Sooo... @Santapez has been bugging me about posting my race recaps here instead of just facebook. so here ya go. it'll be a repeat for some of you. i'll start with the most recent (and most verbose) one and work my way backwards for now. This is my first year in Cat 2 so most of this is just getting my ass kicked and learning from it. (language may not suitable for children under 13)
Wawayanda Spring Cleaning Race
Pre-race: i got no sleep. i am super tired. @Santapez 's knee is bothering him so i also have to drive to the race. it's about an hour and by the time i get to the park i have to pee... badly... i park and run towards the bathrooms when i hear rod calling to me... huh? "the bathrooms are closed." i turn around and see the chains and closed signs that i was totally blind to before. awesome.
i go back to the car and start to put my gear and bug spray on so i can bike over to the other bathrooms. i realize i should put my backpack with my wallet and stuff in the trunk... wait. where's my backpack?! FUUUUUCK. now i'm tired and i have to pee and i'm worried i did something stupid like leave my backpack in the condo parking lot and drive off. this is not how i wanted to start my day.
i finally make it over to the other bathrooms, run into @2Julianas and @muddybike and chit chat (and most importantly take care of business). i finally get over to registration and get my number. chill out for a bit... and decide to ride the beginning portion of the race to warm up. and then i realize it's all road. a mile and half or so of road. awesome. sprint start.
i get back from riding a bit and they announce a delay. this is not the awesome start i was envisioning.
race: we finally line up. i have a lovely mix of sleep deprivation and anxiety. they blow the horn. i sprint off with the pack. i keep up with them for a little bit and then realize it's not worth it. i'm sure someone got the awesome start shot for facebook (priorities). i'm cool with that and back off a little. head into the woods. and i begin the rock torture game.
i know i'm not as fast as the other ladies and i decide to just go slow and try to go as smooth as possible. i make it through the first loop fairly cleanly albeit slow as shit. make it to the start area where the course loops back in the other direction and start the larger of the two loops (imagine a figure 8 of sorts). More rocks. and rocks. and rocks. i think this course might be the hardest one yet. since no one's around i don't have to worry about picking less desirable lines or getting in anyone's way. i just go at my own speed. and, for the most part, i don't get too tangled up. for now anyway.
cat 1 folks actually have to do this loop twice and they come up on me a lot sooner than i would have liked. sooo... i just get the fuck out of their way. a few people i don't know and then @UtahJoe ... utah at race pace barreling down on you with the whole jersey unzipped and sweating and stuff... very scary stuff. i REALLY get the fuck out of his way.
since some of this is the same as the cat 3 course from last year, i recognize it and feel a little better knowing i've done it before. i try all the rock gardens i can muster and get thru a decent chunk of them. until about mile 7. and then fatigue really is starting to catch up. and i am sore. and slow. and starting to get sloppy. and sloppy is dangerous so there's a few spots i walk just to get a mental restart and to not wind up in the ER.
every one who passes me is nice... even encouraging. i think they understand the suffer-fest. i'm closing in on mile 10 and i'm having a little trouble with a hill so i move over and let the guy behind me pass... he tells me just over the hill and i'm home free. whew. then i get to the hill. FUCK! i forgot about *that* hill.
i make myself try and i get about half way and i say forget it. i couldn't make it last year and i'm too tired right now.
i eventually make it back to the start/congregating area and everyone's standing there and they cheer for me as i come thru... even tho i'm hitting the 2 hour mark and totally DFL... i feel like a celebrity
and i make it up the last little blip of a hill for the official finish.
the end.
(the other recaps are way shorter... i promise)
Wawayanda Spring Cleaning Race
Pre-race: i got no sleep. i am super tired. @Santapez 's knee is bothering him so i also have to drive to the race. it's about an hour and by the time i get to the park i have to pee... badly... i park and run towards the bathrooms when i hear rod calling to me... huh? "the bathrooms are closed." i turn around and see the chains and closed signs that i was totally blind to before. awesome.
i go back to the car and start to put my gear and bug spray on so i can bike over to the other bathrooms. i realize i should put my backpack with my wallet and stuff in the trunk... wait. where's my backpack?! FUUUUUCK. now i'm tired and i have to pee and i'm worried i did something stupid like leave my backpack in the condo parking lot and drive off. this is not how i wanted to start my day.
i finally make it over to the other bathrooms, run into @2Julianas and @muddybike and chit chat (and most importantly take care of business). i finally get over to registration and get my number. chill out for a bit... and decide to ride the beginning portion of the race to warm up. and then i realize it's all road. a mile and half or so of road. awesome. sprint start.
race: we finally line up. i have a lovely mix of sleep deprivation and anxiety. they blow the horn. i sprint off with the pack. i keep up with them for a little bit and then realize it's not worth it. i'm sure someone got the awesome start shot for facebook (priorities). i'm cool with that and back off a little. head into the woods. and i begin the rock torture game.
i know i'm not as fast as the other ladies and i decide to just go slow and try to go as smooth as possible. i make it through the first loop fairly cleanly albeit slow as shit. make it to the start area where the course loops back in the other direction and start the larger of the two loops (imagine a figure 8 of sorts). More rocks. and rocks. and rocks. i think this course might be the hardest one yet. since no one's around i don't have to worry about picking less desirable lines or getting in anyone's way. i just go at my own speed. and, for the most part, i don't get too tangled up. for now anyway.
cat 1 folks actually have to do this loop twice and they come up on me a lot sooner than i would have liked. sooo... i just get the fuck out of their way. a few people i don't know and then @UtahJoe ... utah at race pace barreling down on you with the whole jersey unzipped and sweating and stuff... very scary stuff. i REALLY get the fuck out of his way.
since some of this is the same as the cat 3 course from last year, i recognize it and feel a little better knowing i've done it before. i try all the rock gardens i can muster and get thru a decent chunk of them. until about mile 7. and then fatigue really is starting to catch up. and i am sore. and slow. and starting to get sloppy. and sloppy is dangerous so there's a few spots i walk just to get a mental restart and to not wind up in the ER.
every one who passes me is nice... even encouraging. i think they understand the suffer-fest. i'm closing in on mile 10 and i'm having a little trouble with a hill so i move over and let the guy behind me pass... he tells me just over the hill and i'm home free. whew. then i get to the hill. FUCK! i forgot about *that* hill.
i eventually make it back to the start/congregating area and everyone's standing there and they cheer for me as i come thru... even tho i'm hitting the 2 hour mark and totally DFL... i feel like a celebrity
the end.
(the other recaps are way shorter... i promise)