race report: dfl.

(Photo from Erica of Amy, Erica, and Audrey after their race.)
For the first race of the year, it's a dfl.

Let's start, though, with how a race can set a girl up for failure. Because, while the men had three categories, the women had two categories. Having just upgraded to sport/cat 2, I was in the combined sport/expert, all thrown into one cat. When we lined up, I recognized several women from the Cat 1/2 UCI cross race in Iowa City, and I knew they were fast. I was the only one on the line with body fat to speak of, and they were all so... pro. (And not very friendly, I'll add.) Only one woman actually talked to me. This time when I joked about taking last, they sort of ignored me- probably because they knew it was true. We started 5 min behind the guys.

I hadn't pre-ridden the course. In fact, it was my first time on singletrack this year. It had been raining for about an hour, and during my race it started to outright pour. There were short steep climbs and tight turns all over the place, and a few nasty slick off-camber sections, but it was a fun trail, for sure. Each lap the course felt completely different, and as the rain poured on, it went from pretty ok to a deep mudslick. The first lap I was off the bike alot- I had no confidence- and by the end of the lap I had the bike patrol dude who was bringing up the rear as a riding buddy. With no sign of the race in front of me, there was no carrot, so I just poked along. No doubt if I had a train to stay on I would have been faster, but once it's gone, it's hard to drive myself.

By lap two I was getting into a groove, though, and most of what pulled me off the bike last time I just rode right over. I know how to do this! I even passed two guys. But 2/3 through that lap, the men's leaders came around me. I crossed the finish and the official said my race was over- she was pulling me- and I wasn't supposed to ride one more.

I spinned over to our tent. I almost cried. I was heartbroken. I was going to lose it, or... I got back on my bike and got back on the trail. I wasn't supposed to be out there, and conditions were getting reaaaaaly nasty and with those cross mark tires it was more ice skating than biking, but I had to. I rode slow and careful- not worth getting hurt on a dignity lap just two weeks before a marathon- and finished my third lap. I mean, after all, a few sandbaggers who had a 5 minute head start and weren't even in my race shouldn't be able to determine the finish for me, should they?

So, there you have it. DFL, though one woman only finished two laps (though faster than mine) so I'll be placed above her. The gnarly trail and mud puddles were that serious.

the end of 2008 mtb racing.

(photo: Naz) Saturday's WEMS will mark the end-end of trail racing season for me. It's been an odd year. What with the wedding, and then Ben's season starting up in September, and all the rainouts and reschedules and whatnot, it's been a last-minute half-assed sort of season. And ending it on that note, Saturday's 10 hours of John Muir will be just 8 for Audrey and I, since I have a family commitment in Chicago at 6pm. We won't even be bringing a tent, since that has to go to DeKalb for our race.

Either way, we'll be the WEMS 12 hour women's team champions for the second year in a row, almost entirely because we're the only people in that category. Last year at least there was a smattering of folks trying it here and there for fun (though we were the only team registered for the series) but this year, by my count, it was us and just one other women's team that raced once. I'm afraid we might lose our category- completely understandable- in which case we'd race in the 12 hour open team and do it the same as always. I just wish some other ladies would come out. It really is soooooo much fun. We're also one woman down on our team, so if you're interested for next year, check us out. No need to own a mtb- we all share mine, making our trademark bike handoff between laps.

And one year after doing my first 5-mile run ever, I'm cranking them out every morning. It's that time of year where I broke out the wool yesterday and I'm getting on the sidewalks before the streetlights are out and the cool weather is making me fast. Coach says, "you have to run fast to run fast," and he's right. It seems like every day I'm pulling seconds off my best times. I'm working, so it's working.

race report: Palos Meltdown.

(photo: CAMBR gallery)
Wow. Being part of a small team and usually racing in Wisconsin, I'd never known what a hometown race feels like. Until yesterday.

By 8am Half Acre had a tent up, 8 people registered, and a dog playing frisbee. 4 of our riders toeing the line had never raced trail before, one had never been on a mountain bike before, and three were on cyclocross bikes. In the beginner race, Dave, who had never ridden trail before and lined up on his newly-built cross bike, was visibly shaking from nerves but ended up winning his age group and taking third overall. Naz, also new to trail and on a cx rig, was 5th overall and age group 1st, and Adrian (in photo with Dave) was 6th overall and age group second. Amanda took an age group 2nd and- get this- complained about the lack of technical singletrack, since she's used to the WEMS courses now! Dan also finished strong though a little farther back after a crash on his new sexy carbon CX bike. Either way, what a showing. Half Acre, represent!

