2013 MBAA Final Time!
So this is it, the MBAA Finals. Last year when I decided I to race, I really only knew about the MBAA races and the 24 HOP. Making my workout plan then, I deemed those my A races for this year. Since then, I've learned about many more and next year I may revamp my focus. BUT for this year, here we are, the most important race of the season for me.
Weeks leading up I fought with myself on my strategy. I thought it was
important to start writing blogs on the weeks before and prep for
these races as well as race day. It may help me look back at how I felt, what I was thinking, stresses during, before, what didn't work,
what did, etc. It may help new or even old racers prepare for their race and/or see the amount of thought it takes to figure all this shit out. Maybe I think too much but thinking too much got me pretty far in my past sports. (See my MBAA Final Preride and Prep blog for more details.)
I didn't really nail down what I was going to do until I pre-rode the first few miles again the day before. Do I go out hot or save it for Elden? Elden is the 5 mile steep dirt road climb 3 miles into the race. While riding the 3 miles before it, I thought, "This part is so much fun going fast!" I was smiling the entire time ear to ear. It's a section I was good at, could really hammer, and get a decent lead on. It's a semi-flat, flowy single track with lots of corners and a few little climbs that you can get up quick using momentum from the downhills before. Ok, that's it, the climbers will just have to catch me on Elden because by God these first 3 miles I'm going to have a blast on!
As far as fueling, as I discuss in my prep blog, I decided to go with the GU Brew Beth gave me. Thanks, Beth! I'd been trying it in training rides and it was easier on the stomach and taste buds than Carborocket. This ride was similar to the Whiskey where I learned that I'll definitely need 3 L of a GU Brew mix and a bottle of plain water to wash down my GUs. I'm not sure how anyone does this course or similar with only a couple of bottles. Makes me jealous. Carrying 10+ lbs of water up that mother bitch climb, Elden, won't be fun, but maybe someday my body will be efficient enough to work off a snickers bar and a Dr. Pepper. Yum!
Race morning came and I slither out of my tent with about 3hrs of sleep. Ok, so my first race I had fun camping but after an entire season, it's seriously for the birds. It got pretty cold. I head down and see what I can do to volunteer. I mark the hell out of some legs and head back to get ready.
I'm warming up on this dirt road feeling good, getting pumped to some Zedd. On my way back, peddling hard, I hit a bumpy section and my chain flies off doing some weird acrobatic twist around the crank. No problem. I stop to put it back on but shit, I can't get it untangled. What in the heck? I keep messing with it and start to panic. It's 9:18, race start at 9:33, I have to pee, and I'm a quarter mile down the road not able to get my chain back on. I can't even get it situated where I ride my bike as a scooter back as the crank is stuck in its off-camber position. I start running with my bike, FAST. I finally get there and ask a couple MBAA folks to help. I run to the restroom. I can't thank the guys enough that helped me right then. He hands me my bike and goes, "That was the first time I've seen that." I say "You don't know how many times I hear that phrase with stuff that happens to me." He laughs and explains what to do if it happens again. I jump into line flustered. "Looks like you already raced," someone says. Trying to settle down we move up to the start determined to get out in front before we have to go through the rocks so I can kill those first 3 miles. READY...SET...GO!
We're off! I get a good push off the ground, clip in smoothly and power to the front. I pass a guy before we get to the single track and my HR is up in my throat already. It's not from exhaustion but from being flustered before I think. Deep breaths, deep breaths. Your bike will be ok, you'll be ok. Settle down. I take the first part fast just waiting for Tina Stocking to be on my heels as soon as we start a slight extended climb. I think I hear someone but refuse to look back and hit it hard again after it flattens out. Corner after corner thinking, "Try not to brake, if so brake before the turn, counter steer, lean, outside foot down, stay low...". I fly across Shultz Road and hit the last downhill to Elden. I'm thinking maybe I started a little hot, but am glad I did because I'm having a blast with no one in front. Suddenly, I feel my chain give a little. I look down and shift to keep it from dropping totally. I look up. OH SON OF A...! Next thing I know I'm flying off the bike sliding on my helmet, hip, and shoulder. My peddle had clipped a tree stump that was near a down log you had to move just right to get through. I get up. I can't tell if I'm hurt yet. Not so far, nope, just some scratches, dirt, and I tore my Gform. Oh thank you little Gforms! Adrenaline is still pumping though and I have to hurry, they're coming. A bit shaken, I'm able to pick up my bike that seems to be unscathed too except for the the chain being off again. I'm putting it back on when finally Tina and Connor Gifford go flying by. They ask if I'm ok and I yell "yes, go for it!" CRAP! So much for strategy. I hop back on peddling as hard as I can to catch them, thinking "Wow, I can't believe I'm not seriously injured. I was going REALLY fast."
