Lucky 113….Almost

Sunday was the Greenbiar Challenge in Boonsboro, MD. It was a UCI 2 classified mountain bike event which means the top ten finishers would get points toward qualifying for world cup events and the Olympics for 2008.

We arrived fresh on Saturday and I was eager to test ride the trail since it was going to be my third time on my mountain bike since December 2006. Northeast living means limited outdoor riding as I have mentioned numerous times. I took a quick spin out on the race course and found it fun, fast and all completely rideable even with my pre-race “I don’t wanna crash before I get to the startline” jitters. I am getting so much more confident and better in the roots, rocks and the sneaky leaf covered trails hiding trolls that want to take you out.

My number was 113 and I was not sure how that was going to pan out. I think Italy is one of the only countries that views the number 13 as lucky. Anyhow, I pinned my number on my sweet new threads of my new team North Atlantic Velo. For this race I had a strategy. Since the stresses in my personal life has seriously encroached my mental race energy I had to take a different plan of action. My head was not in the game – in so many words, I had a tough time wanting to race. Submitting a downgrade request to beginner was sounding really nice (that sound you hear is my husband coughing “Sandbagger!” into his hands).

At the gun I actually took my time off the start. As you can see, I am not in the picture. I kept my nerves sort of in check. I was on of the last chicks off the line and into the single track. This is not something I normally practice because passing racers on the single track expends a lot of energy.

By the second lap, my head was in the game. I was reeling in the chicks one at time, clawing my way up to the top 10. Keeping a steady pace, I climbed the steep hills really strong, clamored down some of the descents, dropped the hammer on everything else and tried not to hit the bubbas fishing next to the lake that we had to skirt around. The pro men were sent out before the pro women and were really kind about not pushing the women racers off the course and announcing themselves when they passed.

My third lap was just as speedy as my second lap until I came through the last root and mud downhill section. All of a sudden I heard a snap and shshshshhshsh. Yup, I shredded my rear tire. Quickly moving to the side of the trail I slapped a tube in while I watched all the racers I had previously passed whiz by me…….sadness….I gingerly rode to the start finish area yelling for a new wheel. The neutral support lickity split provided me with a wheel and tube. WOW! Although the gearing was off and the wheel was so heavy comparatively, I was so happy I was not going to DNF.

I finished out my final fourth lap and was ready to head to the showers. But USADA (US Anti-Doping Association) was there to greet me and chaperone me to provide a sample. Lucky 113 strikes again. They hauled my muddy body down about mile to the station. The lady driving the Gator was laughing at the prospect of me walking back to the car. She said with a giggle, “It sure is going to be a long walk back to your car.” I told her I was going to be pretty pissed off if I had to walk back in my biking shoes. (No pun intended.) I had to wait about 45 minutes and was released without having to provide a sample since I was on second reserve. That means if none of the first picks showed I was the fill-in. Nice.

So where is the luck in all of this? I really have to dig deep these days to find pleasant things to think about with all the drama that has been going in my life. So here it goes:

I am married to the coolest and most supportive guy in the world who drives me all over the US and Canada for bike races.
I finished the race.
I got to meet up with some race pals from last season- YEAH!
I did not get hurt.
The race course was wicked awesome.
The promoters for the race were fantastic-thanks to Jim at Potomac Velo and all his crew! Great race!