One BIG Hill
PreRace Workout: Riding four days a week where at least one is at Toro Park. Toro Park? What's that mean? Well, the next race is here and involves 900-1000 ft of climbing and then 900-1000 ft of downhill. Much of the downhill is either exposed cliff or cliffs with trees. VERY SCARY!
PreRide: After preriding this with the guys, I came off the downhill having walked most of it. Sooooo scary. Adamant I was not doing this, I told them it was too technical for me. Cory, in his great wisdom, told me many beginners would be walking the tough spots (I think he lied to me, but I won't tell him that). Leaving my options open, I decided to see how I felt in the morning.
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| CRAZY PERSON: About to ride a non-beginner race course. |
Woke up feeling pretty good and decided to race. Weather looked to be a scorcher, so I donned my sleeveless jersey (unattractive though it is) and wished for biking shorts (all I own are leggings). As I left the parking lot, I clipped in my right foot and immediately fell right. I can't repeat the words that came out of my mouth, but REALLY! In the parking lot, in front of the registration stand, in front of EVERYBODY, I had to fall. BTW the parking lot was made of rocks. I was bruised before I even got started.
Found +3 girl from my last race (hey Julie) and met another lady, Anya. A-Mazing rider, usually first for all females or darn close to first in beginner races. My new goal after this race: Don't let Anya lap me. For today's race, the goal is getting up that darn hill twice without walking. As it is up with no breaks and then down, its gonna be a tough goal.
I decided to start conservatively (last place) as I wasn't really comfortable with this course. Being last wasn't a matter of concern as I am sooooo not a climber, yet, and this course was a lot more advanced than was really qualified for. I held my position (again, last place) for the whole race.
Lap 1: Whew! I made it up and down and am still in one piece. The up was killer, but I managed to do it without walking. Well, except for the last little bit of up. . .did I mention the cows? We rode through a cow pasture on the way up. I swear those mama cows were looking at me. I was more scared of the cows than the up hill climb. After passing through them, I shook for about five minutes. In our preride, Darius and I followed a mama and her calf down the single track for quite a long ways. During the race, it was my greatest fear. . .being alone with the cows.
WAIT! I lied! My greatest fear was going down that hill. It took me 32 minutes to get up that hill the first time and 16 minutes to get down it. I walked a LOT of the down hill. My vertigo was brutal that day and I was nervous about these small drops that were part of the downhill couse. Darius showed me how to get through them, but I just didn't think I could do it without falling.
Lap 2: So they sneakily looped us a little differently on lap 2's uphill and we had to carry our bikes up a severely exposed, narrow staircase. After humping my 30 lb bike up and nearly being frozen in fear getting through this part, I had almost no energy for my second trip up Toro's hill. What took me 32 minutes the first time took me over 40 minutes the second time. I was sooo tired, I walked a large portion at the top where I was lapped by +3 girl - guess I wasn't beating her this race. I'd be happy to just get down the hill, safely, for a second time. By now, the temp has hit 80+ degrees and I was out of water. My face was cherry red and I really did want to be done. With a big sigh, I unzipped my jersey and rode down the hill - no walking this time. OK, maybe once for safety reasons. As I hit that last short drop, there were medics helping a guy with a neck brace. Major crash and he has hurt - I slowed WAY down after this because it was a reminder that I was an inexperienced rider on an intermediate course. I happily completed lap 2 and was stopped for not clearing it within 1 hour 30 minutes. Honestly, I didn't have a third lap in me anyway. I was just happy to have pulled off another race without major injuries. Two laps completed in 1 hour 45 minutes and 32 seconds.
Although I finished last, I still felt good. Many didn't finish this race. . .between the tough climb and the heat I watched several contenders drop out of the next race, as well. Doing these things in the heat can be extra tough. All I need to remember is that my new goal is to NOT be lapped by Anya.
