French Creek

Race #2 of MASS, French Creek. The week was projected to bring enough rain that I truly expected the race to be rescheduled/cancelled. Which lead to me mentally not expecting or wanting to race. The prior two weeks (since Greenbrier) included barely any riding or training. Maybe 35 miles on the road bike over two weeks. But the race was on, it'd be a little muddy but never the less, it was happening. Wiether I felt like racing or not.

At the start we were informed the website had an error and we would be racing 9 miles, not 6. It caught a few people of guard that hadn't even brought water. I realized I hadn't really eated much.

The race started with a nice gravel climb... I suck at climbing. Really really suck. I honestly thought about just turning around and calling it quits. But I trundged on and made my way to the single track and entered the singletrack 2nd to last out of 13 women (W1 & W2). Singletrack meant Rocks and Mud. Now we're talking, this is mountain biking. So it took me a few minutes but then I started getting into it. I began just enjoying the terrain and even though there continued to be more and more climbing (seemed like neverending climbing), it was the kind of climbing I could enjoy more than a gravel road. Downills felt great, flying over rocks and anything else on the trail. I was passing without hesitation, yelling out the line I'd be taking. (And yelling out lines for all the sport & elite racers catching me to pass through).

I knew I had passed a few beginner women but had no idea were I might be. I kept trudging until around 7 miles in and then I basically bonked. 7 miles and I was spent. No one was in sight behind me, I just wanted to slow up but I tried hard to push myself, I didn't want to be passed.

Finally I was informed the end was near, just some downhills and flats - and some mud. Surprisingly the trails were in great shape. Some wetness and mud here and there but not the gooey sludge I thought. The only real puddle was near the end and by that point I was more than happy to just plow through it. The bike was actually less muddy than I expected...

Once the results were finally posted I learned I finished 3rd in W2. Fourth out of the 13 beginner women. Still not sure how I feel about that. Considering no training, not feeling like racing and almost calling it quits - I guess okay. But I really need to get in shape so I can actually climb. Where would I have finished if I could have actually kept up with everyone on the gravel climb? This is what I'll have to use to motivate me.

So yesterday brought me 3rd and the bronze....

Hubby - he rocks, got first and the gold. And this week he gets to enjoying showing me what the gold looks like.