The Joy of Mountain Biking
- Thread starter MissJR
- Start date
jackx
Well-Known Member
Nice title!
Great recap....Awesome that you had such a great "race within a race" experience. Thanks for sharing the joy of Joy.
Have you rush-ordered a skinsuit yet?
The fleece lined one hopefully...
no. but i promise i won't be racing in jeans either.
Bubble Cross!
it was really fucking cold out... how the hell do you regular cross racers deal with this shit AND wear shorts while doing it?! apparently cross races don't require mental health evaluations before registering.
anyway... first things first: i wore a tutu. and i rocked it. be jealous, bitches:
(don madson photo)
ok... so like all my races, this one's a learning experience... one major mistake i made was forgetting chapstick. my lips are still all dry and chapped.
another mistake i made was not testing out the helmet/head covering situation before the race. i wore a fleece headband to keep my ears warm, but i threw it on with the helmet quickly at home and it seemed fine... but once i got rocking, if the headband moved a little, then the whole helmet moved too. so at various times during the race, i had to reach back and try to tighten the helmet. very annoying and very distracting.
when i registered, there were only ten of us in the 3/4/5 group... then at the last minute, the number jumped to 20! woo hoo! ladies, we have a race here! then i noticed that 5 of the late registrations were Army West Point Cycling ladies. ooooohhh fuuuuckkk... MissJR is getting her ass kicked... HAHAHAHAHAHA!
i only did one pre-ride of the course. if it were warmer, i definitely would have gone back out for another lap and analyze a couple of spots... but being as cold as it was, i said fuck that and got a cup of coffee.
we all line up and the west point ladies are all in the back row and look majorly intimidating. but i'm apparently the only one who looks like they're taking this seriously (as seriously as one can wearing a tutu and "i'm a fucking unicorn" socks)... but in reality, i just was not feeling well. part shivering, part nerves... but i felt like i was going to throw up.
we're off and i am miserable. the first section we hit is the grassy area and my legs feel like lead. i try not to let it get to me and just pedal pedal pedal. we come around the pit and past sean announcing and we hit the first hills. bam! no problem. back out into the grass and to the barriers and...
fuck me. the barriers. whatever grace i had at apple cross hitting those barriers was completely gone. i acted like i had never done this before... i unclipped the wrong foot and i couldn't even muster even an ounce of energy to get over them and i tried to remount too soon afterwards... and it was just a plain mess.
but i kept chugging .... and i hit the back side with more hills and rocks and a little more mountain bike friendly and i made some progress... not just catching up and passing some people (they had to walk the hills) but confidence-wise. now THIS SHIT i can handle. too bad i still felt like i had to throw up. i hit the sand and remained upright and kept on chugging. i got this. until i hit the grass again and felt like lead. and the barriers which i fucked up again. basically, the whole race was wash, rinse, repeat.
fast forward to the last lap and i feel one West Point lady breathing down my neck. we're on the grass area, heading towards the pit and the last little bit of sand and then the finish...
and i fuck up and can't muster even an ounce more of energy and she passes me and i can't catch back up.
sigh. shit happens.
but i can rest assured in the knowledge that a chick in a tutu on a mountain bike gave her a run for her money. (hehehe)
race predictor (because now i count on race predictor!!!) had me coming in at 12th. i was 11 out of 16 which doesn't include 1 DNF (3 ladies were DNS) so i guess that's about accurate. and i was fast enough to be able to finish on the leader's lap (so none of that -1 lap shit) which feels good.
i think i'd like to do some more cross races for the simple fact i can wear a tutu. i mean, because i actually get to race a race. i don't like having to wake up so early (cranky bitch) and i really don't like it THAT cold but i'm not out alone in the woods wondering where the fuck my competition went. i feel like i've come a long way this year in terms of my overall abilities. i'm trying new things and am pushing myself harder... and, even tho my h2h races started off rough, i feel like i'm finishing up this race year on a high note.
it was really fucking cold out... how the hell do you regular cross racers deal with this shit AND wear shorts while doing it?! apparently cross races don't require mental health evaluations before registering.
anyway... first things first: i wore a tutu. and i rocked it. be jealous, bitches:
(don madson photo)
ok... so like all my races, this one's a learning experience... one major mistake i made was forgetting chapstick. my lips are still all dry and chapped.
another mistake i made was not testing out the helmet/head covering situation before the race. i wore a fleece headband to keep my ears warm, but i threw it on with the helmet quickly at home and it seemed fine... but once i got rocking, if the headband moved a little, then the whole helmet moved too. so at various times during the race, i had to reach back and try to tighten the helmet. very annoying and very distracting. when i registered, there were only ten of us in the 3/4/5 group... then at the last minute, the number jumped to 20! woo hoo! ladies, we have a race here! then i noticed that 5 of the late registrations were Army West Point Cycling ladies. ooooohhh fuuuuckkk... MissJR is getting her ass kicked... HAHAHAHAHAHA!
i only did one pre-ride of the course. if it were warmer, i definitely would have gone back out for another lap and analyze a couple of spots... but being as cold as it was, i said fuck that and got a cup of coffee.
we all line up and the west point ladies are all in the back row and look majorly intimidating. but i'm apparently the only one who looks like they're taking this seriously (as seriously as one can wearing a tutu and "i'm a fucking unicorn" socks)... but in reality, i just was not feeling well. part shivering, part nerves... but i felt like i was going to throw up.
we're off and i am miserable. the first section we hit is the grassy area and my legs feel like lead. i try not to let it get to me and just pedal pedal pedal. we come around the pit and past sean announcing and we hit the first hills. bam! no problem. back out into the grass and to the barriers and...
