There is Hope!

Two for Two

PreRide:  Friday's PreRide rocked.  Like my last PreRide, I made it up certain hills for the first time.  I felt Grrrrrreat!  Darn, now I was nervous again.  Should I feel this good?  Trail inventory tells me three of the most awful hills were deleted from last race and one yucky hill and a gravel, easier hill were added in their place.  This course was also longer than last time.  Deep Breath - "I can do this."
 
Race Time!  We pulled in a bit late and the place was packed.  I've never seen this many people before at a CCCX-MTB XC Race.  I barely had time to pay my entry fee and ride once up the road and back to warm up - not my best prep work.  I was so nervous, I was nauseated - I don't understand why I stress so much - reality is I don't want to look bad in front of all of our friends.  Not that they'd care - they're an extremely supportive group and would have found some way to make me smile no matter my skills (or lack there of).

The start!  No Mary.  <sad face>  My bestie was sick this last week and was having trouble breathing after the PreRide so, although disappointed, I was completely in agreement with her decision not to race.  As I watched all the male competitors line up, I began to realize I may be one of only a couple female riders this race.  WELL, it looks like all I had to do was finish and I was guaranteed first.  Funny as that would be, it's a bit irritating to be out there with no competition.  OOPS!  Assumed the worst and was waaaaaaay off base.  Suddenly, a bazillion women showed up at the start line.  OK, maybe not a bazillion but more than I have ever seen in these races in the past.

Then, BOOM, up to the start shimmies Lori - last year she won four out of nine races in the beginner category AND won the series.  I was bummed.  I razzed her about not moving up from beginner to sport and she explained that she didn't win more than half of last years races and wasn't required to move up.  With a sigh and a little more razzing, I accepted that I was not getting first, today.  Secretly, it was nice to see a familiar face.  I started to really look around and there were so many new faces, I felt obligated to entertain them with my wit <or bad sense of humor>.  By the time we took off, I knew the names of almost most everyone over twenty - I left out the high school and junior girls because I figured those youngsters were gonna kick my butt anyways, so I wouldn't be seeing them on the trails today.

Lap 1:  This race, we started on the road as usual, but when we jumped to single track, it was a shallow uphill ascent and then a road crossing to a steep, gravelly road climb before hitting some amazingly fun, loopy single track.  I'm no sprinter but I still felt great at the start and was about 2/3 back when we hit that first single track. 

As we crossed to that gravel road (hill), I felt awesome and charged up past a lot of people.  As I reached the top, I saw Lori.  She was as stunned as I was.  I believe her comment was, "look at you all strong and fit."  My first race error was at the top of our hill.  My lack of confidence caused me to back off and let Lori lead through the single track.  It turns out that she's strong on the uphill but she slows down A LOT on the downs.  I stuck with her through that whole, loopy zone - up hills - through sand - down bumpy, scary stuff and I realized there was hope.  I could actually win this, my body felt amazing.  I passed Lori at the next opportunity and cleared the counting corral in first by about 30 seconds.

Took this so fast, I almost got air - WHOOSH!

Lap 2:  As I charged up the next hill, I passed even more people.  I began to realize that I was embedded in all these people.  Not a typical race for me.  I was overwhelmed with the passing concept and allowed too many to slow me down while I waited for a wider passing zone.  This was my second mistake.  As I talked a young high school girl through some wicked sand and up a big hill, Lori managed to catch up to me.  As we hit the next sand pit, I was behind three people that crashed in the sand and Lori was able to skirt by us all.  I spent the rest of this lap trying to stay with her but she was more adept at passing and we cleared the counting corral about 30 seconds apart, but now with her in the lead.

Lap 3:  When you push harder than you ever have before, sometimes your body starts to complain.  My right thigh and calf started to cramp.  Then my left toes started to twinge.  I held on for another two miles and then I hit my wall...I had a sharp stitch in my side and knew that I couldn't hold Lori's pace any longer.  I let her go.  Final mistake.  I finished second behind Lori, but I was only a few minutes behind.  A few minutes that I know I can make up by passing people when I reach them, rather than slowing down to their pace until I find a really wide place.  A few minutes that I know I can make up by not allowing me to psych myself out when my body is feeling good.  A few minutes that I know I can make up because now that there is hope, I have a strong desire to WIN!!!

 

Two second place medals and a strong desire for a first. . .