Spring Thaw

I was really looking forward to racing at the Spring Thaw. It promised steeper competition on a course that hopefully would be good for me. I was definitely nervous headed in, and had high expectations on myself to do well-- although I expected that the single track descent would be my doom.

The Pro and Cat 1 men and women started together, and the field size was probably close to 100 deep. I was at the very back of the group with several other women--but a lot of women seemed scattered throughout. I felt like I started in dead last, though, but even as I passed some people, others passed me. The course started up at least a mile of paved road, but even as we hit the dirt, I had no idea where I was compared w/ the other women. A woman in a WTB jersey soon came flying around me. I tried to stick with her, but couldn't. Then, another woman came around me, and I was able to ride on her wheel.

I was riding in a steady line of people, so I just tried to take the inside lines whenever they took the smooth outside lines to move up a bit. Soon, I spotted Casey up ahead. I made it my goal to get him. As I got closer, I noticed that two in a group of three right behind him were women. I tried not to focus on them, and figured they would be an added benefit of catching Casey. I started to gain ground, and was soon on the back of the two-woman train. I sat there briefly, but didn't want to get too comfortable and forget my mission, so I moved around them and focused again on Casey. As I moved past, I could tell they stuck right on my wheel. I wouldn't be dropping them any time soon.

I caught Casey at minute 33. When he saw me, he told me not to pass. I wasn't sure if it was out of pride or because he wanted to pull me up for a little bit, so I just sat on his wheel and "rested" for a bit. The other three were still right behind.

We hit a straight away that seemed to flatten out a bit, and up ahead, I saw Jon Wilson. New carrot! So, I surged around Casey to go get Jon. I couldn't tell anymore if the others were still on my wheel or not. I was kind of hoping that Casey was throwing some blocks for me. As I started catching Jon, I noticed someone else. Was that Maureen?!?!?

I ended up catching Jon and Maureen (although Jon surged past me later...I think actually dragging Mo back up to me in the process--thanks, Jon!). Then we took a sharp turn onto some windy, steep single track. Mo was hot on my tail, but I felt my pace drop off and suspected the other girls would be catching up at any minute. I already felt like I was working hard, even though my HR was starting to drop a bit. I just convinced myself that the single track would be over soon.

It ended soon enough. Hidden in the trees near the top were some course marshals. As we passed, I heard them count "first and second woman". Whoa! I had no idea that I was in the lead. Sweet!! Now I hoped that Mo and I would be able to work together to stay away from the rest of the women so that I could at least earn 2nd (Mo is a much better descender--but whose not, really?).

When the single track dumped us back onto fire road, we were actually in a cluster w/ about 5 or 6 other men, including Jon. One guy immediately organized us into a pace line, and away we went. The guys seemed strong and fast, and I wasn't too spent from the climb, so I took a couple turns at the front to help out. I figured Mo was right there in the group, but at a corner, I looked back and found myself among a bunch of dudes, only. No Mo. No Way!! What happened to her?

The road took freaking forever, and our group slowly atrophied--I think one or two guys dropped off (incl. Jon), and another guy flatted. I had mixed feelings about being in the group. I got plenty of opportunity to rest up, but at times I felt like our pace wasn't high enough. I knew my only chance at a win was going to require a HUGE lead going into the single track descent. As the road dragged on and on and on, the pace seemed to drop off and I started to get more worried about the time gap.

We hit the single track, and the men quickly dissappeared. I tried to go fast, but was definitely on the brakes more than not. Then I saw a yellow and blue jersey behind me....but it was a guy! As he caught me, though, he started shouting my whereabouts at the top of his lungs back to Mo. It was super cheesy and annoying.

She caught me soon enough, and I let her by. I tried to stick on her as long as I could, but it didn't take long before I couldn't even see her anymore. I knew 3rd place was probably not too far back, and that I still had to push it to not lose any more spots.

Then, Casey passed me-- loudly and celebrating-- right at the top of BTI. I was inspired by how fast he was going, and tried to pick it up, but he dissappeared super quickly into the dust and the trees. I was super sketched out by the last part of the trail. A bunch of jumps and kickers had been installed since the last time I had ridden it for 12 mi (which I was petrified of it then), so I was really riding the brakes. I few more guys passed me, and I was desperately hoping that I wouldn't see third place.

I recognized the last switchback, and celebrated by pedaling hard so that I could speed down to the finish. The road flattened out, and I picked up a ton of speed...only to come around a corner to a short, steep downhill with a huge waterbar across it. Not a fan of getting air, I grabbed my brakes to try and slow down. And slow down I did....to an abrubt skidding stop on my knee and my elbow as my rear tire washed out from underneath me. I didn't want to lose time or place, though, so I quicly picked up my bike, and pedaled as hard as I could to the finish.

Although someone was nearing on me, and cars were trying to slow me down, no one else passed me by the time I crossed the line. 2nd place overall! Super stoked!!! Katie crossed the line only 47 seconds behind me.

I wore pads the next day for the DH race...which doesn't seem to really help my fear of crashing, but would at least protect my new wounds if I did. I was panting like a maniac at the end of my race run, and felt like I was going pretty fast. There were only two women total in my category, and I ended up getting second. But, by less than 7 seconds. I'm pretty happy with that, since the other girl was actually racing a DH bike, and actually races DH races. And, I didn't get DFL, which I had been expecting. Although the pads didn't come into play during my race run, I sure was glad I was wearing them when I supermanned over my handlebars not once, but twice on a flatter part of the trail after the DH for no apparent reason. My poor body is a little sore from all the crashing this weekend.