Mia Meets Bike
- Thread starter Meatball Mia
- Start date
Race 3: ESC Killington Recap
This race recap is a little later than usual since this race was two weekends ago, but I was on vacation and this race was one that I needed a little time to get over.
So Killington is actually one of my favorite places to race throughout the year. Usually, they use some good tech trails and the stages are pretty fun. This year was no different except that the stages were pretty short and there wasn’t as much pedaling.
When I pre-rode the course on Friday the conditions were absolutely perfect and all the rocks and sketchy sections had good grip, so I was feeling pretty good. There was only one section on Stage 4 that I wasn’t feeling super comfortable with because I took a really hard compression when practicing and barely held onto the bike. I was hoping to clean that section up on Saturday, but that didn’t happen.
Overnight and almost all of Saturday, it rained. While I was practicing on Saturday, Stage 1 and 2 were still good, but the trickiest section of Stage 3 was a nightmare. I tried to get a good line through it, but I ended up crashing three times and never rode it clean before race day, so I was going to be riding that section blind. The worst part was that one of the crashes was really bad because I slammed my head into the ground and my bike hit my head at the same time, so I wasn’t feeling too good about that section. I tried to put that behind me when I went to practice Stage 4, but then I got a flat at the top of the stage, so I had to slowly get down the trail. This meant I couldn’t practice a new line through the wet, tricky section that I needed to clean up from Friday, so I was going into that section blind on race day as well. After that stage, I accepted the fact that the race probably wasn’t going to be a good one, so I decided to end my pre-ride for the day.
I guess mother nature decided that Saturday didn’t give us enough rain, so it ended up pouring almost all of Saturday night into early Sunday morning, which left the trails more wet than practice on Saturday. Now this is nothing new for me because this was my third year in a row racing at Killington, and it has rained the night before the race every year. Because of the rain, I was getting really anxious about the race and wasn’t feeling confident about those two blind sections. I kind of set the goal of my race to just ride clean and not get hurt because I had a whole week of riding with my team ahead of me.
I was really anxious at the top of stage 1, but I was feeling ready to go because I was confident about that stage and it had the most pedaling in it. Overall, the stage went pretty well. I only made a few mistakes but I had a little more left in the tank at the end of the stage, which I was a little mad about because I could have pedaled harder. I ended up finishing 2nd on the stage, so I was happy with that.
Stage 2 had a lot of open, sketchy rock slabs that were pretty slippery when they were wet, so I was a bit nervous going into this stage. Surprisingly, I rode that stage really well, but the rocks weren’t as slippery as I expected, so I probably could have let off the brakes a bit more. I finished 3rd on that stage, but the times were pretty close because of how short the stage was, so I was happy with where I finished.
Stage 3 had the first blind sketchy section that I wasn’t really looking forward to. In the end, I actually did exactly what I planned on doing coming into it and rode the section clean and it felt fast to me. I was a little disappointed that I didn’t ride through it and I had to stop and move my bike around to set myself up, but I made it and did it quickly. I ended up finishing 2nd on that stage with a very small gap between me and 1st on the stage, so I was really happy with how that went.
The final section that I was the most nervous for was the blind, sketchy one on stage 4. The top of that stage went really well for me because it was mostly just chunky rocks with a bit of pedaling. I was really in my flow, and I felt good on the bike. This issue was that I slipped down a chute coming into the blind section on 4, so I ended up making a quick decision to just run my bike down the chute and just keep moving forward. At the end of the stage, I was really disappointed that I didn’t just ride the chute in the line that I thought would work, but never rode. I was kind of beating myself up about it, but if I had crashed trying to ride it, then I could have not podiumed in the race and hurt myself pretty bad, so I’m just looking at it as something for me to improve on and learn from. I ended 5th on the stage, which makes sense, and this was where I lost most of my time in the overall race time.
Finally, stage 5. After my problems with stage 4, I was really excited to just finish the race. I was pretty tired and fatigued at this point, but I was really excited for this stage because it was mostly flow and fast corners. It was a very physical stage though because you have to pump and pedal through almost everything. The stage went well for me, but I was mentally not really in it and I made a few mistakes in some key spots. At the end of the stage, I was happy to just be done with the race. I ended 5th on this stage, which also contributed to the time I lost to third and second place.
