Whitewater Racing

First off I'd like to say what a nice change it was to not race at the trash dump and be at a venue with real cyclocross features . . . tricky corners, run-up, beach. Of course, one of my best result ever in the elite women's race was at the trash dump when it was completely muddy but I really don't miss those mowed grass fields.

On to my race . . . . doing a race while you are sick is probably not the best idea. However, my big goal this year has been to get more points that Natasha Elliott and all the other elite gals who only raced twice. I probably could have accomplished that and skipped this race but it would have been close. Not wanting to risk it (or miss trying out this new venue) I decided to race anyway. (And I now have Natasha beat!)

I didn't do much of a warm up as I couldn't seem to get in a groove. I kept thinking of something else to do besides warm up . . . . go to the bathroom one more time, adjust my brakes, adjust my brakes again, fiddle with my tire pressure, worry that I need new tires as they are getting worn, etc. I was a serious time waster with no motivation for doing a warm up. I did bike around a bit and I did pre-ride the course (I don't have a death wish and this was clearly not a course to go into without a pre-ride). I also spent a lot of mental energy being annoyed because I knew the steep hill was not going to be rideable for me for most of the race. For some reason that was really bothering me.

Finally we're all lined up and the women agree that we should start with the 50+ guys since it is such a short lap that should give us a little time until we're lapped by the 40+ guys. Off we go and I'm quickly bringing up the rear. I do ride the steep hill on the first lap (fairly well actually) so I'm with the group. I'm with the back part of the women's field through the tricky, twisty downhill chicanes. As we get to the first hill run-up I'm still with Michele and Shannon and I'm trying to run even though my head does not like the feel of running.

However, as we crest the hill I see Michele and Shannon remounting and just as I'm about to do the same the two 50+ guys in between me and them wipe out. It was an amazing sight (no offense guys but really it was). You see the remount was seriously off camber and it was the kind of off camber where your bike was uphill from you. It was super challenging. Anyway, so first one guy slides out and then 5 seconds later the second guy slides out. I end up running between them and not remounting until I've cleared them.

This gaps me off from Michele and Shannon who got back on cleanly but it was not a totally insurmountable gap. Next we hit the beach where I ride the water/sand at the edge. What's the point of Lake winter bike shoes if you don't? That takes me through to the most annoying steep hill where I ride it again (barely). Then through the first set of tricky chicanes and I can still see Shannon although Michele is starting to rocket away. However, at the next set of tricky downhill chicanges I slide out barely missing taking down the course marking. I jump up. Pull off to the side out of the way of the 50+ guy who was behind me and start yanking on my shift levers to get them back into a rideable position.

By the time I do that Shannon is long gone. Unfortunately my motivation was gone along with her. After crashing, fixing my brake and seeing that everyone was long gone my mind said "just drop out". I couldn't believe that thought entered my mind as I'm not one to drop out of cross races. Really . . . . if I were going to drop out of cross races everytime I sucked or was off the back then I wouldn't finish many races. However, that thought was fleeting although I certainly stopped even pretending I was racing.

And then before I know it some 40+ guy comes flying by me . . . . I actually thought he might have missed his start because it seemed too soon to be lapped by the lead 40+ guy. Not to mention that Paul wasn't right there and that seemed impossible. However, it was true and eventually Paul came by. Then others came by and then I just spent my race trying to stay out of everyone's way. Luckily that 40+ guy kept up the pace and knocked more than one lap off my day. I slowed down on my last lap to ensure I didn't make it through before being lapped one more time (as did everyone behind me). He was on the beach as I was coming through to the finish line and I could have made it through for another lap but there was no way I was going up that steep hill again for no reason.

The best part of the race for me was a few hours later actually. I thought that racing went as well as could be expected given my illness. On the way home we stopped at the Willy Street Coop to by some food and walking into the store I was having a little trouble walking a straight line. I didn't think much of it. Then as I was standing at the cheese counter I realized that I was so dizzy I might fall over. Nothing feels so great as when the sinus infection hits the eardrum area.

And that fine race performance puts me back into the lead in the Lanterne Rouge competion with four points. Michele has three points so theoretically there could be a tie after Hales Corners. Now if I can just get better by then (small hope of that though since I decided to do an over distance ski on Sunday which was probably not a good life choice).

I don't feel so great today so we'll see how the week turns out. Oh well. Two cross races to go - Hales Corners and Nationals - and then it is on to ski racing.

Photo by djonnymac