fuck me. the barriers. whatever grace i had at apple cross hitting those barriers was completely gone. i acted like i had never done this before... i unclipped the wrong foot and i couldn't even muster even an ounce of energy to get over them and i tried to remount too soon afterwards... and it was just a plain mess.
but i kept chugging .... and i hit the back side with more hills and rocks and a little more mountain bike friendly and i made some progress... not just catching up and passing some people (they had to walk the hills) but confidence-wise. now THIS SHIT i can handle. too bad i still felt like i had to throw up. i hit the sand and remained upright and kept on chugging. i got this. until i hit the grass again and felt like lead. and the barriers which i fucked up again. basically, the whole race was wash, rinse, repeat.
fast forward to the last lap and i feel one West Point lady breathing down my neck. we're on the grass area, heading towards the pit and the last little bit of sand and then the finish...
and i fuck up and can't muster even an ounce more of energy and she passes me and i can't catch back up.
sigh. shit happens.
but i can rest assured in the knowledge that a chick in a tutu on a mountain bike gave her a run for her money. (hehehe)
race predictor (because now i count on race predictor!!!) had me coming in at 12th. i was 11 out of 16 which doesn't include 1 DNF (3 ladies were DNS) so i guess that's about accurate. and i was fast enough to be able to finish on the leader's lap (so none of that -1 lap shit) which feels good.
i think i'd like to do some more cross races for the simple fact i can wear a tutu. i mean, because i actually get to race a race. i don't like having to wake up so early (cranky bitch) and i really don't like it THAT cold but i'm not out alone in the woods wondering where the fuck my competition went. i feel like i've come a long way this year in terms of my overall abilities. i'm trying new things and am pushing myself harder... and, even tho my h2h races started off rough, i feel like i'm finishing up this race year on a high note.
Yay negative splits!!!!
Supercross. Do it. You've got the Adam Myerson preride, you almost have to race. It's in the fine print. Somewhere.
Last year, the Women's Cat 4 open (there was no Cat 5) had 31 women.
Supercross. Do it. You've got the Adam Myerson preride, you almost have to race. It's in the fine print. Somewhere.
Last year, the Women's Cat 4 open (there was no Cat 5) had 31 women.
Agree with @MadisonDan! Last lap was 45 seconds faster than yer 2nd! Apply that to the rest of the race and you're into a single digit finish. Barriers, starts, so many places to grab seconds. Well done!
Doing it right.
My third lap I think I ran my bike directly into the barriers like a noob. Luckily there was only one guy spectating up there.
@1sh0t1b33r at this point, i'd need a go fund me page for the registration and one day license fees.
I don't know who you are anymore.
Well... I have one more race recap for what I believe is my last race of the year (subject to change tho)...
Westwood Velo!
ok... so I don't have too much to say about this one. It was fucking cold. I raced. I got lapped. I didn't DFL but didn't do as well as I'd like (I didn't wear my tutu so that may have had something to do with it). I didn't realize till after the race that I also lost one of the screws for my cleat. I'm really glad I didn't get stuck on the pedals during the race. And I never got my after-race breakfast for lunch date with @1sh0t1b33r . But @Santapez did take me to the pancake house in Morristown... yummy. <3
Pros:
Cons:
Random:
(pic by @Kaleidopete )
P.S. And if you're wondering, Bubble was my favorite of the cross races so far.
Westwood Velo!
ok... so I don't have too much to say about this one. It was fucking cold. I raced. I got lapped. I didn't DFL but didn't do as well as I'd like (I didn't wear my tutu so that may have had something to do with it). I didn't realize till after the race that I also lost one of the screws for my cleat. I'm really glad I didn't get stuck on the pedals during the race. And I never got my after-race breakfast for lunch date with @1sh0t1b33r . But @Santapez did take me to the pancake house in Morristown... yummy. <3
Pros:
- I liked the course. It's a little more techy and I like techy.
- I got front row start up for my group. Tried for the hole shot
- I wasn't as nervous as other races for some reason. Maybe I had zero fucks to give.
- I beat a racer who beat me in the other two races I did (WIN!)
Cons:
- Too much sand. I was good with the first sand pit, but the second one with the turn got me.
- I did a mountain bike ride the day before and, boy, did I feel it.
- They grouped Masters Men with our women's group. I didn't mind them out there with us, but I wish they started the men like two minutes later to help spread things out more.
Random:
- I don't have a racing license because, frankly, I don't do enough races that require it to make getting one cost effective. I *might* get one for next year, but that means I have to commit to the 3(?) H2H races that require licenses and at least 4 cross races.
- I'm considering selling my road bike and getting a cross bike. I never use the road bike and I'd probably enjoy the cross bike more even if I don't do more cross races.
- I need to work on my skills and overall fitness. I'm getting better but it's slow increments. I don't want to train to the point I hate riding. But I also need to not plateau either.
- I should wear the tutu at every race.
(pic by @Kaleidopete )
P.S. And if you're wondering, Bubble was my favorite of the cross races so far.
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Sell road bike, buy CX bike. No brainer. CX race on CX bike way betterererer. Road ride on CX bike is slightly slower, but moar smooth (and makes winter riding easier on crappy roads)
You were actually at (that I know of) 7 CX races this year. You'd like Caffeinated (that would be 8). Doing 4 CX races isn't really much of a stretch.
Good job this season.
You were actually at (that I know of) 7 CX races this year. You'd like Caffeinated (that would be 8). Doing 4 CX races isn't really much of a stretch.
Good job this season.