Overall, I finished the race in 4th and 43 seconds off from 1st place. When I found out the result, I wasn’t really happy, and I actually cried. I was crying more from the fact that I was disappointed in myself and how I rode that day, then the actual place I finished in. After winning at Glen Park, I know I have the pace and the ability to do really well, but I just wasn’t riding like I knew I could. I did meet my goal of staying clean throughout the day and not crashing, so I took that as a win. My next step forward is navigating the mental barriers I face during racing that stop me from riding certain sections that I definitely have the skill to do. My next race is Thunder Mountain in two weeks, so I’m looking forward to practicing and learning before that race.
This race recap is a little later than usual since this race was two weekends ago, but I was on vacation and this race was one that I needed a little time to get over.
So Killington is actually one of my favorite places to race throughout the year. Usually, they use some good tech trails and the stages are pretty fun. This year was no different except that the stages were pretty short and there wasn’t as much pedaling.
When I pre-rode the course on Friday the conditions were absolutely perfect and all the rocks and sketchy sections had good grip, so I was feeling pretty good. There was only one section on Stage 4 that I wasn’t feeling super comfortable with because I took a really hard compression when practicing and barely held onto the bike. I was hoping to clean that section up on Saturday, but that didn’t happen.
Overnight and almost all of Saturday, it rained. While I was practicing on Saturday, Stage 1 and 2 were still good, but the trickiest section of Stage 3 was a nightmare. I tried to get a good line through it, but I ended up crashing three times and never rode it clean before race day, so I was going to be riding that section blind. The worst part was that one of the crashes was really bad because I slammed my head into the ground and my bike hit my head at the same time, so I wasn’t feeling too good about that section. I tried to put that behind me when I went to practice Stage 4, but then I got a flat at the top of the stage, so I had to slowly get down the trail. This meant I couldn’t practice a new line through the wet, tricky section that I needed to clean up from Friday, so I was going into that section blind on race day as well. After that stage, I accepted the fact that the race probably wasn’t going to be a good one, so I decided to end my pre-ride for the day.
I guess mother nature decided that Saturday didn’t give us enough rain, so it ended up pouring almost all of Saturday night into early Sunday morning, which left the trails more wet than practice on Saturday. Now this is nothing new for me because this was my third year in a row racing at Killington, and it has rained the night before the race every year. Because of the rain, I was getting really anxious about the race and wasn’t feeling confident about those two blind sections. I kind of set the goal of my race to just ride clean and not get hurt because I had a whole week of riding with my team ahead of me.
I was really anxious at the top of stage 1, but I was feeling ready to go because I was confident about that stage and it had the most pedaling in it. Overall, the stage went pretty well. I only made a few mistakes but I had a little more left in the tank at the end of the stage, which I was a little mad about because I could have pedaled harder. I ended up finishing 2nd on the stage, so I was happy with that.
Stage 2 had a lot of open, sketchy rock slabs that were pretty slippery when they were wet, so I was a bit nervous going into this stage. Surprisingly, I rode that stage really well, but the rocks weren’t as slippery as I expected, so I probably could have let off the brakes a bit more. I finished 3rd on that stage, but the times were pretty close because of how short the stage was, so I was happy with where I finished.
Stage 3 had the first blind sketchy section that I wasn’t really looking forward to. In the end, I actually did exactly what I planned on doing coming into it and rode the section clean and it felt fast to me. I was a little disappointed that I didn’t ride through it and I had to stop and move my bike around to set myself up, but I made it and did it quickly. I ended up finishing 2nd on that stage with a very small gap between me and 1st on the stage, so I was really happy with how that went.
The final section that I was the most nervous for was the blind, sketchy one on stage 4. The top of that stage went really well for me because it was mostly just chunky rocks with a bit of pedaling. I was really in my flow, and I felt good on the bike. This issue was that I slipped down a chute coming into the blind section on 4, so I ended up making a quick decision to just run my bike down the chute and just keep moving forward. At the end of the stage, I was really disappointed that I didn’t just ride the chute in the line that I thought would work, but never rode. I was kind of beating myself up about it, but if I had crashed trying to ride it, then I could have not podiumed in the race and hurt myself pretty bad, so I’m just looking at it as something for me to improve on and learn from. I ended 5th on the stage, which makes sense, and this was where I lost most of my time in the overall race time.
