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Winter Park Mt. Bike Race Series #5 - CycleOther


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Winter Park, Colorado
United States
Total Time = 2h 11m 11s
Overall Rank = /
Age Group = Sport 30-39
Age Group Rank = 7/12
Pre-race routine:

Pre-race included this important step: Throw the idea out there in text to some of my closest friends the night before the race and see what kind of responses I get. Heh. They ALL told me not to do it!!! So, because I am who I am, I decided to do it. :) Of course, it has only been 6 weeks since my collar bone surgery and I haven't even inspected my bike since the crash. So I gave it a ride around the neighborhood, I'm sure that was sufficient.

I'll just start this little story by reminding everyone that I'm completely out of shape since I haven't been able to train all that much. My body thinks it is January and is still hibernating.
Event warmup:

So I got up a little later than planned and scrambled to throw my stuff in a bag, load my bike, pump, tools, and whatnot in the car and proceed to the grocery store to grab some food. It was a 1.5 hour drive to the race and I munched on my grapenuts and yogurt along the way. I briefly looked at a map before I left and hoped for the best in my navigational skillz.

I was in such a great mood! Scenery was beautiful, ipod was rockin me and Aaron gave me our 20 minute weekly phone call. (j/k baby) I was excited! So I pull into the parking lot, at least I'm pretty sure it was. I have discovered that just because there is a lot full of cars with bikes on them in Colorado, doesn't mean there is a race. That is EVERY parking lot in the mountains. So I pull in next to a Forerunner and ask if he knows where registration is. And just like that, we are buddies for the day! Turns out it is a point to point race, meaning the start and finiah are NOT in the same place. So I am parked at the finish and follow my new friend down to register. While there, he is pointing out all the big name pros that are there, surprisingly because it is a comparatively small race for them. Well, while I'm waiting my turn to get my number, the pro chick in front of me is trying to register with the pro men. I guess she wants more competition? Yikes. All of a sudden I feel very small for registering in the sport class...

Anyhoo, I'm registered and head back up to the car to gather all the stuff I think I will need and stuff it all in my pockets. We then have to ride our bikes to the start, which took some time. I don't know how far away, maybe 5 miles? I dunno, but it took awhile on a cool bike path along the river and through town and out to the course. I would have TOTALLY gotten lost if I was on my own. But the drawback was, I was at the start way early. Mr. Forerunner started an hour before me, but I rode out there with him and warmed up with him anyway... and then proceeded to wait around for my start time.

I watched all the pros and experts start and then there was even enough time to watch them loop around through the area and head off to the rest of the course. Already there was significant carnage. When the riders looped through they shouted that a couple riders were down and then when I was lining up at the start, several riders were walking their bikes back through looking VERY bloody and broken. Yikes. Note to self: Leave those images to the RR so I don't get reprimanded over the phone for racing. :)

Anyway, I warmed up a little, did a few jumps to find my legs and lined up first on the line.
Bike
  • 2h 11m 11s
  • 17.25 miles
  • 7.89 mile/hr
Comments:

This was my first time racing in CO. The gun went off and we proceeded off the line. Interesting... they didn't start as fast as I was used to. Usually I blow up in the first mile because it is such a sprint, but this was a little more comfortable. I could see obviously at first the strong riders and let them go. I'm just there to have fun and not get hurt. Tried VERY hard to keep telling myself that.

After heading down the first descent, I quickly realize why all the carnage. I held beck. It was so hard to do... but I held back. No need to hurt my bone by crashing. Followed a chick down it and was fairly impressed with her abilities. The rest of the course was a LOT of climbing and some downhill sections. The beginner boys and men started after the sport women and some caught up to us after awhile. I'm not sure why I think that is cute... but it is fun when a 19 year old beginner boy with all his energy tries to ride past you, only to get passed again by a 32 year old women. I can see it in their eyes though, they love it. Heh.

So basically, I didn't have enough food before the race. About 3/4 into it, I got hungry. I pulled out a gel and only got a small squeeze into my mouth before I dropped it. Dayam! Not going back for that. There were lots of course marshals because of all the crazy turns, so I started asking questions... "How much further?" "You have any food?" "Is this the last climb?" "Why do you guys lie and say I'm almost done?"

