32nd/142
Well, I did it. I obviously ended up competing at Nationals and ended up with a respectable finish in my opinion. I got up early and began my 4 hour journey south in fog and dark. I was 10 minutes down the road when I suddenly realized I forgot to pack a pair of gloves. Doh! Babs gets a kick out of me and my gloves because I have almost as many pairs as she does shoes. The weather report was for cloudy skies and temps around 50 so I was probably going to need to wear a pair. Thinking I was on a tight schedule, I didn’t turn around and luckily spied a nice pair of $.99 cotton, orange, work gloves at the gas station where I filled up! I would definitely not look fashionable, but at least I could stop worrying about it! I arrived at the venue in plenty of time and had a chance to watch mountain bike legend Ned Overend demolish the 50-54 field. I walked around the course a bit and noticed it was virtually unchanged from last year. The biggest difference: no rain, sleet, snow, or gale force winds to contend with! The trip was already worth it! I registered and headed back to the car. I found a great parking place and was able to reserve a spot for my dad who showed up a short time later. I showed him the lay of the land, educated him on the race a bit, and tasked him with counting places for me as I rode by. I then proceeded to warm up on the trainer. Funny how easy it is to get the heart rate up in a hurry on race day! After working up a sweat I hopped onto the course for a couple of pre-ride laps and then headed to staging. The course was National caliber: challenging. There were long paved straightaways, short steep climbs, a tall set of barriers, 3 running stairs sections. Conditions were ripe for a fast race as only the turns displayed a little slippery mud. I lined up in the 2nd of 12 rows that consisted of riders 12-across. the gun went off and we sprinted up the road before hitting grass. Happily, the start was uneventful and all I had to do was find my groove and pin it. There was a slight bottleneck on a tight left hander, but I was surprised at how quickly the field stretched out. There was plenty of space to pass or be passed. As the order got jumbled about, I was passed by a few more guys than I had passed. The first time around, my dad estimated I was 37th. I settled into a small pack of 5 and drafted in the open sections and made passes in the turns, but this time more wisely! The next time around I heard I was 27th so that was good. I fell into a good rhythm, although I wasn’t what I would describe as comfortable! I was going as hard as I could, and that’s never “comfortable!” I think we ended up doing 5 laps within the 45minute window. I do know, that I wished we only did 3! As we came around the start/finish with 2 to go, I was beginning to feel the effects of the effort. For the first time all season I felt some twinges of cramping in the legs. The run ups were taking their toll and it hurt getting on and off the bike. The barriers were the most intimidating as you came up on them going pretty fast, they were tall, and I wasn’t sure if I could raise my legs high enough. On the final lap, I felt like I was doing a chicken dance because me legs seized for an instant and I couldn’t remount. It was at this point that I had to ride defensively. My dad said I was 32nd with 2 to go and I was satisfied with that, but didn’t want to lose any more positions. I lost touch with a few guys ahead of me, so I forced myself to hunker down in this no-man’s land and ride smoothly, and as strongly as I could to get me to the end. There was a pair of guys just behind me who could close at any moment. I suffered through the final run ups and my legs felt like lead weights on the climbs. I couldn’t push a very big gear on the straights so I set my sights on the last climb to hit hard and hope to maintain my distance from the chasers. Surprisingly, I actually gained a little ground on the guys ahead of me as they no-doubt were jockeying for position and decide who would face the headwinds. However, I certainly had no sprint in me so I wasn’t about to contest them. Some fortune was bestowed upon me as I saw my closest competitor wash out on a turn and slow another guy down so I was pretty much home free. Although it’s always good to finish strong, I just pedaled easily to the line and was very happy just to finish. My dad had it right and 32nd was my final placing, although unremarkable, totally satisfying. I was very glad I decided to compete as it gave me an opportunity to end the season on a positive note, and I got to spend some time with my dad who was intrumental with a helping hand as I got ready and giving me position updates. The post-race hot dog was like a banquet! I headed north 45 minutes after my race and arrived at the Christmas party just in time to get in line for food. I had the biggest piece of roast beast ever and washed it down with several beverages not specifically designed to increase endurance! Looking back at the time off, I would say it helped me mentally, but hurt me physically. My legs were definitely not as strong as they needed to be, but it didn’t effect my attitude so I have to say it was a trade-off. In the end, I’m happier with a fresh mind and sore legs than the reverse. Now it’s time to kick back, put the legs up, and get reacquainted with the family! 
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