A few people asked me to post a race report. I’m just home from the race. What a great experience for me. Here is my report:
The short report:
A combat swim, a bumpy, bumpy (did I say bumpy) ride, a killer run, and 95 degree heat. I finished second in my age group and earned a lot to the Xterra World Championships on Maui!
The long report:
June 2006 I took up mountain biking. I loved every ride! Did a few off-road tris last summer and knew this was something I wanted to do more of. So, this winter I worked to improve my diet – lost 15 pounds, and started training with purpose. In April I decided I wanted to try one of the regional championships races that can qualify you for the World Championships in Maui. So the nearest one was Pelham, AL, June 10, 2007. I entered, and started to get ready. Lots of trail rides, working on technical skills, and climbing, hard road rides, tempo runs, long runs, and an occasional swim (I know! I should train more on the swim).
So, Friday rolled around, and I was going solo on this trip. I set off on the 8 hour drive. Was hoping to hook up with some slowtwitchers from Chicago to do a preride of the course, but got there a bit late, so I rode the course alone. They say there are lots of rocks and roots, and I thought, we have rocks and roots here, no big deal. Well, our rocks and roots don’t compare! Roots every where, at every angle across the trails. Rocks from loose pebbles and sand, to small to large ones embedded in the dirt, with big slabs sticking up, jagged corners sticking up. All I can say is I’m happy I had full suspension. The preride started with me picking terrible lines through the root sections, then things got better, I picked better lines, and I was more relaxed. Made it through the long climbs without any trouble, still alternating between some smooth trail, some sandy sections, lots of beat-you-up rocky sections and roots. Then I come to the turn off onto the trail built by BUMP. It has a section called Blood Rock. The first turn is a 10 ft little drop with a few rocks, and I went the wrong way and wiped out on my right knee and hip. Damn! I walked back up and went again, remembering to go left, and will remember on race day. This was one sketchy section of trail. Rocks like I couldn’t imagine, and the 20 yards of blood rock (which I walked, and would walk in the race) were a little more than intimidating for me. More rocks all the way down the trail. I navigated the rest without incident. Then a few more miles of singletrack with small climbs, more roots and rocks. I finished the preride feeling ok. Thinking the race will be fine, I’ll try to go hard and fuel on the parts of the trail where this would be easy to do, but save a little for the infamous run. A lap around the swim course cooled me off – nice to swim open water without a wetsuit!
Saturday I head back over to the park thinking I’ll just ride a bit of the first part of the trail, but as I got going I decided the parts of the trail I wanted to be sure I did right were on the back half, so I rode the whole thing again. In hindsight, this may not have been the best idea. Two 30k bike rides the days prior to a big race might have taken a little bit too much out of me. But next year one pre-ride will be enough. I registered for the race, and went to the first clinic being put on by the pros. Got some interesting info from the pros about the course, tried not to stress out about their tire pressure recommendations, and decided I needed to get out of the heat. The rest of the day was inside, a little nap, some decent food, and some reading.
Sunday I woke before the alarm, and got myself ready and headed over to the race site. I was earlier than I needed to be, but got myself settled and waited around for the start. This swim was the most aggressive swim I’ve been in. I was getting pummeled right and left, and I’m usually an FOP swimmer getting clear water quickly. A woman swimming next to me must have hit me in the head 20 times! Finally at the first buoy I opted for a wider line for the rest of the mile swim. Out of the water, as one of the first few females (including the pro women). Then on to the bike course, for the third time this weekend. The first few miles were spent picking good lines, and letting faster men pass me. Most were considerate and asked when there was a good passing point if they could go by, and they would often take the harder line at that time to go around, not forcing me into a tougher line – which was great because they are way better than me anyways! I’d say of all the men who passed me, only three were inconsiderate and rude in their tone of voice, what they said, their impatience, and the way they forced themselves past me. All I could think of was ‘why don’t you work on becoming a better swimmer instead of a better asshole’ (sorry about that). Four age group women (one in mine) passed me on the bike, and one came into transition with me. I felt good about the bike ride, I pushed myself, hydrated, and still felt like I had some in the tank for this run. The run sets off on the same as the start of the bike course, and I was running comfortable, passed a few men, and one woman went absolutely flying by me like I was standing still. I wondered how far ahead the lead woman was and if she could catch her (turns out she did!). The rumor was 4 long steep hills after the first 2 miles. I thought I was ready. Running the Paynetown Loop here in Bloomington has 5 long (not steep) hills, and I felt confident. But I hit the first one and looked up and saw two men walking and the steepness was daunting. I was forced into a walk. I tried to walk fast, I don’t think it was fast though. The downhill was as steep, you either fly down and hope not to crash and burn, or do that awful stepping where you are using your quads as brakes. It was painful. Each hill was worse than the one before, maybe it just seemed that way, because the heat and the toll of the previous one was still fresh in your mind and legs. But I kept counting the hills down and at number 4 I thought that was it. WRONG! There were two more! It was brutal. At the last aid station (maybe between mile 4 and 5) I heard a womans voice behind me and was worried she might be in my AG. I knew there was one in my AG ahead of me, and there were two slots for Maui in my AG. She stayed behind me, and I tried to push the down hills and run more of the uphills. I passed one woman – she was not in my AG 0 darn. I never caught the leader in mine. When I hit the road I was so happy to be done with the hills. I knew it was maybe a half mile more, but I was running scared of the potential threat to my slot behind. I started running as fast as I could. I was redlining, but I could no longer hear her behind me. But I didn’t let up, I really wanted that slot. And I got it! I clocked a 2:54 (I was expecting between 3 and 3:15). Turns out the women behind me was not my AG. Anyways, I was so thrilled with the result. It was more than I could have expected only one year after starting riding a mountain bike. Now, will I go to Maui?
Cheryl
