I was nervous before the race which it was just normal jitters, I think I was more nervous about how congested the first couple miles was going to be especially since the course started off with some technical rocky sections. These areas would slow you down and then of course the riders behind you too which many would have to put a foot down to wait so the line of walking would begin.
I do feel lucky to get the picture below of my pre race potty break, after all my race number was #1. I had text some guys about my race number and Jan text back, "If people yell go #1, you will think you need to go pee". I thought that was hysterical. (Photo courtesy of Brady Bernskoetter)
We got to run up a gravel road to our bikes, it was very similar to RIM a couple years ago. My bike was one of the last to get put in the staging area and it was down the road a ways so I got to run a little extra distance. I wasn't running real hard up the hill but I was panting pretty hard by the time I got to my bike. We had a short section of paved then we dumped onto a gravel section and then across a burned off grassy section and then finally we dropped into single track. After the first couple miles of very slow moving the riders started to get more of a gap, I tend to go out too hard and settled in on a relaxing pace. I was riding 3 deep in a line of riders when the pace got too slow, the second rider went around and I went with him thinking his pace would be much faster. He was faster for a bit but seemed to slow down so I went around and turned it on, maybe turned it on too much. I did have a great first lap and when I came through the pit area I stopped for about a minute, I usually like to pit after going through the timing area but we pitted just before. My second lap was at a pretty good pace too, I started to get some early signs of cramps in my calves toward the end of the second lap. I popped some endurolytes and chewed them up...YUMMMMY!!! That seemed to help and I also made sure to drink a lot of water as well.
I really slowed the pace down on my third lap, I didn't want to push the issue of cramping and I knew I still had a lot of miles left to ride. Pretty early in the 3rd lap, just before a drop in, I popped my shoulder out again. I did this last year and it hurt really bad then and guess what.....it didn't feel any better this time. I stuck my front wheel in a rock and it jammed my arms straight back and my left shoulder was out, the pain was so intense and I knew it needed to go back forward. I am standing straddling my bike with my left shoulder dropped down to reduce the pressure on this ultra painful spot and I rocked my shoulder back and then thrust it forward and back in she went. It was another burst of pain that I can't hardly describe, now I was doubled over the side of my bike while clutching my arm against my body and "expressing myself" in a very much out loud kind of way. I figured if I could just keep going the pain should lessen and my shoulder might stay loose from riding, it was the ride home I was worried about. It only took a few minutes for the pain to get to a manageable level, probably because I was more focused on the trail. Shortly after this incident I was walking up one of the rocky climbs when the guy in the picture below came by me, he asked if I was okay and told him I was just fighting off some cramps. As he powered up the hill he said "Tell them to F#@K OFF!!!" I started laughing, I couldn't help but smile.
While I was out on lap 4 I was starting to feel some fatigue, there were some really fast sections that I felt great on and that helped the lap seem to go faster. It was on this lap that the reality that I still had to finish this lap and then should be able to get 2 more laps started to settle in. I was tired and the course was taking it's toll on my body. I just kept staying after it and trying to ride smart which can be a challenge as your body fatigues. There was a rider that had passed me around lap 2 that I kept pretty close most of the race although it seemed like every time he saw me he would turn on the gas. On lap 5 he stopped to get a gel and I went around expecting him to be on my wheel soon along with another strong rider from the St. Louis area that I was able to pass. Toward the end of my 6th lap (about 2 miles left) there was a switchback and you could see riders that were behind you (this means they could see you too!!!) and I was only about 1/4 mile ahead of them so I knew I had to stay aggressive. I didn't go all out because I didn't want to blow up but I did amp up the watts and stay strong to the finish.
I ended up 6th in the Men's Open out of 13 riders, I was very pleased with these results. I did finish ahead of some riders that are much faster than I am like Cam Kirkpatrick because he stopped early and I did get beat by 2 guys in the Sport class but that's okay because I did have a good race, I'm hoping it just keeps getting better from here!!! If you want to check out the results go to http://www.moto-tally.com/TWC/Results.aspx
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