The women's field takes off.
I woke up to the sound of rain pounding on the roof. This weekend was the big Gloucester event. Pros from all over the country fly-in to race this classic cyclo-cross event. I was racing with the Elite Women at 2:30pm. “Maybe the rain will die down by then…” Instead, it pounded all day long. Excitment built for the opportunity to once again play outside in the mud. I had no concept of how much mud I’d get to roll through…but soon I’d find out.
The race started with almost 40 women, lined up. I again was positioned at the back, so I was prepared to move up as quickly as possible. The gun cracked and I exploded, up the pavement and onto the slick and muddy course. I was more aggressive than I’d ever been. There was no fear of the course. My mind was focused on one mission only, move up! I passed several girls on the corners and the muddy straight-aways. Already, I had positioned myself at about 15th place. “Wow, I’m doing great!” We went around corners and off the bike to a thick and sticky muddy run-up. It was steep, but I dug my feet into the ground. Back onto the bike and around another rider. We went down a muddy hill, around a bend, up another hill. I dug in to get traction. Around a tight bend and down another zig zag of mud. We jumped off the bike and ran through it, and over the barriers on the side of a hill. Now to the second part of the course… Down another hill onto the muddy grass. No traction. A few long straights, through puddles of water, coming off the ocean, and to a zig zag of mud. I had moved up, but at this point, my body started to fatigue already. Each zig-zag turn, I was getting passed. We took a long straight, passed the pits and up a little hill, off the bike, around the bend, back on, down, around another bend and push over the little bump. No traction. My cleats slipped out of the pedals, I jumped off, ran two steps and back on the saddle again. Around the corner, down a little hill, straight, right turn, and up the pavement, completing lap one.
I was head to head with a girl from last weekend. I didn’t want to deal with her again, so I jumped on the pedals and put some distance between us. For the second lap, we were more spaced out. I passed a few girls, but also was getting passed. My glasses were fogging up and my handling was a little less aggressive and more sloppy. I ran up the hill, but it was so painful! My gut was tight. Lungs burned. For the entire course of mud, every ounce of me pushed through, getting traction. I snapped up on the second half and move past a few girls. I hadn’t realized how far back I’d been pushed! My cleats were so slippery and the bottom-tube too, as I’d grab it to shoulder the bike. People were sliding everywhere! The crowd was getting a show! Chics in spandex, playing in the mud! On the last lap, my brain had turned to mush. I think my head was down too far for this reason. On the steep run-up, near the crest, my foot slipped and I started to fall. The spectators screamed, “Oh, oh oh!!!” I managed to catch myself and my bike, “Good save!!” The hill-crowd cheered! I got back on the bike. My head still low and my brain slightly impaired. I pushed forward. Only a few girls passed me on the last half, but still it moved me even further back. I finished, 31st out of 35….not my ideal result. Still, I had fun playing in the mud and knew what I needed for the next day…more traction on my tires, more aggression, and not wimping out on the last half of the race! I rolled down the hill, got my bike and myself hosed off. One of the riders asked, “Is the water warm…” “Well, it’s warm enough.” My chamois was soaked in mud…it was pretty gross. My face was covered. I drove home and jumped into the shower with all my gear: shoes, helmet….we were soooo dirty! Ready for another day of cross. I smiled.
Since I forgot my camera, visit the link below for an awesome short video…you can get a good experience of the mud!
http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid28343239001?bctid=43277776001
Head is down...pushing through the pain.
Day two of Gloucester. This time, I awoke to sunshine peaking through the curtains. I had a new strategy for the day; suffer!! I needed to embrace the pain much more than the day before. Again, I was staged at the back. I had ridden the course several times during warm up, and for the most part, all the mud had dried up. There were still a few slick areas, but nothing you couldn’t push through. When the whistle blew, I exploded from the back and moved up to mid pack. Once we were on the course going in and out of the bends, I kept passing the girls; one, two, three. I was moving forward. The course today was different, it zig-zaged back a and forth, with long straight aways, no run-up, but still the barriers and a sand pit. The pit wasn’t technical as the previous races from the day had packed it down to a smooth trail. So, technically, this course was like a fast mountain bike race! And boy was it ever fast!
My agression was fierce, but just as the day before, I hit a wall about half-way through the race, and I just couldn’t push through it no matter how hard I tried. Two, three, and four girls would pass me. I’d try to stay on their wheels, sometimes passing them again as we’d battle back and forth, but then they’d get me and gap me. I push over the hills and stayed in the saddle, trying not to run as much as possible. I used to be a great runner, but biking is so much faster! My friends were there too, cheering for me as loud as possible. I kept pushing forward. 
Yesterday, we only did 3 laps, but today it was 5 I think. The end was a blur, but my head was up and I did the very best I could. I finished 30th out of 37 starters. Better than yesterday, but nothing I’d brag about. I want to be in the running for the money for sure! But, I need to work on not only my skills, but my endurance and power during the race. It’s still very early in the season, so I believe there’s an opportunity for me to improve and maybe even this year I can get into the top 10 at these big UCI events. Next weekend is Providence… I’ll bring the pain to RI!
The wonderful view.