It Ain't Over Yet.

Sheboygan is over and WORS 2011 is in the books.   I left it all out on the course and managed to sneak myself into the last podium spot.  While it wasn't my first elite podium, it was my first one at She-Vegas.  And I couldn't be more pleased with how I wrapped up my WORS 2011 season.

Photo by Loren Beyer

Clearly I thought it was a cyclocross race.

Photo by Niki Frazier

Running is not my thing, but sometimes it's a must.

Photo by Niki Frazier

I looked pretty calm considering there was some fast company nipping at my heels for the majority of the race.

Most people are hanging up their mountain bike shoes and calling it a season.  Not me.  I'm a glutton for punishment.  Yesterday I made my way over to Badger Prairie and signed up for my first WCA Cyclcross race of the year.  I wish I could say I was the Little Engine That Could.

But really, I was the Little Engine That Couldn't.  The Little Engine who exploded into 1000 pieces and barely made it to the finish line....full of pain, fury and a jersey full of spit and snot.
 

Getting dropped on the start line makes for a really long 45 minute race.  A flat, fast, windy, open, non-technical course doesn't really do a scrappy mountain biker like myself any favors.  Catching back on to the pack was near impossible, but I gave it my best shot.  Sitting in 8th (a.k.a DFL), I was somehow able to weasel my way into 7th after the first lap or two.  

So I sat there, lap after lap, pounding on the pedals, heart singing to the tune of 180+ bpm...wondering why I didn't call it a season after Sheybogan.  Thinking all kinds of negative thoughts in my head like - this hurts, I suck, I hate cyclocross, bike racing is stupid.  I could go on, but I think you get the point.

On my last lap I finally pulled up behind the racer in 6th place.  I sat on her wheel though a few turns and let myself recover.  She decided to ride around the sand pit while I rode right through it.  Boom, I was ahead of her.  My excitement was short lived, as she stood up on the pedals and made her way right back to my wheel...and was past me in an instant.  I chased her up the run up, onto the road, into the prairie and inevitably crossed the finish line behind her.  7th out of 8th on the day.  Not impressive, but I gave it my mountain biker all.

The amazing thing about Cyclcross is during the race you hate it and vow to never do it again.  But when it's over you suffer from a major case of amnesia,  forget how terrible it was and think about how awesome it would be to do it again.

My amnesia must be in full effect because I'm already excited about winding it up for the double header next weekend.  Thank you sir, may I have another?