Finally, stage 5. After my problems with stage 4, I was really excited to just finish the race. I was pretty tired and fatigued at this point, but I was really excited for this stage because it was mostly flow and fast corners. It was a very physical stage though because you have to pump and pedal through almost everything. The stage went well for me, but I was mentally not really in it and I made a few mistakes in some key spots. At the end of the stage, I was happy to just be done with the race. I ended 5th on this stage, which also contributed to the time I lost to third and second place.
Overall, I finished the race in 4th and 43 seconds off from 1st place. When I found out the result, I wasn’t really happy, and I actually cried. I was crying more from the fact that I was disappointed in myself and how I rode that day, then the actual place I finished in. After winning at Glen Park, I know I have the pace and the ability to do really well, but I just wasn’t riding like I knew I could. I did meet my goal of staying clean throughout the day and not crashing, so I took that as a win. My next step forward is navigating the mental barriers I face during racing that stop me from riding certain sections that I definitely have the skill to do. My next race is Thunder Mountain in two weeks, so I’m looking forward to practicing and learning before that race.
Cal28
Well-Known Member
The could’ve, would’ve, and should’ves will always eat us up so don’t dwell on that. You learned an immensely valuable lesson and you get to fight another day because of it.
It’s a delicate balance choosing when to send it or not as you have to make all these split second decisions based on your level of comfort as well as conditions.
Had you pushed harder that day, yes you may have won but you also could have gotten hurt and lost much more than just the race. Playing it safe was a good calculated move and simply put you in a position to take away some learning points so yeah, I think you did very well. This just built you up to do even better next time.
It’s a delicate balance choosing when to send it or not as you have to make all these split second decisions based on your level of comfort as well as conditions.
Had you pushed harder that day, yes you may have won but you also could have gotten hurt and lost much more than just the race. Playing it safe was a good calculated move and simply put you in a position to take away some learning points so yeah, I think you did very well. This just built you up to do even better next time.
serviceguy
Well-Known Member
So, recapping your weekend from your own recollection of it:
- you went to Killington
- you rode your bike in Killington
- you raced on your bike in Killington
- you made the podium in Killington
sorry but I can't see why you should be disappointed in yourself having accomplished all of the above in a weekend!
I think you did just fine. You did actually super duper in my book. While the thirst for success is an undeniable drive you also need the boost from any positive result you get, and the last weekend was one of those for sure, never stop never stopping!
Race 4: ESC Thunder Mountain Recap
Thunder Mountain has been one of my favorite places to race for the past two years. Usually we have two races at Thunder per season for the Eastern States cup. Both are in the fall and the second one is the final race of the season. I knew I would be in Michigan this year in August through the fall and would not be able to come home for any racing, so I originally thought I wasn’t going to be able to race at Thunder this year. Luckily, this is one of the first years that they had a Thunder race during the summer, so I was super happy to have a chance to race there this year.
The reasons why I like Thunder so much are the stages usually have a decent amount of pedaling and they have some good tech in them. I was also excited to go back to Thunder to see the progress I’ve made this season because there are a few standard stages that they always use, so I can compare my times from previous years to this year.
So the stages stayed basically the same as other years. Stage 1 had a pedally section to start then went into some loam and finished with some tech and pedaling. Stage 2 was the stage I was looking forward to the most but also dreaded the most. It’s basically 9 minutes of pedaling and tech. By the end of the stage you want to throw up and pass out because of how physical it is. Stage 3 was across the street on the Warfield trials and had a bunch of flat,sharp corners, but it had good flow. Stage 4 was also on the Warfield side and had a few punchy climbs, but it’s overall a really fun stage. Finally, Stage 5 was like a downhill tech trail with a bunch of rocky corners and steep chutes.
On Friday, I pre-rode all the stages that were lift access, so stages 1,2, and 5. I rode with my coach and some guys from my team. This was the first race that I really got to practice with them, and it was really helpful and fun. Especially because my team has an association with Thunder Mountain, so all of them ride there often and know some sneaky lines. Overall, I felt really good on the lift stages by the end of Friday, but there were some really hard compressions on stage 5, and I was already starting to feel fatigued, so I knew I would need to manage that on race day so I didn’t crash.
