing.  They all managed to recover their shock quickly enough to encourage me and at that point, I knew I was in it for the long haul.  I could hardly quit now that our biking friends knew I was racing.  In the words of my eldest daughter, "le sigh."

Dropping into a tight turn (if you're a beginner)

Lap 2:  This is the lap of discovery.  Not ALL beginner bikers are slow like me.  As I worked my way around that loop, I was passed by so many people that I started getting off my bike and walking as soon as I heard them approaching me from behind.  It's a bit unnerving to know someone is gonna pass on a narrow trail and I'm supposed to hold my position without crashing in the hopes I don't get smunched into.  Ugh!  Even the women I started with were passing me.  Stress, stress, stress.

Me about to be passed by someone.

Lap 3:  As I looped through the counting corral, again, I really wanted to stop.  I was completely exhausted.  With a big sigh, I began my third lap.  My most positive thought at this point was that I now had the whole trail to myself.  Everyone else was finishing as I headed around that last loop.  SURPRISE!  As I was pushing up a hill with a blind right turn, two teenage boys came ripping down that hill straight at me.  YEP, I totally screamed like a girl.  One guy went right, the other went left, and I went DOWN!  HARD!  I was so angry, I couldn't even speak.  Body check:  all parts were still moving, but my hip and left knee hurt like hell.  Both boys asked me if I was OK and I told them I was (pride showeth after the fall).  They wouldn't leave until I got up, so I finally had to admit I couldn't figure out how to unclip my shoes to untangle myself from my bike.  After they assisted me in getting off the ground, they apologized profusely and I got back on my bike to complete my final lap with blood running down my left leg.  My thought at this point:  I was gonna look cool coming in to the finish with a bloody leg.

At the podium.

The Finish Line:  2 hours, 5 minutes and 40 seconds after my start I crossed the finish line.  As the announcer shouts to the crowd that the last rider is in (humiliating much), everyone cheered me as I rolled through.  I should have been tired, but I was elated.  The adrenaline rush from crashing helped push me through to the end and I was thrilled.  My longest mountain bike ride EVER!  I was a little embarrassed to receive a medal as there were only 5 riders in my age group, but later I found out there were DNFs (did not finish) - turns out that girl I walked the first hill with didn't finish the race.  Truth be told, if it weren't for all my biking pals cheering me on, I would have quit too.  I'm just really glad I didn't.  My only goal this day was to finish the race - goal accomplished!  Next race, I will try to finish a little faster (side note:  I held the next race up by 30 minutes since I hadn't returned within 2 hours - oops). 

Me, my bike, my medal and my bloody knee (tidied up).

IT WAS A GOOD DAY FOR NEW BEGINNINGS!!!