By Rachel Gatto hmmm... i have my worst results at wausau.
i've never had a great day here. i'm not sure
of the exact reasons. too much open? singletrack
is never to my advantage because i'm usually
stuck behind someone or completely red-lined
from the open pedaling? probably a combo of
both. the pre-ride didn't make me feel any better.
i started with sara,
the guys and the
kids. it hurt. i started falling behind
right away, could barely breath, my legs screamed,
my back ached, i essentially felt like shit.
never recovered until late in the lap. i stopped
twice to stretch my back as it was screaming
at me to stop. the mosquitos loved it.
we arrived back at the car and i thought i was
going to puke. i grabbed some fig newtons. put
about 3 down and started to feel a lot better.
we headed over to red bud road to do the singletrack
across the way. we ventured on a trail we've
never taken and were pleasantly surprised by
the views and beautiful rock gardens. good good
stuff. (all the more reason to get back up to
wausau even earlier to pre-ride 24-9.)
After pre-riding and chit
chatting we all headed back to the hotel to
get ready for dinner. about 20 of us headed
out for mexican. good stuff. afterwards, pool
party, wrenching and chit chat.
i wasn't really looking forward to the race
but at the same time just told myself to go
out and have fun. the singletrack there is super
rad.
my start seemed to come up super fast. i lined
up and chatted with angie for a bit telling
her how awful i'd do and her reassuring me (and
probably rolling her eyes) that i'd be fine.
i wasn't convinced. i haven't been nervous for
a race in years, but i was nervous for this
one. even on the car ride up.
as don said go i was at the front (not the lead)
and stayed there. what? oh wait. ding. starting
with the men and sara was way too fast for me.
i probably blew myself up. i love (well maybe
love is a strong word) the start of the sport
women race. i started to settle and didn't care
if people passed me. i was doing the best i
could. i couldn't breath and my legs were screaming.
finally into the singletrack. not recovered
yet, but i knew the worst part was over. i finally
recovered and was stuck in the singletrack.
duh. i know, it's part of racing. but seriously.
i never pedaled (well okay i pedaled on ho chi
minh), hit the brakes constantly and almost
went over the bars because it was so slow. oh
well. i sat behind deb for a long time she was
stronger than me in the opens and just as i'd
start to recover and sometimes catch her the
next singletrack started. i tried to pass a
couple times but i just didn't have the gas
to power by.
i just stayed patient. i finally felt recovered
enough at one point to go by. and i did. into
probably the only mud bog/puddle on the course.
wow. i suck. i motored pass to find it was a
long way to the singletrack. hmmm... i made
it to the singletrack by myself came out, crossed
the lap line and was trying to recover. a bunch
of women passed me... regina,
deb, angie, jamie, and 1 or 2 others. i smiled
and laughed to myself. i wasn't defeated or
anything but was happy with the effort i put
in to try and put time on them, maybe it was
ill-timed or whatever, but i put myself in the
hurt locker to try and advance.
i
actually recovered pretty quick (for me anyway)
and went on my way again repassing everyone
but deb and jamie. a bunch of us were held up
in the uphill rocky singletrack (is that ho
chi minh?) by some little kids. i didn't mind
at all. it was cool they were there. for some
reason i had an i heart wors moment. i cheered
them on as i slammed my crotch into my top tube.
we were finally able to get around and i shortly
caught deb in the singletrack. i so wished i
could've gotten by. i didn't get to ride the
best singletrack both laps the way i could've.
yes, yes, i know, then get there first. we all
have our strengths and weaknesses. as irritating
as it can be i still would rather have the skills
to bomb the singletrack than be able to hammer
the opens. which sucks sometimes in a race but
is really cool on rides.
i was able to get by her on the next open section.
i had no idea what place i was in, but definitely
hoping for a top 5. it was my goal before the
pre-ride, even though i told myself after the
pre-ride it was top 10. riding the open section
it seemed to go on forever and ever. where the
heck was the singletrack? i was imagining all
these girls on the back of my wheel soon if
it didn't get here quick. i felt myself fading
a bit. finally the singletrack came. i could
here angie and one or two other girls on my
wheel. crap. go. go. GO. my legs were tired.
my legs weren't quite noodles but they were
close. the short ups in the singletrack hurt.
i was thinking about the next open section which
wasn't long but still, and the next section
of singletrack before the finish. so cliche,
but i was thinking to myself pain is temporary,
pain is temporary... you're almost done. hearing
the sound of chains bounce as it felt like they
were getting closer. i pedaled like crazy to
the next section of singletrack, almost not
able to pedal through that section barely able
to get a move on. i saw jamie just ahead with
a bunch of guys exiting out of the trail and
onto the finish stretch (i'm guessing she was
stuck behind them as once they exited she took
off like a bat out of hell). i tried to close
the gap, with a sudden burst of energy, probably
an adrenaline rush of seeing jamie and knowing
it was done, at least as i didn't think i could
pick her off...
my
legs were done. i was glad to be finished. i
thought i was maybe top 5, turned out i was
3rd
overall and 1st age. stoked. i think it
was my best wors result ever.
john on the other hand had a rough day. he's
still recovering from his sickness and is drugged
up on antibiotics and prednisone. hopefully
all that crap will be out of his system by mt.
morris so he'll have some fun out there. he
said it wasn't very enjoyable feeling like shit
out there. props to him for finishing.mitch
had a bad day with two race ending mechanicals
but everyone had a great day.
a few thoughts, thanks to jeff for getting us
a killer deal on our hotel room. thanks to brent
for understanding my obsession with his stuff
and bringing some goodies with him for my fix.
bummer his daughter was sick and he couldn't
stay race day. it was nice meeting ryan's wife
and his son ryder. i'm so glad sara is in and
was able to make it up with us. i will miss
her when she goes back. and thanks to everyone,
especially destiny for helping out with our
kids. we wouldn't be able to race with out that
help. or at least it wouldn't be near as enjoyable.
i
actually recovered pretty quick (for me anyway)
and went on my way again repassing everyone
but deb and jamie. a bunch of us were held up
in the uphill rocky singletrack (is that ho
chi minh?) by some little kids. i didn't mind
at all. it was cool they were there. for some
reason i had an i heart wors moment. i cheered
them on as i slammed my crotch into my top tube.
we were finally able to get around and i shortly
caught deb in the singletrack. i so wished i
could've gotten by. i didn't get to ride the
best singletrack both laps the way i could've.
yes, yes, i know, then get there first. we all
have our strengths and weaknesses. as irritating
as it can be i still would rather have the skills
to bomb the singletrack than be able to hammer
the opens. which sucks sometimes in a race but
is really cool on rides.
my
legs were done. i was glad to be finished. i
thought i was maybe top 5, turned out i was
