DFL....And Lovin' It

Today was my first time racing "elites". I suppose technically Brockton was my first but that was a 1/2/3/4 field so I didn't really have a choice.

At the beginning of 'cross season, I petitioned the powers that be to make me a Cat 3 'cross racer based on my mtb results this season. I certainly didn't think I deserved the upgrade but really wanted to ride the longer races in preparation for Nationals. And yeah, also because driving a few hours to race for 30 minutes just doesn't work for me. Yeah, yeah, I could mix it up with the guys or do two races in one day but it just seemed easier to go for the upgrade. So I went to the USA Cycling website, pled my case, and stated why I deserved to get my legs torn off by women who didn't even seem to be breathing hard. And OMG! Diane said yes and sent me a little, official looking Cat 3 sticker for my license.

Imagine my brain as I pulled the Fast A$$ in the Plymouth High School parking lot this morning under a low ceiling, cloudy sky (looked oh so Seattlesque!), a temp of 38 on the car thermometer and a gusty wind rocking the Fat A$$ like someone was getting some action in the backseat. Geez.

Evil Twin: "What in world were you thinking?!?!?"

Me: "Oh, puleeezze. How bad can it be. So it's a little cold. I'll warm up in no time."

Evil Twin: "I ain't talking about no weather, fool!. I'm talking about fast chicks doing laps around you, over you, maybe even turning you into a barrier just for fun."

Me: "Nice. Thanks for that."

Evil Twin: "Too bad they already ran the "little girls" race. You can't even hang there. What were you thinking trying to ride with the big girls. Probably should just stay on the porch."

Me: "Only one way to shut you up. Finish the race without getting lapped. Prove I belong (if only a little bit).

Evil Twin: "Bite me. Good luck with that."

So that was the goal. Silence the evil twin. Finish the race doing the same amount of laps as the winner. Do NOT get lapped.

It was a very small field (8! wahoo a top 10 finish in my first elite race. ;-) ) I was riding off the back in 8th place before we hit the first wooded section. Every once in a while, I'd get oh so close to 7th (always in the woods - I surprised myself how well I rode the second bit of single track section) only to have the rider in front pull away on the straight-away pavement section immediately afterward. After I lost contact with her for good (3rd or 4th lap - still not sure how many laps we did. Cathy said 7.) I was in total time trial mode.

And it was brutal. Brutally fun. The wind was howling. On one section dead on into the wind, I watched my speed free-fall from 17mph to 11 on a good gust. Had it been a cross wind I think I would have been blown over. At one point I passed someone with a camera and noticed as I rode by I had a long string of snot hanging down to my chin. Now THAT's gonna be a pretty picture. My toes were also getting a little cold by the 4th lap. This course only had one set of barriers that you passed twice so I was only off the bike twice per lap. I think a run-up may have forced more blood into my toes. As it was, felt like I was going over the barriers on peglegs. I'm sure it looked that way as well.

One thing I love about 'cross is that as the course twists and turns, you're usually offered the opportunity to see how your competition is doing. Every time Cathy passed, I got words of encouragement. I tried to yell back but I'm sure all I did was grunt. With two laps to go, I was heading out into the wind across the grass section when I heard the announcer say the leader had just gone by and been given the bell. HOLY *&^%$! DO NOT GET LAPPED. I tried picking up the pace and as I'm crossing the barrier for the second time, here comes the Stars and Stripes jersey crossing in the opposite direction. Wah! Schizophrenia strikes again:

Evil Twin: "Told you so!"

Me: "Bite me! NFW I'm getting lapped. Just watch."

Back into the woods, touched the brakes only twice on each 180 turn and shot out of the woods so fast I almost ended up off the sidewalk and into the street. I sprinted up that sidewalk bit like my life depended on it and to some extent, it kind of did. At least the cycling part of my life did. Chewed up the twisty, hilly, grassy bits on the back side (with glimpses of the Stars and Stripes gaining on me) and sprinted up toward the finish line like I was actually finishing the race. And I did it. I was NOT lapped. And as I went by the officials stand, there were two guys (don't know them) cheering for me like I was Katie Compton. It was weird but hey, I figured their brains were frozen by the cold or their water bottles were full of pumpkin ale. But the rush I felt from not getting lapped and their cheers gave me a little extra for that last lap. I pushed it up each hill, sprinted out of each corner and rode the single track like I owned it.

I don't care if I finished last. I left everything out there on the course. I didn't let up. I didn't just finish. I didn't get lapped. Despite the result, despite the weather, there was some magic and beauty out there (snotty nose notwithstanding).

After the race, I changed out of my riding gear and into all the warmest, driest clothes I had with me in the Fat A$$. I headed to the registration area to find a cup of coffee to warm up with. The guys who were cheering me on the last lap somehow recognized me and stopped me.

"Nice race! You did an awesome job. It's not easy riding off the back. And on a day like today - cold, wind ripping through you, you can't even sit back and just enjoy it. Hard riding alone like that. Nicely done. True grit."

That warmed me up more than any cup of coffee could have.

And my awesome teammate, Cathy, finished in the money! Totally fun stuff. And earlier in the B race, Shannon took third. The team is rockin'!