In general for Saturday practice, I just ride every stage once to get a feel for how the race will go. I decided to start my day early, so I could get some extra rest time because I knew my legs needed to feel at least 80% good so I could use the pedaling in the stages and long transfer climbs to my advantage. I was originally planning on pre-riding by myself because I usually race by myself, but I ran into my friend Tucker, who races pro men and is really fast, and his younger brothers, so we ended up riding together. It was really fun because he’s the same age as me and he’s a local, so he helped me out with some lines and strategy for the race. I felt pretty good and confident on the Warfield stages. When we finished, I went over and did the three lift access stages and I felt really good on them, so I was stoked to race and just have fun.
I was only nervous about this race because there are a lot of locals that race it and being a local definitely gives you a slight advantage here. Also, there is a girl that I’ve been racing for the past three years that races the Junior World Cup downhill circuit who is on summer break and decided to race the enduro and downhill at Thunder. I’ve actually never beaten her in a race in good, dry conditions like this race, so I fully expected to lose to her.
The conditions and weather were absolutely perfect for race day. I was actually the least nervous for the race and I don’t really know why. After the Killington race, I was super happy to be in a good mental space on race day and feel genuinely excited to race my bike and have fun. I haven’t really felt that for any of the races so far until this one.
Stage 1 had a super long line at the top because we took the lift to get to it, so my body got a bit cold after I did my warmup while I was waiting. As I got closer to starting, I could feel myself getting a bit more anxious but ready to go. The stage overall felt like it went really well for a stage 1. This is probably one of the first times my stage 1 actually went well and I hit everything exactly how I wanted to. Unfortunately, the timing box broke on stage 1 after the first few riders of the day, so the stage was scratched from the race for everybody, so I don’t know my time or standing on that stage.
I had to mentally prepare myself for the suffering that would occur on Stage 2. My mindset going into this stage was just to pedal as hard as I possibly could and use the flat and uphill rock gardens to my advantage. This stage basically determined the whole race, so I knew I had to give it everything I had. I made a few mistakes, but I knew that I pushed really hard on that stage because I literally could not feel my legs at the end and I almost collapsed. It was also motivating that my coach was confident that no one could possibly match my ability to pedal or suffer, so I should be able to win it. I did end up winning that stage by 13 seconds and I cut 30 seconds off my time from last year, so I was very happy with that.
I took the long pedal over to Warfield as a chance to reset and give my legs and lungs a chance to calm down before the next two stages. At the top of Stage 3, I was feeling good and excited. Stage 3 went pretty well. I hit some sections really well, but a few bad lines got rutted in from practice on Saturday and I got sucked into them which messed me up. In the end, I was happy with how the stage went, and I finished second on the stage.
Going into stage 4, I was preparing to push as hard as I could on the punchy climbs and just manage clean and smooth lines through the rest of it because Tucker said that was the way to do well on it. Luckily, his advice was right and I ended up winning that stage. I did almost die on a really hard compression at the end, but I made up time on those climbs.
After stage 4, we transferred back to the main mountain for the last stage of the day, which was the most difficult stage of the day. I was a little nervous at the top of the stage, but I was also looking forward to having fun on the stage because it was the fastest stage of the day with the least amount of pedaling. Ironically though, it was probably the second most physical stage because you’re tired and have to take some really hard compressions. The stage went really well for me. I hit all my lines exactly as I wanted to, but the fatigue definitely hit towards the end because I could barely hold onto the bike. I finished 3rd on the stage, but not by a big margin, so I was really happy.
I handed in my chip and then waited around for everyone else to finish. Honestly, waiting to see how I did is when I’m the most nervous. Overall, I knew I gave this race everything I had and I had fun doing it, so I was hoping that the result would show that. I ended up finishing 1st with a 28 second lead. To say I was excited is an understatement. After the Killington race, it felt so good to bounce back and ride like I knew I could. I was physically and mentally focused on this race, and I’m happy that it paid off. It was also an extra sweet win because I beat the locals in my class. Currently I am debating whether or not I want to race Burke this weekend. It’s hard to not race there because we get to do Rude Awakening and it's a very physical race, so I usually really enjoy it, but I only have a few more weeks until I go back to school, so I don’t really know what I’m going to do. I’m leaning towards doing the race as of now and it’ll be a good place to see progress I’ve made and test me mentally.
