Hi Ho Buckeystown!

Marisa Peacock
10.02.06

This weekend at Buckeystown for Lilypons Cross proved to be an exciting, sunny day. Though I prefer real cross conditions rather the Indian Summer that greeted us today, even I must admit that it is rather nice to sport a sunburn in October. Nate and I arrived a few minutes before 10 to meet up with Gretchen, who’d be racing for PVC in the Women’s B category. She called us around 930, a bit frantic, because she had forgotten her helmet. I had an extra with me and I told her she wasn’t the first person to do this. Nate forgot his this summer at the Cranky series and I forgot mine last year at Chimbrazzo Park in Richmond. Both times, we were able to borrow others and all went well.

Gretchen raced well. She looked good on the course and I was so very excited to have another pair of XX chromosomes on the course representing PVC. YAY!

After Gretchen’s race, Nate and I rode the course. It looked just as fierce as I remembered it. The run-ups, the steep downhills, the gravel. I made an effort to ride the course without the pressure of a start time looming over my head, minutes away. Instead, I rode the course hours ahead of my race. I was able to pay closer attention to my position on the course and watch how others tackled sections. I think this was very helpful and will try to do the same in upcoming races.

I didn’t race until 130p, so I watched the start of Nate’s race at 1215p and then warmed up on the trainer. They kept announcing the women’s A race as the Pro race, which made me nervous. I calmed down reminding myself that I raced Women’s A last season and did rather well. I would do well today. It’ll be fun to get out there and see what I’ve got. My legs felt good. A week of good workouts would prove strong on the course.

At the start line, we paused for the National Anthem. The officials announced “play ball” and we were off. A good solid start and I was off the back. There was one woman behind me and she wouldn’t catch me until the barriers. I hung on to her wheel. There were three of us that were together. I held on for as long as I could until the second lap, when I struggled with my gears. I was never too far behind, but it was clear this was my own race. I loved the course. I handled it very well. It wasn’t too muddy or too hard—just right. The gravel proved to be manageable and most remarkable—the run ups and down hills were great. I ran up each of the run up sections, which saved me time and were relatively easy—my legs felt useful and strong. It wasn’t until the very end of my second to last lap that I was caught. Deirdre lapped me. However, she led by a huge gap, so no other woman lapped me. Pretty neat, even if I still wound up in last place. Afterwards, I congratulated Deidre and she complimented me on my bike. Peter Nicholl also interviewed me afterwards, so I felt like I belonged, if only for a moment in the Women’s A field.

Overall finish: 11th (5 points)