1st and DFL, all in one race.

At the Metro Challenge, Erica and I shared the dubious honor of taking first and DFL in our category - the 12 Hour Female Team. Only, we started 5 hours late...

When we got to Crystal Ridge to register, Anne told us nobody was in the 12 hour female team category. It was noon, and we showed up intending to ride the 6 hour duo, knowing it would be against teams with guys in them that would kick our asses and that we'd go home DFL. We were ok with that. When they said, though, that we could ride as the only team in the 12 hour female cat, just starting late, we couldn't say no. Not only did it put a team in a category that I think is really important to keep alive- a laid-back and friendly intro to mountain bike racing for women - it also meant we weren't going to spend the whole day rolling our eyes at the results as people in our category like Carlos turned in lap times 20 minutes faster than ours.

Anyway, we still rode it like a 6 hour. I went out first, and Gina rode with me for my first lap and then Erica's with her. It was about what I expected, only the tight singletrack and the open field were run backwards after a loose rocky downhill. That Wednesday night pre-ride didn't help much! It was tough getting a rhythm on a trail that was built to go the other way, but whatever, it worked. Lap 1, done, passed the bike, helmet, and gloves off to Erica and sat on my butt for a while.

Lap 2 is always faster for me, and lap 2 always makes me happy. Pulled 4 minutes off my lap time, just had fun. I like lap 2.

Lap 3 Gina rode with me again. My allergies were starting to pound in my head and the day was wearing on, and the faster 3 hour riders were catching up and flying by, making me have to pay attention to letting them pass. A 6 hour rider was pushing me hard on the gravelly lose downhill and it pissed me off. Seeing nowhere good to let him by, i started putting my left foot down to pull off the trail. Only, the hill dropped off next to the trail and I found my foot and my front wheel falling over, the rest of my bike kicking across the trail. Dude t-boned my bike. It's ok, nothing was hurt, he apologized. But man, of all the places to get all pushy with a slow biker...
Lap 4 we shall call the lap of pedalstrike. The sun was getting low and it was getting dim in the singletrack, and my brain was getting nearly as dim. I had several close calls and finally ended up having an intimate moment with a rock where some upper-body strength I didn't know I had managed to stop the invariable trajectory of face to rock. Hello rock! You smell fine today! The hours in the sun took their toll and I was making some bad decisions. I needed a beer, and a burrito.

Erica and I called it quits after about 5:38 of riding. We rode the 6 hour duo we had planned on. When Al and Anne offered us bombers of Fat Tire as our awards, we gave them back. Meanwhile teammate Kristina had an awesome ride in the 3 hour. When she came around me like I was standing still, I was so happy for her. She's really, really good at this! Amy also rocked out the 3 hour for a 2nd place and it was great catching up with her after the race.

Unfortunately, this is probably the end of 2009 WEMS for us. Blue Mound is really a stretch for me skills-wise, and it's the day before my first anniversary. The rest of the races are just too far a drive. But thanks to everyone who put these races on - what a fantastic time. (second photo: Amy)