Thunder Mountain has been one of my favorite places to race for the past two years. Usually we have two races at Thunder per season for the Eastern States cup. Both are in the fall and the second one is the final race of the season. I knew I would be in Michigan this year in August through the fall and would not be able to come home for any racing, so I originally thought I wasn’t going to be able to race at Thunder this year. Luckily, this is one of the first years that they had a Thunder race during the summer, so I was super happy to have a chance to race there this year.
The reasons why I like Thunder so much are the stages usually have a decent amount of pedaling and they have some good tech in them. I was also excited to go back to Thunder to see the progress I’ve made this season because there are a few standard stages that they always use, so I can compare my times from previous years to this year.
So the stages stayed basically the same as other years. Stage 1 had a pedally section to start then went into some loam and finished with some tech and pedaling. Stage 2 was the stage I was looking forward to the most but also dreaded the most. It’s basically 9 minutes of pedaling and tech. By the end of the stage you want to throw up and pass out because of how physical it is. Stage 3 was across the street on the Warfield trials and had a bunch of flat,sharp corners, but it had good flow. Stage 4 was also on the Warfield side and had a few punchy climbs, but it’s overall a really fun stage. Finally, Stage 5 was like a downhill tech trail with a bunch of rocky corners and steep chutes.
On Friday, I pre-rode all the stages that were lift access, so stages 1,2, and 5. I rode with my coach and some guys from my team. This was the first race that I really got to practice with them, and it was really helpful and fun. Especially because my team has an association with Thunder Mountain, so all of them ride there often and know some sneaky lines. Overall, I felt really good on the lift stages by the end of Friday, but there were some really hard compressions on stage 5, and I was already starting to feel fatigued, so I knew I would need to manage that on race day so I didn’t crash.
In general for Saturday practice, I just ride every stage once to get a feel for how the race will go. I decided to start my day early, so I could get some extra rest time because I knew my legs needed to feel at least 80% good so I could use the pedaling in the stages and long transfer climbs to my advantage. I was originally planning on pre-riding by myself because I usually race by myself, but I ran into my friend Tucker, who races pro men and is really fast, and his younger brothers, so we ended up riding together. It was really fun because he’s the same age as me and he’s a local, so he helped me out with some lines and strategy for the race. I felt pretty good and confident on the Warfield stages. When we finished, I went over and did the three lift access stages and I felt really good on them, so I was stoked to race and just have fun.
I was only nervous about this race because there are a lot of locals that race it and being a local definitely gives you a slight advantage here. Also, there is a girl that I’ve been racing for the past three years that races the Junior World Cup downhill circuit who is on summer break and decided to race the enduro and downhill at Thunder. I’ve actually never beaten her in a race in good, dry conditions like this race, so I fully expected to lose to her.
The conditions and weather were absolutely perfect for race day. I was actually the least nervous for the race and I don’t really know why. After the Killington race, I was super happy to be in a good mental space on race day and feel genuinely excited to race my bike and have fun. I haven’t really felt that for any of the races so far until this one.
Stage 1 had a super long line at the top because we took the lift to get to it, so my body got a bit cold after I did my warmup while I was waiting. As I got closer to starting, I could feel myself getting a bit more anxious but ready to go. The stage overall felt like it went really well for a stage 1. This is probably one of the first times my stage 1 actually went well and I hit everything exactly how I wanted to. Unfortunately, the timing box broke on stage 1 after the first few riders of the day, so the stage was scratched from the race for everybody, so I don’t know my time or standing on that stage.
I had to mentally prepare myself for the suffering that would occur on Stage 2. My mindset going into this stage was just to pedal as hard as I possibly could and use the flat and uphill rock gardens to my advantage. This stage basically determined the whole race, so I knew I had to give it everything I had. I made a few mistakes, but I knew that I pushed really hard on that stage because I literally could not feel my legs at the end and I almost collapsed. It was also motivating that my coach was confident that no one could possibly match my ability to pedal or suffer, so I should be able to win it. I did end up winning that stage by 13 seconds and I cut 30 seconds off my time from last year, so I was very happy with that.
I took the long pedal over to Warfield as a chance to reset and give my legs and lungs a chance to calm down before the next two stages. At the top of Stage 3, I was feeling good and excited. Stage 3 went pretty well. I hit some sections really well, but a few bad lines got rutted in from practice on Saturday and I got sucked into them which messed me up. In the end, I was happy with how the stage went, and I finished second on the stage.
