Heat Seeking Missile

Driving almost four hours round trip to pre-ride the Hodges Village Dam race course in Oxford, MA seemed like a huge mistake. But I have realized how important it is for me in preparing for race day. Still, I wonder if the effort is worth it as I spent half the day on the highway dodging RV’s, mini-vans and Floridians up north for the summer.

The venue was in a grassy bowl behind a dam. Of course it was hot out for the New England contingent. From my new bike shoes I was in a comfortable toasty bliss in the 90 degree sun. I felt giddy and my stomach was tossing while I was warming up for the start. I tried to relax by riding in the kid’s race, encouraging the next generation of racers. One kid yelled at some expert guy, “Dude get OFF the trail, I’m racin’!!” I know how he feels….

At the whistle, I took off like a missile. I had my strategy to keep a strong pace without blowing myself up in the 5 mile 4 lap race. The trails were smooth with root tangles and short hill bursts that made my heart pound hard and fast. Only one short little loose hike-a-bike and a barricaded bridge was in my way of clearing everything on the tight tree-lined trails and fast flat double-track.
I took the lead the first two laps zipping through each turn decisively and with confidence. I pedaled every chance I could get. A tiny misstep on a sharp right turn sent me almost off the trail and another racer cut inside to pass me. It was a sweet move on her part, bad on mine. I managed to pass her at the barricaded bridge doing a decisive nifty ‘cross maneuver and hopping through the tiny break in the cement carrying my bike over the wall.

At the third lap there were three of us almost wheel to wheel. I backed off a little to grab water from the feed zone and a new bottle of juice. I figured during the first two laps I was able to close this gap and snag the lead and would do the same here. Before I knew it, she had taken the lead was not in sight. I put my head down to close in on her. Another racer, Sarah, was on my tail. The leader of the men’s pro field lapped us and right behind him was what I thought to be another pro/expert racer who almost took me out on a turn into the single track, only to pull off the race course a little past the feed zone to go pee in the trees. He was warming up for the sport race later on in the day. I wanted to say, “Dude get OFF the trail, I’m racin’!!” But I did not want to spare any energy.

Latching onto my secret race mantra and remembering my fellow race pal, Christie, and her determination at the Rim Nordic stage race I kept the legs churning for the last lap. I was determined to go fast. I am finding my race spirit again. With the leader barely in my sights at each turn I kept pushing myself to go harder. Swinging through the last turn to the finish my right leg cramped. Yow! I kept my left leg turning and rolled over the finish line in 2nd and HAPPY! Instead of being minutes behind, it was only 23 seconds. This was my best cross country finish of the season!