Big Breath. Cheq 2009 is in the books.
The Short & Fat Racers: Kat, John, Karmen
Once again it was an exciting time for me. It was fun to hang out with the Bike Tech group and get to talk and talk about bike stuff and racing stuff. I got to hang out with Kathleen, John, Jenny, Bill, and Paul in a lakeside house for a few days of sunshine.
It was a BEAUTIFUL day for racing Saturday. Sunny and not too hot. I rode the Short & Fat 16 mile race of constant ups and downs or varying amounts. I got a better starting spot by arriving at the start line about 1 hour ahead. I think I was in the front 1/3 of the group. There were 866 riders. Such a cool atmosphere! Lots of bikes and people and hub-bub. It’s neat to see all the wheels in the air of the bikes placed upside down to hold a spot.
It only took 30 seconds for me to cross the actual starting line this year. I was hoping to head out at a medium strong pace, but decided it was safer to settle in a little slower b/c of all the people around me. About the time I was thinking I wanted to push it a little and start dodging some people more aggressively to move ahead I heard people shouting “biker down, go to the outside!” As I moved to the side the gap opening ahead of me revealed a bike lying in the middle of the road and off to the right I saw someone helping a lady to sit down on the side of the rode. She looked quite shaken up and her sunglasses were askew. I chose to hold up a bit b/c the pavement was looking awfully hard to me at that time. Shortly it turned into gravel and people started spreading out a little more. I started to cautiously move my way up a bit. There were more people passing me than I was passing I think. It amazed me how so many people could pass me and there would still be gobs of people behind me. Turns out I finished about 550 of 866 so based on estimate of number of people ahead of me at the start line I was probably passed by 200 people – maybe? – just guessing. I didn’t pass a bunch of people, but was able to pass several and that is an ego booster for me. I tried to let it roll on the gravel downhills, but used some cautious judgement if a curve approached b/c there was some sand lurking out there. I was thankful to be cautious on one in particular as I rolled into some thick sand and saw someone off the side who had wrecked not too long ago was re-grouping. I used a couple opportunities to take a stab at drafting. I think I actually settled into the sweet spot a few times. I didn’t end up staying there though b/c the person I caught was going too slow so I moved on. After some time on a rough fire road the course turned back onto gravel for a long curvy downhill strethch. In retrospect I wish I had opened it up more on the long gravel downhill. I had the energy to go faster but didn’t b/c of the people around me and I didn’t trust my ability enough to respond to an oops on my part or another rider’s part and didn’t want to chance a crash. I was telling myself that it’s better to finish a tad slower than not finish at all.
Once the course turned onto the Birkebiner Cross Country Ski Trail I developed a markedly different downhill attitude. The grass of the Birky was much less threatening to me and I raced down the hills like a madwoman. I knew I could manage the curves and whatever the grass threw at me and just let it all go. Some of the uphills I could then roll over pretty easily. Some uphills though I was passed by those I had just blown past. Gotta do some work there yet. I was able to make it halfway up Big Bertha this year. My goal next year is to make it all the way. It will be in me by then I think. After the Birky the course includes a section that resembles wide singletrack. I started to have some more trouble in this section b/c of fatigue. I also got caught behind a few slower people and didn’t do well at taking the opportunities to pass them when I should have. About 1/3 the way up a long climb in this area my chain came off so I had to stop and slip it back on. I must admit the little standing break was alright, but what really aggravated me was looking up at the long hill I had to get going on again from 0 mph AFTER I let about 10 people pass me that I had passed earlier on. I remember now that there was comotion preceeding that climb due to another down’d rider. I looked over at him sitting there somewhat dazed with a scuff on his forehead and lost concentration a bit. There were times during this portion of the race that I was totally putzing along and I said to myself “you gotta be going faster here to make your goal time” but there was nothing in the physical or mental tank to speed up so I just recovered and kept on keeping on.
Shortly before heading back out onto the gravel road for the last mile I passed a lady strapped to a backboard to be taken for help. That was pretty unsettling. I don’t know what happened there b/c it seemed like an ordinary section. I soon turned out onto the road for the final gravel climb and 3rd to last climb of the race. After the gravel climb there is a fun downhill roller area in the grass, but then it immediately becomes one of the most challenging climbs of the race. To look at the hill it doesn’t seem like it should be so tough, but it is! I kept chugging up it saying “I will not get off my bike!” and “once I get to the top it is a greaat downhill.” I was grateful to get to the top but disappointed too b/c I was so tired that I had to be careful on the downhill so I wouldn’t crash b/c of fatigue induced technical error. Plus, just a touch after I started the downhill they started hollering “rider down” again. Then there at the start of the “s” curve before the fininsh was a guy wiped out by the fence. I handled that curve well and then had recovered well enough to be able to race down toward the final left hand sweeping curve. I took it wide and passed somone and kept in mind to keep centered and load the pedals and I took that curve better than ever! Then I pulled out my kick-butt attitude again, stood up and dug out the final hill before the finish line. I was hugging the fence to avoid the sandy spots and probably nearly blew spit into the spectators faces as I huffed by them. At one place along there someone was leaning forward with their head over the fence to see. I remember thinking something along the line of “I hope you see me and pull your head back b/c I don’t have the energy to change my line and it’s going to be an owie for you if my shoulder hits your head.” Glad to report there was no shoulder into head incident.
I crossed the finish line at 1:32:?? Then I heard John holler my name and I was really happy to have a cheering section. I managed to stay put for them to take the timing chip off my ankle. It seems like it shouldn’t be hard to stand still for a couple seconds for them to do that, but I think it is really hard. Maybe it is the quick change from working really hard to having to be still. I feel like I need to be able to move around some to catch my breath or something I guess. Then I rolled out of the finish chute and got cheers and hugs from my biking pals Kat and John.
I was disappointed I didn’t make my goal time of 1:25. In time and after bouncing things off Kathleen I was able to gain a positive perspective and be able to embrace the fun of the event. After changing clothes and having some food and a bit of rest on the hillside, it was time to start looking for Bill to finish the 40 mile event. I stood along the fence at the curve along the uphill and offered encouragement to nearly everyone who pedaled past and cheered especially hard as Bill came on by.
During the awards ceremony I clapped and cheered for John and Kat as they received their prizes and medals. I also started thinking about what I was going to do to improve for next year.
It was a great time!
Ride free! )|(
Karmen
