The Marysville festival / weekend / race / thing was great. Although I felt really strong going into the weekend, I made some bad mistakes that probably kept me from winning. But no excuses because the best person won, and mountain biking is a hard sport. I've found out that it's not about having good luck, but about not having any bad luck.
It all started off great. I had absolutly no confidence going into this, because my last good race was Granogue, which was a month ago (the Stoopid doesn't count cause no one else was there). But the Night TT went really well. Not really, cause I had 3 falls that took a while to recover from. Falling at night is hard cause it takes you a while to realize where you are. My legs felt great, and was red-lining 200 bpm the whole race, maxing out at 212. I probably should have had more practice at night riding; this was the second time I had ever ridden at night, and the first time this year. It was a really fun course, and definitly a race that I will do again next year. I didn't really race the whole thing, just started kinda fast and rode the rest as a warm up for tomorrow. After I fell twice I didn't really feel like pinning it anymore, so I just let Gunnar go instead of chasing him. But it was really fun.
I didn't have the best of sleep last night; I had put my bag inside my tent and elevated my feet up on it so that I could remove any lactate from my legs (although I didn't feel any, it was probably there). But in the bag was my water for tomorows XC race. Somehow it leaked out, spilling water over all of my racing clothes. I got up in the middle of the night to find a puddle of water all over my side of the tent. But it was in a tent, so in my opinion, it was better than my own bed (I have no idea why I am so twisted to believe that, but I am).
On Saturday, I made the biggest and possibly the most stupid mistake I had ever made in a race since I was 10. Today was another nutrition mistake. We got up at 7:30 to pack up our stuff and carry it back to the car. I had a good race breakfast of pancakes and was ready to go. But the problem was that I didn't have any water that morning and didn't have anything to eat since then. MISTAKE. I was really dehydrated going into the race, and athough my legs felt great, I didn't have it in me to race as intensly as I needed to. I bonked really bad about half way through the first lap.
The race started off great. I didn't feel bad at the start, and tried a slightly different race strategy (sorry, I can't say what it is cause I'm not sure who's reading this). I don't know if it would have worked because I bonked so bad, but I felt good. Gunnar was leading mostly the whole race, and I tried to stay on his wheel, which was hard because of having to pass so many people. There were a few times where I should have jumped on him and taken the lead, but I don't know why I didn't. I got stuck behind a train of people on some singletrack that you couldn't pass on, and lost Gunnar. I was getting splits from some of the racers' parents telling me that I was about a minute back. But then, I forgot I was on my hardtail. There was one particularly big log crossing that I bombed into, and it sent me flying into the thornbushes. I went to get back on the bike, doing that thing where you run along side the bike and jump on the seat, but missed and landed one the top tube. OUCH. I kept seeing riders in black helmets, orange and black bikes, and BikeSport jerseys, thinking they were Gunnar. So I gave it my all to catch them, it wasted my energy. Then I bonked. On the second lap, I passed one of my riding partners (who was pre-riding). I asked him if he had any goo, and it worked out perfectly, because he rode back to his car, and met me at the only road intersection. I got a handoff of cola flavored goo (normally I wouldn't touch it, but I was so hungry that it didn't matter). It was enough to get me to the finish, but not enough to get me 2nd. Gunner was 1st, Jacob 2nd, and I was 3rd. I know that Jacob is a really good 13 year old, but the fact that he beat me is messing with my head.
It all started off great. I had absolutly no confidence going into this, because my last good race was Granogue, which was a month ago (the Stoopid doesn't count cause no one else was there). But the Night TT went really well. Not really, cause I had 3 falls that took a while to recover from. Falling at night is hard cause it takes you a while to realize where you are. My legs felt great, and was red-lining 200 bpm the whole race, maxing out at 212. I probably should have had more practice at night riding; this was the second time I had ever ridden at night, and the first time this year. It was a really fun course, and definitly a race that I will do again next year. I didn't really race the whole thing, just started kinda fast and rode the rest as a warm up for tomorrow. After I fell twice I didn't really feel like pinning it anymore, so I just let Gunnar go instead of chasing him. But it was really fun.
I didn't have the best of sleep last night; I had put my bag inside my tent and elevated my feet up on it so that I could remove any lactate from my legs (although I didn't feel any, it was probably there). But in the bag was my water for tomorows XC race. Somehow it leaked out, spilling water over all of my racing clothes. I got up in the middle of the night to find a puddle of water all over my side of the tent. But it was in a tent, so in my opinion, it was better than my own bed (I have no idea why I am so twisted to believe that, but I am).
On Saturday, I made the biggest and possibly the most stupid mistake I had ever made in a race since I was 10. Today was another nutrition mistake. We got up at 7:30 to pack up our stuff and carry it back to the car. I had a good race breakfast of pancakes and was ready to go. But the problem was that I didn't have any water that morning and didn't have anything to eat since then. MISTAKE. I was really dehydrated going into the race, and athough my legs felt great, I didn't have it in me to race as intensly as I needed to. I bonked really bad about half way through the first lap.
The race started off great. I didn't feel bad at the start, and tried a slightly different race strategy (sorry, I can't say what it is cause I'm not sure who's reading this). I don't know if it would have worked because I bonked so bad, but I felt good. Gunnar was leading mostly the whole race, and I tried to stay on his wheel, which was hard because of having to pass so many people. There were a few times where I should have jumped on him and taken the lead, but I don't know why I didn't. I got stuck behind a train of people on some singletrack that you couldn't pass on, and lost Gunnar. I was getting splits from some of the racers' parents telling me that I was about a minute back. But then, I forgot I was on my hardtail. There was one particularly big log crossing that I bombed into, and it sent me flying into the thornbushes. I went to get back on the bike, doing that thing where you run along side the bike and jump on the seat, but missed and landed one the top tube. OUCH. I kept seeing riders in black helmets, orange and black bikes, and BikeSport jerseys, thinking they were Gunnar. So I gave it my all to catch them, it wasted my energy. Then I bonked. On the second lap, I passed one of my riding partners (who was pre-riding). I asked him if he had any goo, and it worked out perfectly, because he rode back to his car, and met me at the only road intersection. I got a handoff of cola flavored goo (normally I wouldn't touch it, but I was so hungry that it didn't matter). It was enough to get me to the finish, but not enough to get me 2nd. Gunner was 1st, Jacob 2nd, and I was 3rd. I know that Jacob is a really good 13 year old, but the fact that he beat me is messing with my head.
1 comment:
Madison I was right behind yu when you jumped on your bike and ...OUCH!..then I passed you on the hill climb right after the hay field...asked ya what was up, you said you bonked, dude you ever need any gU just ask I always carry plenty..usually orange or vanilla (those flavors have caffine)...I'm the old man SS'er.
Ed
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