Going into stage 4, I was preparing to push as hard as I could on the punchy climbs and just manage clean and smooth lines through the rest of it because Tucker said that was the way to do well on it. Luckily, his advice was right and I ended up winning that stage. I did almost die on a really hard compression at the end, but I made up time on those climbs.
After stage 4, we transferred back to the main mountain for the last stage of the day, which was the most difficult stage of the day. I was a little nervous at the top of the stage, but I was also looking forward to having fun on the stage because it was the fastest stage of the day with the least amount of pedaling. Ironically though, it was probably the second most physical stage because you’re tired and have to take some really hard compressions. The stage went really well for me. I hit all my lines exactly as I wanted to, but the fatigue definitely hit towards the end because I could barely hold onto the bike. I finished 3rd on the stage, but not by a big margin, so I was really happy.
I handed in my chip and then waited around for everyone else to finish. Honestly, waiting to see how I did is when I’m the most nervous. Overall, I knew I gave this race everything I had and I had fun doing it, so I was hoping that the result would show that. I ended up finishing 1st with a 28 second lead. To say I was excited is an understatement. After the Killington race, it felt so good to bounce back and ride like I knew I could. I was physically and mentally focused on this race, and I’m happy that it paid off. It was also an extra sweet win because I beat the locals in my class. Currently I am debating whether or not I want to race Burke this weekend. It’s hard to not race there because we get to do Rude Awakening and it's a very physical race, so I usually really enjoy it, but I only have a few more weeks until I go back to school, so I don’t really know what I’m going to do. I’m leaning towards doing the race as of now and it’ll be a good place to see progress I’ve made and test me mentally.
I don't think many people realize how accurate this is, but I concur.
Mr.Moto
Well-Known Member
Congrats Mia!Race 4: ESC Thunder Mountain Recap
Thunder Mountain has been one of my favorite places to race for the past two years. Usually we have two races at Thunder per season for the Eastern States cup. Both are in the fall and the second one is the final race of the season. I knew I would be in Michigan this year in August through the fall and would not be able to come home for any racing, so I originally thought I wasn’t going to be able to race at Thunder this year. Luckily, this is one of the first years that they had a Thunder race during the summer, so I was super happy to have a chance to race there this year.
The reasons why I like Thunder so much are the stages usually have a decent amount of pedaling and they have some good tech in them. I was also excited to go back to Thunder to see the progress I’ve made this season because there are a few standard stages that they always use, so I can compare my times from previous years to this year.
So the stages stayed basically the same as other years. Stage 1 had a pedally section to start then went into some loam and finished with some tech and pedaling. Stage 2 was the stage I was looking forward to the most but also dreaded the most. It’s basically 9 minutes of pedaling and tech. By the end of the stage you want to throw up and pass out because of how physical it is. Stage 3 was across the street on the Warfield trials and had a bunch of flat,sharp corners, but it had good flow. Stage 4 was also on the Warfield side and had a few punchy climbs, but it’s overall a really fun stage. Finally, Stage 5 was like a downhill tech trail with a bunch of rocky corners and steep chutes.
On Friday, I pre-rode all the stages that were lift access, so stages 1,2, and 5. I rode with my coach and some guys from my team. This was the first race that I really got to practice with them, and it was really helpful and fun. Especially because my team has an association with Thunder Mountain, so all of them ride there often and know some sneaky lines. Overall, I felt really good on the lift stages by the end of Friday, but there were some really hard compressions on stage 5, and I was already starting to feel fatigued, so I knew I would need to manage that on race day so I didn’t crash.
In general for Saturday practice, I just ride every stage once to get a feel for how the race will go. I decided to start my day early, so I could get some extra rest time because I knew my legs needed to feel at least 80% good so I could use the pedaling in the stages and long transfer climbs to my advantage. I was originally planning on pre-riding by myself because I usually race by myself, but I ran into my friend Tucker, who races pro men and is really fast, and his younger brothers, so we ended up riding together. It was really fun because he’s the same age as me and he’s a local, so he helped me out with some lines and strategy for the race. I felt pretty good and confident on the Warfield stages. When we finished, I went over and did the three lift access stages and I felt really good on them, so I was stoked to race and just have fun.
