After mountain biking for about a year and a half I was ready for my very first mountain bike race. I started training in the winter by taking a spin class, going to Ray’s Indoor Mtn bike Park, and I got out on my bike a few times including pre-riding the race course a couple weeks before. I was so psyched, the first race of the West Virginia Mountain Bike Association (WVMBA) series was going to be in my home town where I ride quite a bit. Drew, my coach and significant-other went on the pre-ride with me and gave tips and tricks etc to increase my speed and to help me be a little more competitive in my women’s beginner category. My goal from the beginning was always to finish the race and not to be last, but come on – that competitive edge inside me said it wouldn’t be so bad if I pushed myself and finished in the top of my class – right?
We watched the weather like hawks in the weeks leading up to the Simonton Challenge at Mountwood on April 11, 2011. The forecasted temperatures were in the 80’s. Yay! That’s my kind of weather, no snow! The day before the race I pre-rode the first major two-mile hill in the rain, I did good and felt good; I was soooo going to do good. The trails were holding up great, the River Valley Mountain Bike Association (RVMBA) takes great care of the trails, adding new bridges and log-overs.
The day of the race I arrived at Mountwood park with a record capacity of 229 other riders, which was quite overwhelming and increased the nervous jitters. Riding around warming up with the other riders helped ease the nerves until the rider meeting and the following line-up. The first wave of riders took off at noon and then every 2-3 minutes till my group at 12:11, that was a crazy long 11 minutes. I was so focused and ready to go, then they counted down “5-4-3-2-1 and we’re off!” I took off trying to keep up with the rest of the beginner pack, still nervous but such an amazing wave of relief to be moving, though I did feel eerily alone riding with so many people I didn’t know.
After about a quarter of a mile of paved road we arrived at the bottom of the gravel two-mile climb. I was coached not to worry about staying with the pack heading up that climb so I wouldn’t blow-up. But, being competitive, it was so hard not to try and keep up with the pack – so by the time I got to the top, I was completely crushed and overheated. My body just started shutting down, which completely freaked me out and lead to an outright panic attack. I got off my bike and started walking (I had to keep moving right?). My legs didn’t want to work nor did my upper body; I wanted to lie down and go to sleep on the trail. I had no idea how the heck I was going to get off the mountain, let alone finish the race. I couldn’t even walk, and I thought I was going to die or pass out in the very least. Everyone that I was ahead of started passing me at this point and the sweeps came up to check on me. While the sweep was getting salt pills for me I started gagging and heaving and came close to throwing-up. I rested for a few minutes, regained my composure, and started walking. Yay, I could walk! Then I climbed back on my bike and started riding, walking, and resting in intervals. The sweeps kept encouraging me and Drew, God bless him, was around every corner taking pictures, cheering me on, giving me water, taking my Camelbak, and everything else I could possibly take off, including my jersey (did I mention it was hot?!).
I finally got my legs back under me and was excited to be able to clear all the log-overs and bridges and I actually passed two other riders. The trail conditions were great. The final couple miles were a fun descent so I was able to fly down the hill, past my cheering parents and down the last stretch to the finish line. Hell yeah I made it. I didn’t even have to crawl across the finish line, I was able to ride my bike! My time was 1:32 and I placed 5 of 6 in the women’s beginner class. Ok, so it wasn’t at the top of my class but at this point I was so happy to have finished the race and yes I’m off to the races next weekend, this is fun…right?
