WORS #7 Alterra Coffee Bean Classic

Franklin, WI
WORS #7 Alterra Coffee Bean Classic Sunday August 02, 2009
by: Regina Campbell

One of my sponsors puts on the Alterra Coffee Bean Classic so my Saturday was spent at the race course getting things ready. I helped my fellow teammate Christine in the morning as we got the post race fruit and then went crazy at Sam’s Club buying lunch for the volunteers. We had a nice spread! The rest of the afternoon I spent organizing the awards, did a preride lap with Christina, Jesse, and Sonni…it was fun. I took the singlespeed out and finally decided to just get over it and race it…because it’s fun darn it!

Saturday night I slept like a baby. I needed that…well rested and then a nice big breakfast in the morning sent me on my way to the race course. I helped get some things set up, cut mass quantities of fruit with Angela, Christine, and a few other volunteers. I was getting nervous about racing the SS with the big girls…but just tried to focus on having fun, because that’s why we’re out here racing anyway, right? I cheered on the Sport racers at the start and then up the switchback climb the first time. It was awesome to see them working hard out there. I even got Michelle to smile as she made a sweat pass on the climb (you are awesome Michelle!!).

Then I got ready for my race. Did my warm up and got to the start line. I did manage a call up, which was totally unexpected, but nice. At Don’s go off we went. On the cap I was spun out like a crazy women, but kept the cadence high and the women insight, stayed calm, knew I’d catch up in the singlestrack and be able to gain some ground. Made it past Elizabeth in Kevin’s Heaven, and then was on Renee’s into the Alpha trails. We caught Brenda and then Renee let me by as we started to climb in Alpha. I caught Christine on the way out of Alpha and rode her wheel until we got to the switchback climb where I made my move to get around.

The climb felt good, even the second part of the climb felt good. Ran the very last piece because it’s just too steep for me on the SS. Lap 2 was fun also, made the climb, past a few people, comp guys were extra nice in their passing this time, I even got a few “great jobs” on my riding. It was also nice to be caught up in a nice train of comp riders as we went flying through the Alpha trails. Swithcback climb was awesome again, the second part was a little harder. Got tangled up with a guy in the way up the climb, but it was fine. Then back in O’Malleys Woods I clipped a tiny little tree and down I went. Slammed into the ground on my tailbone…OUCH! I hopped up, jumped on the bike and struggled for a few minutes trying to get comfortable…sitting hurt, standing hurt. Pain. But I managed, I kept going and tried to just hammer and not think of the pain.

Lap 3 was still fun, less people to pass or being past by, clean lines, fun climbs, all around good race. At the end I can say I had a blast, my tailbone hurts, and I have some great bruises! But most importantly I had so much flippin’ fun out there! Thanks to everyone I saw cheering me on..Russell and Rick Walls for the motivation on start hill climb. Rachael for screaming loud, and everyone on the switchback climb for just being there. Thanks to John Holcomb for catching my camelbak and letting me play a quick game of bowling with some water bottles (and a beer) too. And a special thanks to Ty for being an awesome race director and everyone on the Alterra Team for working so hard on this event.

I manged to finish 10th out of 16 overall and I’m pretty darn proud of that. Great race, felt awesome, had fun, didn’t blow up! After the race I did get myself some ice, ibuprofen, beer, and more ibuprofen. After the tear down was complete the remaining team members and I headed to eat…time for my recovery beer. It was a great night! Now if only I could sit down with pain, lol. It’s going to be a long Monday!

~mtbVegan