My poor bike is creaking away and I tell it to hang in there, we're almost done. Um, no we're not, there's 2 hours and 40 min left. Shhh, it'll be fine. A little white lie never hurt anybody. Ok, so it's an inanimate object, but you racers know the relationship you develop with your bike. That at anytime it may dump you for someone prettier, younger or perhaps off an exposure. You better give it the love it deserves.
I digress. I see Connor as I approach Elden Rd. Tina is probably already up the hill by now with those climbing abilities. My inner coach reminds me that I have to be at least 3rd to be 1st overall but really it'd be cool if you just won this too. Thanks, coach! We start the grueling climb and I'm starting to ache from my crash in places I didn't know I landed on. The adrenaline is fading and my neck and shoulder start hurting. I down a double caffeinated GU a bit prematurely than planned but I heard caffeine masks the pain a bit. Cool, lets get high off GU!
Elden is starting to eat me for dinner and I'm passed by Rachel Alter and a few more from other Cat 2 groups. Demelza Davis then goes by in my category. Ok, now I'm in 4th, just try to keep her in sight. The climb gets steeper and I feel the heat radiating through my Gforms. I wonder if I should have worn them but I look at the newly formed holes and punctures from where I just landed on them. I'm struggling bad and I start to count peddle strokes then shift up to climb in a harder gear for 30 pedal strokes, then back down. Up then down. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5... It gets my mind off the climb, the heat, and the pain plus it looks like I'm reeling in Connor. Call it OCD but it's working. I'm able to get past her before the single track but Demelza is now out of sight. Finally I reach the top of the mountain. I'm met with a magnificent landscape, open skies, fierce winds, greenery and sadly, burnt trees from a fire as far as the eye can see. Snap out of your enlightenment and get going little Buddha. The wind is howling and the trail is exposed and loose with surprise tech parts. You knew this was coming, stay centered, keep to the inside, put weight on the front tire a bit to combat the looseness, breathe, don't look to the right, focus on your line, you'll be fine. I feel like I'm going so slow. I'm being as carefully fast as possible. Exposures and I don't get along. As I mentioned in previous blogs, I'm a wimp when it comes to heights.
As I'm approaching the Hobbit Forest, I'm contemplating on trying it but then feel the aching in my neck, shoulder and hip from my crash. I don't know. I witnessed Kata Skagg's war wounds from Hobbit last weekend on the preride. I get to the start of it. Quick decision, I'm going to cyclocross this bitch. I hop off and throw my bike on my shoulder and run my ass through it as fast as I can. I run past Demelza. I get that "you're such a wimp" voice in my head but this isn't about tackling Hobbit, .2 miles of my race, this is about strategy. This is about doing what it takes to come away with the state championship and maybe even winning this race if I can catch Tina. Strava would later tell me that I ran through it faster than anyone has rode it, somehow coming away with a QOM. Don't ask me how that happened.
I hop back on and take the next section hard until it gets exposed again though I'm still catching folks. I catch all of those who passed me on Elden. Finally focused and feeling the groove, I'm having a great time on this ridgeline. It doesn't last long as my bike chain screams at me and suddenly I'm being bounced around like I'm a kid in a bouncy castle with a 300 lb guy jumping around. Trying to figure out what's going on without stopping, I lose focus. Not smart when you are going fast on an exposed ridge. As I regain focus, I'm just in time to slam on my brakes to avoid flying off an exposed switchback. Weeee! I go soaring off my bike again sliding dangerously close to the switchback edge. Ouch. I'm so over crashing right now. At this point, I feel like there's no need to have any more food as I've eaten about 4 lbs of dirt. I check over my bike and the handle bars are twisted and my chain is off. I fix it and check my shock. Lovely it's went rigid. No wonder I felt like I was on a pogo stick. Only one girl passes me during this whole ordeal and she is marathon. I must have gained a pretty good lead over my category competitors. Taking it about 60% of what I would, I start praying to the bike Gods and kissing my bike's ass telling it how much I love it and it's been so good to me. "If you could please stay strong for another 1.5 hrs, I'll shower you with lube and love after, maybe some new XO parts. Pretty please." In the back of my mind my inner coach is yelling at me to go faster and catch Tina but my sketchy bike and my bruised and bloody right side of my body is telling me I ain't winnin' shit. AND if I'm not careful I'll get hurt enough to DNF, losing the championship too.
