My cross country race took place early on Sunday morning, hours before the pro men and women would line up for the UCI race on the same course. Most of the Trek/VW team was fast asleep when I woke up and forced an all-too-early breakfast, packed my jersey pockets with bottles, some food and my borrowed big air, and jumped on my bike to ride to the venue.
I enjoyed my sunrise warmup over the rolling hills outside of Monterey, CA. Despite a week of walking around the Sea Otter venue, walking around the Monterey Bay Aquarium, standing at parties, premieres, team functions and sponsor events, my legs felt like they were ready for the 21 mile race ahead of them. What I didn't know at the time was this was the beginning of a series of deceitful tricks my body would play on me throughout the rest of the day.
We enjoyed the party and world premiere of 24 Solo
With my race preparation running smoothly, I continued my warmup until just a few minutes before my race was set to begin. When I arrived at the start line, I was happy to see there were many expert women (about 30, and mostly from California) there to add to the excitement.
The race began with a partial lap around the Laguna Seca raceway, and it was no parade! Since I'd race so infrequently for the past few years, the one thing I knew I should avoid was blowing up in the first 5 minutes, so I was content to settle into the front half of the pack; a position sweet for the draft and yet not behind the girls who are unfamiliar with riding in a group at high speeds. As girls gasped and wheezed and choked for air as they rode ahead, I was determined to avoid getting caught up in a full-speed-ahead sprint for the single track, certain to see these girls on the side of the trails in just minutes. So, with my in-it-for-the-long-haul mentality, I took my time ramping up toward my "steady race pace."
Some fast rolling fire road climbs greeted the race after the pavement. I felt decent on the steep sections and threw my chain into the big ring on the downhills. But the biggest surprise of the day came about 2 miles in, on a sweet section of singletrack. My mind was really ready to get the race going, but as it turned out, my legs were not. Where I usually would have turned a big gear, up and over the rolling terrain, I couldn't even make myself work hard. I'd never experienced "being blocked" before and did not understand what was happening. I questioned myself. Am I not tough enough? Can't I push myself harder? Why am I not breathing hard? This is a race! Why am I pedaling along like I'm wearing a skirt and a straw hat?
And so it continued for the remaining 19 miles. Lighter than most of the other racers, I'd spin up the climbs with ease, pedal over the crest of the hills, and then wish the torture of the flat and rolling sections would soon give way to a fast pedal-free downhill where I could again hide from myself.
Yay! I like the downhills
At the reduced speed of my race, I was able to take in a lot of the scenery and do some on-the-course spectating as the junior expert and sport men's classes overtook me halfway through and near the end of the lap. At times the air was thick with the smell of all kinds of made-for-teen colognes, deodorants and aftershaves. I had flashbacks to gym class in junior high. I thanked God my junior high experience is long over and done with.
I watched some nasty crashes on course. One scenario repeated itself at least four times; two up-and-comers would charge for the lead on the course's washed out downhills, neither would secure the lead while both attempted to ride the only available line, and then both would wipe out in a cloud of dust and debris. More egos than bodies were seriously injured.
The last few miles of the race were the most challenging for me. The wind picked up, the terrain was wide open and gradual and there were a lot of riders on course. I hid behind anyone larger than me, trying to avoid the wind. I still couldn't pedal hard, I still didn't feel like I was racing. All I wanted to do was finish, celebrate my return to cross country racing and find out what was terribly wrong with my legs, still feeling fresh but absolutely useless when called upon.
Finally, I pedaled off the course and onto the finish stretch on Laguna Seca. I saw Mom and Aunt Julie on the sidelines and exactly two hours after my start, full of smiles, Jeremiah greeted me at the finish line. Then the whole family was there! We took lots of pictures and I enjoyed telling all about my morning in the bike race.
Glad to be making my way back into the sport I love.
Erin
Labels: Bike Racing
