I went up with the plan to pre-ride 2 easy laps just to scope out the course. At my age I find if possible to not ride the day before a race is best and taking it easy a few days before is also a good idea.
So easy lap 1 was fine. Just a minor tumble - I skidded across a slippery sand covered root while braking in a section full of people practicing riding a rocky section. No biggie.
After rolling off the course on my way to head back to re-fill my water, I was given a little VIP treatment from the Trek World Racing crew - I stopped to say hi to Emily & Adam and while chatting with them, Emily's mechanic came over and wiped the dust off of me so I was ready for easy lap 2! How cool was that!
Easy pre-ride lap 2 was all good and I was feeling happy with the course and ready to race it on Sunday! ....Until I reached almost the end. I could see the chalet and just had one little section left to go...then BOOM. Down I went. Hard. Hard enough I cried a little! I was going full speed, something grabbed my front wheel and I flew off. I remember the feeling of my head clunking the ground & my glasses smooshing off my face. I had to sit on the ground a few minutes to collect myself, then slowly got up, arms & legs still working, and check my bike. Brakes ok, levers all twisted, grips shredded, chain back on, gears working...ride back slooowly to the car.
Back to the car where I made a new friend. The girl parked next to me was helping her kids load up their bikes and saw me... "oh my gosh are you racing on Sunday?". Apparently she was planning to race Sunday also (in my category too!) and my messy situation freaked her out a bit! I assured her the course was totally fine - just a 'moment' for me in an easy section. I still had no idea what the big deal was so she took this picture of me with my phone so I could see myself.
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| Didn't look too bad. Hurt like heck! |
So I put my bike in the car & headed back to the chalet to clean up & see first aid to get a bandaid.
While in the chalet changeroom where there are mirrors I really saw my mess! Gross. Scrapes all the way up to my shoulder. I cleaned my arm in the tiny sink as best I could. A friend of mine who works at Hardwood saw me in there & came back with the first aid kit and helped clean out the little stones from my arm. Ouch! Then she bandaged me up. Aaaaah.
Then I got changed and got to see the other scrapes and locations of bruises to come...oh boy...my hip is going to look nasty. No wonder I hurt so much. And the actual race hadn't even happened yet!
Next stop Trek Aurora - for Zach to do a quick emergency bike check - make sure my bike is safe and good to go again.
So by the end of day Saturday - bike was perfect & after a whole day of resting & icing & Advilling...I was getting more & more nervous!
It wasn't that I was nervous about racing- those kinds of butterflies are normal...I was nervous about just riding! I kept re-playing my fall in my head & it wasn't helping that my husband was also worried and was asking me a zillion questions to figure out what happened so it wouldn't happen again. I consider myself a cautious rider - I won't ride over my head, won't be tempted to try something I'm not comfortable with...but this fall was in an easy section that I had ridden through hundreds of times. If I had crashed trying something tricky that would make sense - but crashing while just riding normal??? Freaking me out!!
Woke up Sunday...race day...nervous. Feeling physically not too bad as long as nothing touches my right arm or hip. Made the nervous decision to go race. Packed up & drove to Hardwood. Not quite fast enough.
I was doing everything more slowly than usual. Going through the motions - nervously changing into my riding clothes, putting on my number plate, saying hello to friends parked next to me...I didn't have time for a warm up ride around so went straight to the start line.
Lining up with my category is really cool. It kind of feels like home in a way. We are all ready to shut off the world and just give 'er! I rolled up and got a big hug hello from 'switch back girl' & talk about how nervous I was! I wore a sleeve (arm warmer) on my right arm to possibly protect it from additional scratches so of course got lots of questions about why the one sleeve, etc., etc., etc....ugh so nervous....hoping once we start pedalling I'll feel better. My insides were in knots.
Go time! Pedalling up. Long double track hill under the shady trees. Big ring. Hmmm. Feeling calm. Remembering just a few years ago riding here for the first time not being able to ride up this hill without stopping for a rest. Then making it up in my easiest gear. Now feeling comfortable in big ring. Breathing calmly. Pass some people. Hearing a girl ride up & past me. She is breathing really hard. Ride my own race. Don't ride hers. Get to the top, zoom down some rocks & up & pass another rider on the up...not nervous anymore...feeling the flow! Yaaaa hoo!
The rain that fell on Friday evening turned the trails into a singletrack paradise of traction! I don't think I've ever ridden Hardwood in such perfect conditions. It was amazing and I was so happy to be riding!
When riding alone or with friends my mind is constantly busy. Talking, thinking, dreaming, etc. In a race I feel like I am disappearing into another world. Completely focused on riding without thinking about anything else but flowing smoothly and catching up to the girl 20 secs ahead. And catch her I almost did in my fierce battle for 7th! I kept getting closer to her on the climbs - feeling like I might barf a couple times trying to close the gap. In the last km her back wheel even almost fell off (skewer flipped open) and I got ahead - for a second...then let some fast guys by...and she was able to get her wheel back tight fast enough to be quickly back on her bike & right behind them...totally suprised to see her there - gave her a 'nice'...& hopped in right behind to chase her to the end.