As I'm making it up another climb my shin and hip are screaming at me. I hit my shin on that last crash I guess. I'm trying to focus at the same time thinking of other things to detour my mind. This hefer of a climb is harder than I remember it being. I go to grab a GU taped to my bike. Um, shit. Where are they? I still had 2 left. Not any more. They must have ripped off when I crashed. Crap. I suck down my GU Brew and hit a small downhill. Suddenly I'm not able to pedal. Chain suck. I fix it and get going.
When I get to the marathon aide station, I beg the lady for a GU or anything explaining the loss of mine in a crash. I take some air out of my tire as she fishes me some fuel. Maybe less air will help plus give me a little cushion with my fork being stiff. She hands me some shot blocks. I'm so thankful. I know I said I don't like shot blocks for races in my prep blog but this isn't a time to picky. I'm bonkin' here and quite frankly she could have handed me a cow patty sandwich and I would have been grateful. She seriously saved me. Thank you!
Shultz Creek downhill time and I'm going a decent pace. I wish it was faster but I'm a little sketched out plus every time I go to big ring it, my chain drops completely. I can't believe I'm not getting passed having to put this sucker back on several times. Finally, I swallow that need for speed urge and force myself to keep it in the little ring. I'll just have to spin my butt off and ignore the sound of the chain slapping the hell out of my chainstay. No drops since. I'm happy!
Heading up the last climb I can feel my legs getting crampy. Oh no please, not now, I'm only about 5 short and sweet miles out. I reminisce about the Whiskey. I suck all I can out of my pack on the hill. It's gone. I go for my bottle and as I get to the top, it's empty too but no cramps! I see someone coming up and it's Demelza! She caught me. Get to the downhill!
I almost forget to not shift to my big ring as I start heading down this last fun super D type section to the end. Demelza seemed to be about 10 sec from me and I'm certain she'll be able to catch me as I'm stuck in my little ring. Don't look back, just concentrate on your technique while spinning your butt off until smoke comes out of your ears. A few parts, I'm holding in a ready position and feel cramps coming on. I remember what Beth said about not keeping your legs in one position for long periods. At the Whiskey, I had done that and cramped right after a downhill such as this one feeling perfectly fine during. I followed Beth's advice trying to spin even if not needed. I avoid cramping all the way to the finish. Thanks, Beth! Rounding that corner to the finish felt even better than the Whiskey. I can't believe my bike and I are in one piece so happy to have just finished
I'm immediately approached by everyone making sure I'm ok as I guess I now looked like an aborigine. I finally get to assess my injuries and get help washing them off. (Thanks Margaret, Jon and Chris for helping fix me and my bike after). I go change and come back to see the results and attend the awards. I'm shocked that I was only about 4 min behind the leader in this race. I thought for sure with all the drops and crashes I had lost Tina by at least 15 min. Although I felt slow, I must have been going a decent pace after all between mishaps. I walk away proud. A more than satisfying end to my first real season and even better I get to stand on the top of that podium and accept my overall series winner award. But the award isn't what makes me happy, it's the hard work and adventure it took to climb out of years of self hibernation that makes me smile. This season wasn't about racing but finding my true self again. The overall medal is just a sweet reminder of that.
PS. Thanks to so many of you out there that helped me learn this great sport. The Oro Valley Bicycles and SAMBA Crews especially - Beth, Kevin, Kit, Corey and other teammates. Jim, Kathy, Alex, Hillary, Carlos, Eric(s), so many others from SAMBA. The MBAA folks especially Jon and Mike. A million of you who I've bugged almost daily picking your brains, helping me w/bike fixes/maintenance, stalking your pages/Strava for tips and training advice, trying to get you to ride with me and who have given constant encouragement (Will, Vern, Art, Tara, Duncan, Comino, Scott, Mark, Shane, Kata, Krista, Chloe, Beth again, all you SAMBA-ers, so many more). Thanks also to my parents for constant support and helping me watch my doggies every weekend I'm gone. So many I haven't mentioned that provide constant encouragement and support - thank you, thank you. I look forward to many more memories and meeting many more awesome mtb folks!