Well, the final climb finally came and it was a doosie. My legs were cramping. Sucked the last of my drink and hoped for the best. And then, I don't know what happened. Maybe I was pissed from all the climbing or from my legs cramping or I don't know what, but on the final downhill.... I freakin bombed down it. It was SO fun! It was singletrack, steep and switchbacks through the trees. Some corners were nice and banked and some were covered in stutter-bumps, but I didn't care I said to hell with being careful! It was fantastic! However, then my legs were done. They both cramped up hard in my quads. Hard enough that I let out a few "%#$&"s as I was going through the trees. Oh my hell that hurt so bad! Final stretch to the finish line... I pull up after the chute and get off my bike (because there were SO many people) and I couldn't move. My legs seized. Tried to stretch my quad and my ham cramped, tried to stretch my ham and my quad cramped. So I just stood there. Dazed.
What would you do differently?:

TRAIN!!! Eat more. Get someone to hand me a waterbottle part way through. Really could have used that.
Post race
Warm down:

This was the fun part. The place was a party! Band was playing, food everywhere, there was an alpine slide, there were downhillers there practicing... it was great! Once I was able to move, by buddy found me and directed me towards some food and drink. Yay. Then we headed back up to the cars. I changed my clothes and we sat on the back of my tailgate and drank beer and told stories. I watched everyone in the parking lot loading up and telling their harrowing tales of the race. I almost got emotional... I love this sport and I love these people. It felt wonderful to be there.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Oh for hell's sakes... LACK OF TRAINING!


Profile Album


Last updated: 2007-08-05 12:00 AM
Biking
02:11:11 | 17.25 miles | 7.89 mile/hr
Age Group: 0/12
Overall: 0/
Performance:
Wind:
Course:
Road:   Cadence:
Turns: Cornering:
Gear changes: Hills:
Race pace: Drinks:
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall:
Mental exertion [1-5]
Physical exertion [1-5]
Good race?
Evaluation
Course challenge
Organized?
Events on-time?
Lots of volunteers?
Plenty of drinks?
Post race activities:
Race evaluation [1-5]

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2007-08-05 3:07 PM

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Master
2249
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Colorado
Subject: Winter Park Mt. Bike Race Series #5
I forgot to mention the mud.  There was LOTS of mud and puddles and a huge river crossing.  Hence the before/after pics of the bike.  I had a dirty bike and I was a dirty girl.

Edited by regimom 2007-08-05 3:13 PM


2007-08-05 6:00 PM
in reply to: #913909

Subject: RE: Winter Park Mt. Bike Race Series #5
Great job on your 1st race back from injury!
2007-08-05 6:24 PM
in reply to: #913909

User image

Expert
1022
1000
In limbo
Subject: RE: Winter Park Mt. Bike Race Series #5
That sounds like sooooo much fun!  Once I stop being a wuss on the trails I'd love to get in to mountain bike racing!  Sounds like a great race all things considered.  Congrats and glad to see ya out riding again! 
2007-08-05 8:54 PM
in reply to: #913909

Subject: ...
This user's post has been ignored.
2007-08-05 9:15 PM
in reply to: #913909

Extreme Veteran
482
100100100100252525
Subject: RE: Winter Park Mt. Bike Race Series #5

Sweeeet! Now, now....not everyone said not to race. Then again, I guess my first response was to not go but eventually I had your back! Glad you did it and glad you were able to hold back enough to not get hurt again.

Fun race report.

Michael

2007-08-06 1:45 AM
in reply to: #913909

Subject: ...
This user's post has been ignored.


2007-08-06 5:41 AM
in reply to: #913909

Champion
26509
500050005000500050001000500
Sydney
Subject: RE: Winter Park Mt. Bike Race Series #5
You are a nut but thats why I love you! Congrats on getting back into it AND staying rubberside down!!! Sounds like a LOT of fun
2007-08-06 6:29 AM
in reply to: #913909

St Petersburg, Florida
Subject: RE: Winter Park Mt. Bike Race Series #5

You are a nut!! That's why I like you sooo much! 

Way to go and the relaxing afterwards reminds me of going to fat tire races up in NC..  It's a different caliber  

Did you get a phone number?  hmmm????

2007-08-06 12:00 PM
in reply to: #913909

Master
1732
100050010010025
Delafield, Wisconsin
Subject: RE: Winter Park Mt. Bike Race Series #5
So I'm thinking how weird is that there are two Regimoms on BT. Because THAT Regimom can't be doing a race report because she is recoverying from a broken collarbone. Turns out there is just one Regimom and she is crazy. Nice race! Glad you had fun and did not hurt anything.
2007-08-08 11:02 PM
in reply to: #913909

Mesa
Subject: RE: Winter Park Mt. Bike Race Series #5
Nice job!

The descent at the end sounded like a lot of fun!
2007-08-11 8:12 PM
in reply to: #913909

, Alabama
Subject: RE: Winter Park Mt. Bike Race Series #5

Nice job!  I probably would've turned around and run away if I had just healed from a crash and found bloody people walking back with their bikes!  But you're tougher than me, I guess!  Sounds like fun!

 Sharon O.



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