Me, I went to the line slightly terrified but 30 lb lighter and in seriously better shape than last year. I didn't know any of the women in Sport, and after a few introductions but not having any idea of what to expect, we were off. We hit the singletrack in a pack of five, riding together for almost half a lap. The climbs were brutal, and it was strange riding with folks more used to normal trail ettiquette than race rules - not knowing when or how to pass put us in long trains and caused slow pileups. Two of the women, Kathryn and Liz, were chugging uphill far stronger than me, two others, Jenny and Nancy, were slower but clearly knew the trails better and caught me on the singletrack. It took almost a lap for me to decide where I wanted to be, but once I decided who should be behind me, I enforced.

I came through on the lap with Jenny in front of me and downed a gu. Then, the crowd erupted. I'd never heard cheering like that before with my team out on the course, and I did a little playing for the crowd, throwing off some high-5's and shouting back at people. I passed Jenny there in the grass and climbed up that grass hill strong, straight to more high-5's and put some time between us before we hit the singletrack. And I didn't look back. Lap 2 I was on my own and I just let it flow. Walked nothing but two or three steps out of the first ravine, let my hub's killer bees fly. Zoom! What fun. I like racing so much more when there's nobody in front of me and I can set my own pace. Knees hurt a little from grinding uphill- did the whole race in the middle ring- but nothing terrible.

Anywho, I came into the clearing for the finish with no women in sight, and that was that. Liz was in my age group and had me by a bit, I was 4th woman overall (of how many? 6?) and 3rd aka last in my age group. Yet I felt like an actual contender, I was actually racing. And everyone was so freaking cool and shouty and supportive- teammates, folks who watched me fail last year, bloggy buddies, even complete strangers. It was awesome. Thank you all. And super thanks to Helge for the finish line Half Acre handup.

Oh, and teammate Zach rode a MTB for the first time ever in Sport and took 6th in his age group- insane! Hopefully he's another convert.

Then Ben raced. Ignore what he tells you. True, he did an hour effort, which is what he's now expecting of himself, but the truth is he ate one donut at 7am and nothing else before race time. Naturally he bonked and 3 laps in collapsed in front of the tent. I think he ate 2 gu packets and a thing of clif blocks before he stood up again. Duh.

Tim also raced expert, since all other categories were full before he hit day-of registration. He finished two strong laps and put in a good effort, which was rad. Took guts to toe the line with the expert group and he did it with class and aplomb.

Three cheers for CAMBR and hometown racing. Fan-effing-tastic. Three teammates went home promising to buy trail bikes and try dirt racing next season. Yessssss.

finally, some bike riding.

(photo by Ben) isn't it funny how, whatever i name a blog, it's a coffin nail for that passtime? the old blog was about knitting, which i do very little of. and this one is called "slow bike" and look at how often i bother with biking these days...

anywho, it's true. my first trip to Palos for the year. (Yes, I know, it's July.) I talked Ben into taking me out for a slow ride to practice jumps n' stuff, and that's sorta what we did. A last minute call from some friends meant we were 4 instead of 2 and I didn't want to hold the group back, so it was a little less practice-y than I hoped. I still need to work on the ravines, though. Either way, we did re-do's on log piles until I didn't wimp out anymore, and it was a good time. AND it counts as cross training, a good capstone to a 30 mile running week.

Big weekend coming up. Saturday the ladies will be out at Blue Mound. This Sunday is the time trial- registered yet? I'm totally going to rock it... um, yeah. Probably not. But come beat me and drink my beer at least, ok?

race report: treadfest

it was one of those days. i woke up sick (I blame the Larabar. those things do a number on me.) and hit the start with the requisite brick in my stomach. looked around and couldn't find anyone in my age group, though i knew there had to be someone... lined up with familiar faces- Anne and Amy- repeated the "just have fun" mantra and it was go time.