PSS. Stay tuned for my Super D write up. It was just a 14 min race so it'll only be 50 pages instead of 200. :) I also have go pro footage for this one!
 |
| Last year's Final - My only Cat 3 race. |
I didn't really nail down what I was going to do until I pre-rode the first few miles again the day before. Do I go out hot or save it for Elden? Elden is the 5 mile steep dirt road climb 3 miles into the race. While riding the 3 miles before it, I thought, "This part is so much fun going fast!" I was smiling the entire time ear to ear. It's a section I was good at, could really hammer, and get a decent lead on. It's a semi-flat, flowy single track with lots of corners and a few little climbs that you can get up quick using momentum from the downhills before. Ok, that's it, the climbers will just have to catch me on Elden because by God these first 3 miles I'm going to have a blast on!
As far as fueling, as I discuss in my prep blog, I decided to go with the GU Brew Beth gave me. Thanks, Beth! I'd been trying it in training rides and it was easier on the stomach and taste buds than Carborocket. This ride was similar to the Whiskey where I learned that I'll definitely need 3 L of a GU Brew mix and a bottle of plain water to wash down my GUs. I'm not sure how anyone does this course or similar with only a couple of bottles. Makes me jealous. Carrying 10+ lbs of water up that mother bitch climb, Elden, won't be fun, but maybe someday my body will be efficient enough to work off a snickers bar and a Dr. Pepper. Yum!Race morning came and I slither out of my tent with about 3hrs of sleep. Ok, so my first race I had fun camping but after an entire season, it's seriously for the birds. It got pretty cold. I head down and see what I can do to volunteer. I mark the hell out of some legs and head back to get ready.
I'm warming up on this dirt road feeling good, getting pumped to some Zedd. On my way back, peddling hard, I hit a bumpy section and my chain flies off doing some weird acrobatic twist around the crank. No problem. I stop to put it back on but shit, I can't get it untangled. What in the heck? I keep messing with it and start to panic. It's 9:18, race start at 9:33, I have to pee, and I'm a quarter mile down the road not able to get my chain back on. I can't even get it situated where I ride my bike as a scooter back as the crank is stuck in its off-camber position. I start running with my bike, FAST. I finally get there and ask a couple MBAA folks to help. I run to the restroom. I can't thank the guys enough that helped me right then. He hands me my bike and goes, "That was the first time I've seen that." I say "You don't know how many times I hear that phrase with stuff that happens to me." He laughs and explains what to do if it happens again. I jump into line flustered. "Looks like you already raced," someone says. Trying to settle down we move up to the start determined to get out in front before we have to go through the rocks so I can kill those first 3 miles. READY...SET...GO!
 |
| Somewhere earlier in the race - original photo to come |
My poor bike is creaking away and I tell it to hang in there, we're almost done. Um, no we're not, there's 2 hours and 40 min left. Shhh, it'll be fine. A little white lie never hurt anybody. Ok, so it's an inanimate object, but you racers know the relationship you develop with your bike. That at anytime it may dump you for someone prettier, younger or perhaps off an exposure. You better give it the love it deserves.
I digress. I see Connor as I approach Elden Rd. Tina is probably already up the hill by now with those climbing abilities. My inner coach reminds me that I have to be at least 3rd to be 1st overall but really it'd be cool if you just won this too. Thanks, coach! We start the grueling climb and I'm starting to ache from my crash in places I didn't know I landed on. The adrenaline is fading and my neck and shoulder start hurting. I down a double caffeinated GU a bit prematurely than planned but I heard caffeine masks the pain a bit. Cool, lets get high off GU!
 |
| One of many ouchies that day. Don't ask where this is ;) |
As I'm approaching the Hobbit Forest, I'm contemplating on trying it but then feel the aching in my neck, shoulder and hip from my crash. I don't know. I witnessed Kata Skagg's war wounds from Hobbit last weekend on the preride. I get to the start of it. Quick decision, I'm going to cyclocross this bitch. I hop off and throw my bike on my shoulder and run my ass through it as fast as I can. I run past Demelza. I get that "you're such a wimp" voice in my head but this isn't about tackling Hobbit, .2 miles of my race, this is about strategy. This is about doing what it takes to come away with the state championship and maybe even winning this race if I can catch Tina. Strava would later tell me that I ran through it faster than anyone has rode it, somehow coming away with a QOM. Don't ask me how that happened.
