When Life Gets in the Way of Your Racing Schedule

Don’t you hate it when life gets in the way of your racing schedule? This past weekend I had a number of commitments that, much to my chagrin, took precedent over racing. Two highly profiled and anticipated races in the MABRA series were being held, one locally, no less (almost unheard of in the mid-Atlantic cross world). While an out-of-town wedding kept me from Saturday’s race, I was determined not to let both races slip by. I caught an early flight out of Providence on Sunday morning and arrived in Baltimore a little after 9am, well ahead of my 130p start at Race Pace Cross in Sykesville, MD.

With Nate back from his tour of duty in New Orleans, he's back at the reigns of the Ram driving me from race to race. This provides me plenty of time to anxiously await the start of my races. I hadn’t felt this nervous in awhile and I realized that without having to worry about the logistics of driving or packing up my gear, I was now free to harbor all kinds of neurosis! After stopping for some quick carbs and electrolytes, a futile effort to chase away the lingering hangover from a night spent at the open bar; we arrived at the race course.

Fortunately, all the fast girls were away in New England at the UCI races, leaving me with a field that didn’t seem insurmountable. I was a little discouraged that Melanie Swartz was out with a broken thumb, as I usually try to stay on her wheel for as long as I can (which isn't long at all). There were seven of us signed up but only five on the start line. Susan Haywood, the NORBA champion who had been dominating the past few cross races, didn’t show up. I can’t say I was disappointed.

Before my race, I had practiced my off-camber climbs and descents on the field behind the baseball backstop, as I had noticed some uneven sections on the backstretch where racers seemed to disappear for extended periods of time. I also interviewed a number of people who had raced the course earlier in the day, looking for helpful hints and useful strategies. The course was grassy with some sharp corners and an uphill towards the finish. Nate and I rode a few laps of the course before my race and it was fast and fun! I especially loved the moments of paved road, which allowed me to put it in gear, get in my drops and go hard and make up any time lost on the corners or barriers.

At the start, the official had joked to the five of us that I, in the PVC jersey, planned to “win the whole thing.” I joked back, smirking at the irony of such a statement, as I was probably the least likely of us to actually win! However, with a start like the one I had, I thought, for a second, that perhaps I could be a contender. I started off smart and zippy! I kept on Sami Fournier’s wheel for most of the course. She got away at the barriers, but I still held one of the Hunt Valley girls off until the climb at the end. I kept on her wheel for a bit and then she was gone. I was never more than a minute behind her and I felt strong as I wound my way around the course.

I had devised a way to tackle the hill, which each time seemed steeper with every lap. I’d ride three quarters up and dismount on my derailleur-side so that I could push my way up and use the right-hand turn around the tree to my advantage. This enabled me to clip in with my right side first and push off to remount; thus only sacrificing a few seconds. It worked like a charm and I was off without much of a fuss, but I’m sure it looked funny to those watching nearby.

In the end, I finished last and a lap behind, as Betsy Shauer passed me on the bell lap. But a fifth place finish is fifth place nonetheless, and I have consistently secured a top five ranking in the MABRA series for now. With only one more MABRA race before championships, I am excited and encouraged to keep trucking along.

See you next weekend at the Pennsylvania State Championships (Marysville, PA on 11/19) and in Richmond, VA (VACX #4) on 11/20.