I was only nervous about this race because there are a lot of locals that race it and being a local definitely gives you a slight advantage here. Also, there is a girl that I’ve been racing for the past three years that races the Junior World Cup downhill circuit who is on summer break and decided to race the enduro and downhill at Thunder. I’ve actually never beaten her in a race in good, dry conditions like this race, so I fully expected to lose to her.
The conditions and weather were absolutely perfect for race day. I was actually the least nervous for the race and I don’t really know why. After the Killington race, I was super happy to be in a good mental space on race day and feel genuinely excited to race my bike and have fun. I haven’t really felt that for any of the races so far until this one.
Stage 1 had a super long line at the top because we took the lift to get to it, so my body got a bit cold after I did my warmup while I was waiting. As I got closer to starting, I could feel myself getting a bit more anxious but ready to go. The stage overall felt like it went really well for a stage 1. This is probably one of the first times my stage 1 actually went well and I hit everything exactly how I wanted to. Unfortunately, the timing box broke on stage 1 after the first few riders of the day, so the stage was scratched from the race for everybody, so I don’t know my time or standing on that stage.
I had to mentally prepare myself for the suffering that would occur on Stage 2. My mindset going into this stage was just to pedal as hard as I possibly could and use the flat and uphill rock gardens to my advantage. This stage basically determined the whole race, so I knew I had to give it everything I had. I made a few mistakes, but I knew that I pushed really hard on that stage because I literally could not feel my legs at the end and I almost collapsed. It was also motivating that my coach was confident that no one could possibly match my ability to pedal or suffer, so I should be able to win it. I did end up winning that stage by 13 seconds and I cut 30 seconds off my time from last year, so I was very happy with that.
I took the long pedal over to Warfield as a chance to reset and give my legs and lungs a chance to calm down before the next two stages. At the top of Stage 3, I was feeling good and excited. Stage 3 went pretty well. I hit some sections really well, but a few bad lines got rutted in from practice on Saturday and I got sucked into them which messed me up. In the end, I was happy with how the stage went, and I finished second on the stage.
Going into stage 4, I was preparing to push as hard as I could on the punchy climbs and just manage clean and smooth lines through the rest of it because Tucker said that was the way to do well on it. Luckily, his advice was right and I ended up winning that stage. I did almost die on a really hard compression at the end, but I made up time on those climbs.
After stage 4, we transferred back to the main mountain for the last stage of the day, which was the most difficult stage of the day. I was a little nervous at the top of the stage, but I was also looking forward to having fun on the stage because it was the fastest stage of the day with the least amount of pedaling. Ironically though, it was probably the second most physical stage because you’re tired and have to take some really hard compressions. The stage went really well for me. I hit all my lines exactly as I wanted to, but the fatigue definitely hit towards the end because I could barely hold onto the bike. I finished 3rd on the stage, but not by a big margin, so I was really happy.
I handed in my chip and then waited around for everyone else to finish. Honestly, waiting to see how I did is when I’m the most nervous. Overall, I knew I gave this race everything I had and I had fun doing it, so I was hoping that the result would show that. I ended up finishing 1st with a 28 second lead. To say I was excited is an understatement. After the Killington race, it felt so good to bounce back and ride like I knew I could. I was physically and mentally focused on this race, and I’m happy that it paid off. It was also an extra sweet win because I beat the locals in my class. Currently I am debating whether or not I want to race Burke this weekend. It’s hard to not race there because we get to do Rude Awakening and it's a very physical race, so I usually really enjoy it, but I only have a few more weeks until I go back to school, so I don’t really know what I’m going to do. I’m leaning towards doing the race as of now and it’ll be a good place to see progress I’ve made and test me mentally.
This, obviously.
Ya no shit, this one made me LOL.....Im sure the coach doesn't even fully understand how accurate that is
Well done kid....for a stage to be 9 min with roughly the same amount of vertical as creek.....dam, makes me think there was alot of up and downs on it. My kind of course.
Especially when P2 is Ellen Noble, former 2nd place national cyclocross champion, and retired professional road racer.
Yes, he obviously has no idea. He's welcome to join us anytime to find out though 🤣🤣🤣
When was the last time you made a grown man cry???
It's been a while, but I'm always looking for a good opportunity.
He did mention how he wants to join one of our rides because he sees my strava, so I'll let him know that we can take him on a "friendly" tour if he ever comes to NJ.