Crash and Burn
Pre-ride: On Friday, a group of MORCANs and I attempted to pre-ride the course but it wasn't set all the way up, yet. My hubby, being familiar with these races, gave us his best guess and he pretty much got it right. Although I hadn't ridden in several days due to a health issue, I felt pretty strong. I had had a bad reaction to antibiotics a couple days prior and wasn't sure I would even get to race. Still not 100% back, so leaving it to how I felt in the morning.
Race Day: I was slow to get going and was experiencing some serious jitters. A little cry on the way to the course seemed to settle me down. Don't know how the hubby can put up with my prerace cry, but it's starting to become a habit for me. I get so wound up and don't know where to send those nerves and they come out in tears. What a wreck!
Arrived and met up with Mary and Lori. Lori raced with me last year. I am trying so hard to be as fast as she is. I held on to her for two laps last race and my goal, today, was to do the same.
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| Me and Lori before our race, today. |
Lap 1: The start was brutally fast, today. I had to really push hard to stay with Lori. As we cruised through this first lap, I was stunned at how fast I was going. About 2/3 through, I looked down at my GPS device and saw we were averaging eleven miles per hour. I typically race around nine. At that point, my brain said there was "NO WAY" I was going to hold this pace for three laps. I slowed down to my own pace and told myself to race my own race. Hard! I really want to win one of these races some time.
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| I'm the one in the middle and trying to hold with these gals. |
As I was completing lap one, I could hear bells behind me. I realized my friend Mary was catching up to me. No broken cassette for her, today. She was going to race like she rides. My speed or faster. I picked up my pace a touch and when she tried to pass me, I got lucky as there was a right turn and she couldn't get around me. I then sped up some more. If I couldn't win, then I could at LEAST try to stay ahead of Mary.
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| Me and Mary coming into the first lap count. |
Lap 2: After clearing the counting corral, we had a yucky hill to climb. Because I went out too fast at my start, and was pushing to stay ahead of Mary, I hit my wall on this hill. I had to get off and walk it. Mary was right on my tail, so when I got off, she stalled out and ended up walking up behind me. At the top, I hopped back on and lost Mary. Not sure where she disappeared to, but after our race, she said she was keeping me in her sights but staying back a bit.
Now that I was riding at my own pace, this lap felt awesome. I was climbing with no issues and pedaling through pretty much everything. Suddenly my kidneys started to hurt. I had put a pedialyte packet in my water container. Guess I won't be doing that again. I yelled to my hubby during one of my sightings that I needed water. I knew he would be there with a bottle at my next trip around.
As I was dropping down this little hill, I saw my daughter taking my picture. She hadn't told me she was coming to watch and I was thrilled she came to see me race. It added a little oomph to my stamina and I pressed on.
Finally, I was on my last down hill run before the counting corral. It was a pretty bumpy ride. I remember thinking, "there is a sandy turn at the bottom of this. I need to slow a bit and take the inside line or I might crash." No sooner did I think crash and I was landing on my left shoulder and whacking my helmet on the ground. OUCH! I tried to get up and realized that I had no feeling in my left arm. I was dizzy and nauseated. <insert bad words here> Then I panicked. The tears started flowing and I was gasping for air. I was hanging onto my bike and begging all the powers that be to NOT let my shoulder be dislocated. Been there, done that. Then Mary arrived. She was able to calm me down and I was soooo glad it was her and not some insensitive guy that had to deal with my bawling. Eventually, I was able get back on my bike. I was embarrassed by my drama, but Mary was a great sport and rode me that last little bit to the road.
Right before entering the counting corral, I spotted my hubby with my water. I couldn't really grip my left handle bar and I was still pretty shaky. I remember telling him repeatedly that I was going to finish that third lap. I don't know who I was trying to convince, me or him. I really wanted to finish my race. I didn't even care if I was last any more.
I got back on my bike and pedaled through the counting corral. To my surprise, I was told I was finished. I looked up and Mary has stopped too. We were pulled before lap 3. Haven't experienced that since last season. Looks like Mary beat me this round. I took last. Someone has to.
As for my arm. It has the feeling back. I am just incredibly bruised on my left shoulder and hip. Don't remember the hip hitting. I came home and washed up really good because after we ended the race, Mary was nice enough to tell me I was laying in poison oak when she found me. PLEASE don't let me get poison oak. . .it itches like CRAZY!!!
Next race is next weekend. I've decided to turn my brain off for it. I let it slow me down and I let it make me crash. Apparently brains are bad for mountain bike racing. They think too much!