I hop back on and take the next section hard until it gets exposed again though I'm still catching folks. I catch all of those who passed me on Elden. Finally focused and feeling the groove, I'm having a great time on this ridgeline. It doesn't last long as my bike chain screams at me and suddenly I'm being bounced around like I'm a kid in a bouncy castle with a 300 lb guy jumping around. Trying to figure out what's going on without stopping, I lose focus. Not smart when you are going fast on an exposed ridge. As I regain focus, I'm just in time to slam on my brakes to avoid flying off an exposed switchback. Weeee! I go soaring off my bike again sliding dangerously close to the switchback edge. Ouch. I'm so over crashing right now. At this point, I feel like there's no need to have any more food as I've eaten about 4 lbs of dirt. I check over my bike and the handle bars are twisted and my chain is off. I fix it and check my shock. Lovely it's went rigid. No wonder I felt like I was on a pogo stick. Only one girl passes me during this whole ordeal and she is marathon. I must have gained a pretty good lead over my category competitors. Taking it about 60% of what I would, I start praying to the bike Gods and kissing my bike's ass telling it how much I love it and it's been so good to me. "If you could please stay strong for another 1.5 hrs, I'll shower you with lube and love after, maybe some new XO parts. Pretty please." In the back of my mind my inner coach is yelling at me to go faster and catch Tina but my sketchy bike and my bruised and bloody right side of my body is telling me I ain't winnin' shit. AND if I'm not careful I'll get hurt enough to DNF, losing the championship too.
 |
| Somewhere later in the race - note the dirt mustache. |
When I get to the marathon aide station, I beg the lady for a GU or anything explaining the loss of mine in a crash. I take some air out of my tire as she fishes me some fuel. Maybe less air will help plus give me a little cushion with my fork being stiff. She hands me some shot blocks. I'm so thankful. I know I said I don't like shot blocks for races in my prep blog but this isn't a time to picky. I'm bonkin' here and quite frankly she could have handed me a cow patty sandwich and I would have been grateful. She seriously saved me. Thank you!
Shultz Creek downhill time and I'm going a decent pace. I wish it was faster but I'm a little sketched out plus every time I go to big ring it, my chain drops completely. I can't believe I'm not getting passed having to put this sucker back on several times. Finally, I swallow that need for speed urge and force myself to keep it in the little ring. I'll just have to spin my butt off and ignore the sound of the chain slapping the hell out of my chainstay. No drops since. I'm happy!
Heading up the last climb I can feel my legs getting crampy. Oh no please, not now, I'm only about 5 short and sweet miles out. I reminisce about the Whiskey. I suck all I can out of my pack on the hill. It's gone. I go for my bottle and as I get to the top, it's empty too but no cramps! I see someone coming up and it's Demelza! She caught me. Get to the downhill!
 |
| About 100 ft from the finish line. So dead yet so happy! |
I almost forget to not shift to my big ring as I start heading down this last fun super D type section to the end. Demelza seemed to be about 10 sec from me and I'm certain she'll be able to catch me as I'm stuck in my little ring. Don't look back, just concentrate on your technique while spinning your butt off until smoke comes out of your ears. A few parts, I'm holding in a ready position and feel cramps coming on. I remember what Beth said about not keeping your legs in one position for long periods. At the Whiskey, I had done that and cramped right after a downhill such as this one feeling perfectly fine during. I followed Beth's advice trying to spin even if not needed. I avoid cramping all the way to the finish. Thanks, Beth! Rounding that corner to the finish felt even better than the Whiskey. I can't believe my bike and I are in one piece so happy to have just finished
 |
| Race Podium - Great job, Tina and Demelza! |
 |
| Overall Series Podium - Great job again, Tina and Demelza! |
PS. Thanks to so many of you out there that helped me learn this great sport. The Oro Valley Bicycles and SAMBA Crews especially - Beth, Kevin, Kit, Corey and other teammates. Jim, Kathy, Alex, Hillary, Carlos, Eric(s), so many others from SAMBA. The MBAA folks especially Jon and Mike. A million of you who I've bugged almost daily picking your brains, helping me w/bike fixes/maintenance, stalking your pages/Strava for tips and training advice, trying to get you to ride with me and who have given constant encouragement (Will, Vern, Art, Tara, Duncan, Comino, Scott, Mark, Shane, Kata, Krista, Chloe, Beth again, all you SAMBA-ers, so many more). Thanks also to my parents for constant support and helping me watch my doggies every weekend I'm gone. So many I haven't mentioned that provide constant encouragement and support - thank you, thank you. I look forward to many more memories and meeting many more awesome mtb folks!
PSS. Stay tuned for my Super D write up. It was just a 14 min race so it'll only be 50 pages instead of 200. :) I also have go pro footage for this one!
Comments
Post a Comment