I've never ridden 20 miles on my mt bike before. I think Sea Otter was a little less than that. It's always amazing what we think we can 't do, then end up doing anyway. It's a good thing I went to Santa Teresa last week, cause when I was waaaaaaay back in last place riding uphill on the road being passed by everybody and their grandmother, I could comfort myself with the fact that I might suck at cross country, but at least I made it down Rocky Ridge. It was when I started wishing I was at Santa Teresa INSTEAD of the cccx race, then I knew I was in trouble.
It was a very easy course; not too technical with some sand. Mostly flatish with two awful road climbs. What is up with putting pavement in a mountain bike course? I hate that.
My results:
I was last. Really last. Very much, really no doubt about it, probably couldn't be anymore lastest kind of last. Oh well. What else was I going to do on a Sunday morning in Monterey besides sleep in, then go cruise around on the street sessioning stairs. This way at least I got a cool tshirt and water bottle. Oh wait. No I didn't.
Race observations:
Snakes. Ick. There shouldn't be any snakes ever.
There are really big ants in Monterey. Really big. They could cast these ants in a remake of that sci fi movie where ants take over the world.
I didn't ride clipped in because I hate my clipped in pedals, and even if I had ridden clipped in I still would have been last, just not really really last.
I liked riding the race course; it was a lot of fun the first lap. By lap three it just kind of sucked.
I probably should have warmed up a bit before I started the race. I still would have been last, but maybe just really last instead of really, really last?
After the first lap I pretended I was Juliana Furtado and actually in first place leading the pack instead of last place. Because it's hard to be motivated to sludge through three more laps when you know there's a good chance by the time you're done the sports class will have already started.
I drank a coke today. I never drink coke. I think I've fallen in with the wrong crowd, and I'm going to have to have some kind of intervention.
Racing is cool because then you get to eat chocolate covered donuts and not feel guilty.
Next time I'll bring my own box of chocolate covered donuts.
So I didn't win a medal or anything. And I didn't get a tshirt, or a water bottle, or even a package of "beat the heat" electrolyte replacements. But I still had a great weekend. I got to hang out in Monterey with my favorite mountain biker, ride my Juliana over some fun singletrack, and add another raceplate to my collection.
It's all good.
9 comments:
I have a water bottle for you, my friend.
And I don't think you were last.
ps -- you still didn't tell me what's up with the lizard...
Maybe I have a boy george fetish. :)
want a cat?
Julie doesn't like cats. She does, however, like Boy George.
you did great out there, you finished!
sorry i didn't stay to talk, i was a bit bummed out.
we'll see if i try this mtbiking thing again next year or not.
but thanks for the pushes!
Isn't it funny how we all get bummed about stuff like this? I think I'm finally growing in that respect, or maybe I just have a whole new outlook on life and competing after my illness last year.
I was bummed for a minute yesterday. Maybe two minutes. But it was during the race (not after it) and then I just let it go.
I should've been with the leaders. I WAS with the leaders. I WAS the leader. And then I kept falling off my bike. How frustrating was that. Legs felt awesome lungs were strong and I couldn't keep the bike under me.
One of my big lessons is to keep life in perspective. We're riding our bikes, spending time with friends, and it's fun. That's all good.
One of my other lessons is to race frequently. Not only does it keep you fresh and make you a better racer, but it gives you more chances to make up for the sucky races (and we all have sucky races -- even Olaf had one).
ps -- you got 7th (out of 9). That's so not last!!!
Well, not to make anybody feel bad, but if those silly race directors hadn't confused Mary into only doing three laps she totally would have beaten me. I don't know what happened to the other girl, but to my way of thinking I was last out of everybody who did four laps.
But it's okay, I'm not feeling bad about it. I rode very well; just slow.
I'm really bummed with the no t-shirt bit. That sucks!
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