the start was straight uphill- super steep. it was my first time on the spot and it felt... bouncy. yes, i'm still running 40 psi, but it's also the front end was far lighter than on the Rocky Mountain and on that first climb i struggled to keep my front tire on the ground. my ankle was killing me. i felt like crap. i thought about maybe just dropping out, seriously, and was preparing the excuses for that in my head. but i forced myself on.

i wasn't the last girl off the climb, but i wasn't the first either. the first lap was annoying... people in front of me slamming on the brakes to walk over logs n' such. i was moving so slow that stuff i'd usually ride over i had to run, unable to hit it right. folks were not so good at the singletrack.

by the end of lap 1 I had found Amy- faster on the climbs but I caught her with my slickish tires on the lawnmower sections. we rode a whole lap together, and it was a hoot. jokin' around, keeping it fun. i glanced down and my heartrate, which i was pushing into the 180's before finding her, settled into a nice 166. i started having fun.

finished slightly ahead of Amy and sat around wondering what i'd done. 1st in age group. Tim rightfully asked if that meant I'm headed up to Sport, but I gotta say- if you look at the finish times of the Citizen women, they're 58:00-1:12. I won my age group in 1:06, but other age groups were way faster. I'm sticking in citizen for a spell. besides, those sport women are really alot faster. It takes alot for this really proud girl to admit to it, but I really am a citizen rider, both in speed and bike handling.

Tim took 2nd in Citizen Clydesdale, and Adrian rode his first MTB race. Jason was faaaast but ran through the finish with a flat. Helge crashed out with a shoulder problem. Killjoy's riders did great, with Mike nearly on the podium and Ben swearing less than usual. Our tent was a party, and 2 cases of beer somehow disappeared.

my first 2008 race report: rock cut

Half to not injure myself on the longer course, half because my back-of-the-pack sport finishes were a real turn-off last year, I registered for the 1-lap "beginner" race at Rock Cut, and I'm glad I did. I talked a teammate, Audrey, into joining me, who was riding singletrack for her first time ever- and on a singlespeed!

The lineup was a loose pack of the types of people you'd expect at the first race of the year in a beginner group. One woman had no helmet, headphones on, and a basket on the front of her bike. Several really young juniors, several rather burley weekend warriors. Audrey and I decided we would ride together and just enjoy the day.

At go time, we took off. Audrey's a really strong rider and was unafraid to roll over anything on that rigid fork. I was working hard to stay with her, struggling to remember how trigger shifters work (it's been a long winter), and really hating the long slow uphills. I took Audrey's lead and plowed over bigger logpiles than I'd ever taken before and I was breathing hard- audibly hard- trying to tail her as she powered uphill. This was a harder effort than any of my running has been.

The mud was sticky and ankle-deep. Many of the dudes would walk it, and I'd try to power through until they got in my way. I was a mess. Once a guy slammed on his brakes right in front of me and I did a zero MPH wipeout into a thorn bush, drawing blood and making me look totally hardcore. I said I wouldn't injure myself and I didn't, but I did bleed anyway. The 10 mile lap was longer than the WEMS laps we're used to, and I found myself impatiently looking for the finish way before I should have.

Ann from the Hayes team was on our tail the whole time, too, keeping us honest. She was better on the ups, and I was faster on the downs, but knowing she was there kept my heart rate through the roof. We traded spots several times, she'd pass me when I dumped my chain, I'd pass her on the down. The final 200 yds or so was on pavement, and with those tires and heavier gearing helped me power past and seal the deal. Audrey took 1st in our age group- what an accomplishment for a first-timer! - and I took second. (Photo by Jason's mom shows the finish- Audrey, me, and Ann, right in a row.)

We ladies did handups for Helge, Mike, and Ben (and would have for teammate Jason if he needed it!) on the 2/3 lap races. The news of the day was Ben doing a flying-treeplant-wipeout, aka being attacked by a large and body-checking gnome, on the 2nd lap of his race. Yes, that ambulance at the finish line was for him. You'll have to ask him more about it, but from my perspective, all pleas for medical attention are landing on the ears of a tough guy who hates doctors. If you could help me convince him, I'd appreciate it.

My injured foot hurts far more today, but it was worth it. It's that first race of spring gig where everyone we haven't seen since cross season was out and folks were super friendly. Linking all the folks would take forever (Amy, Rachael, Gina, the Polska guys, Cody, and dozens of others...) Catching up after 4 months is always fun, and it was a sunny good day.