2014 O Cup #1 - Woodnewton

So some of you know already...I've been "training with Peter" (yes the famous Peter Glassford from the Trek Canada MTB Team)  for about 6 months now and so I was pretty curious to see how all this Smart Athlete stuff comes out in a race situation.  I've been feeling good on the bike & actually really good in general - sort of an overall strength & goodness feeling.  Actually ever since getting back full-bore into mountain biking I have improved my fitness generally every season but felt like I kinda hit a plateau last year & was sliding backwards by the end of last season.  And after asking around for help & suggestions...Barry Near (also quite famous big cheese of Trek Toronto/Aurora/Barrie) suggested I get in touch with Peter...and now here I am...learning tons about cool stuff I never even thought of...and doing lots of burpees and eating sweet potatoes.

And after a long winter - rarin' to race bikes again in the woods!!

Lookin serious on the wooden stairs...forgot to smile!

Finally my chance... the first Ocup!

In the start corral I probably visited with the other girls a bit too much...as usual.  Was hanging out at the back of the class chit chatting & waiting for the start...like usual...

Then GO time!

I flipped into race mode & possibly after my start lap in 10000 bikes experience at last years Summer Solstice I just started weaving quickly through the traffic & within probably 1 minute had worked my way up to the front group.  Cool!  Then around a corner to a flatish section...then up again but steep...and caught a couple more riders!  Way cool!

I found myself chasing Denise.  I know she has been training to do the 24hr race solo so she's in fine form. And Michelle was chasing me...this year on a 29er...plus her awesome singletrack skills - I was feeling stoked to be monkey in the middle...and working to not let her catch me while keeping Denise in sight!

We were like this all the way to the big rock garden at the end of the lap where I am a chicken.  What I mean is I can do the chicken line (around the rock garden) pretty fast & way faster than I can ride through the rocks so that was my plan.  Michelle was chasing...we split...and I beat her!  Oh yeah!  Now for sure she will be on me like glue so I put everything I had into keeping her from catching me.

I almost died for sure on the steep part of the start climb next lap - but I could see Denise near the top of the hill & could hear Michelle probably a couple bike lengths behind me...had the 'why am I doing this. it's so hard. I could just walk a bit & catch up. I wish I had an easier gear.' conversation in my head...fought it off just to keep Michelle from catching me.

And the rest of the lap...same order - Denise, monkey me, Michelle...all 3 of us fighting to get the other...until back to the big rock garden near the end again.  I chose to stick with my same plan...gave the chicken line all I had...and this time Michelle pinned it through the rocks like a shot and totally got me. Awesome.  High fives!!  (and a 5th place finish for me!)

Wow! What a great race!  And for the first time - I was racing it the whole time & not just surviving to get the laps done.  Yay Smart Athlete!    Wicked Fun!