First race of the season under the belt, or under the bibs.
Was I race ready? Not quite. But my philosophy is that the best way to train to race, is to just race, suck it up and suffer. The legs will come around.
Being just a week over lifting weights, my legs were a big heavy to say the least. Intensity hasn’t been very regular in my training regimen. For once, I wanted to do a bulk of base mileage to hold me through a long season of mountain bike racing, so although the long five and six hour days have slowly been building the little capillaries in my legs, they left them lackluster to go fast.
Nonetheless, the weekend of racing the Rabbit Valley Rally in Fruita, Colo. was a blast. I was impressed with the organization, professionalism and turnout at the first event of the season. There were more than 60 women participating at the event. Within that, there were two types: women who have been riding bikes for so many years, endurance and riding bikes is coded into their muscles, and women my age who have been racing on the road for two months. Unfortunately, I was neither. So although I had an outstanding start for the first mile and a half, I became a bit dogged down as my muscles screamed, “Sarah you’re above threshold!” That and a slow leaking rear tire. (at least I felt like a rock star in the sandy sections)
The Dale’s Pale Ale Off-Road Time Trial on Saturday was nearly six miles of technical terrain. It appeared that you climbed to a ridge and then rode down. The parts I wasn’t expecting were the technical sections, the eroding trail, the undulating ridge and power climbs, and a three foot drop that nearly dropped my jaw.
Luckily I was riding a brand new Yeti AS-R Carbon for the first time that kept me from endoing over the handlebars. After that ride I was convinced—this bike rocks. I was so surprised at its quick responses, accelerations in the climbs and steadiness in technical descents. I felt confident pumping through the rollers, and for the occasional discount, it was light enough to throw over my shoulder like a cyclo-cross bike. I guess there are perks working for a sweet mountain bike company, especially when my other bike is sold, and I need one in a pinch. Anthony (our demo guy) was so kind to set me up perfectly on it. I can’t wait until my beauty comes. It’s going to be black, full XTR, with a white and pink saddle. Gotta keep the pink somewhere.
I wasn’t totally stoked with my 25:42.5 result on course, but at least I enjoyed the feeling of burning lungs afterwards.
I went and pre-rode 10 miles of the XC course with Nick shortly afterwards. The trails in Fruita are incredible. Miles of rolling (partly sanding) with just enough technical sections to keep you entertained, but not too much to slow you down. We didn’t make it out to the long loop. Better to save that one for the race.
Sunday morning was a long one. I’m not use to a noon start time. I guess that leaves enough time for the ground to warm up and for people to get over their hangovers. I had a short warm-up, and things weren’t opening up as quickly as I thought after a hard day yesterday. I gulped a few sport leg pills with a sip of Cyto-max and three Honey Stinger Gummis, and lined up next to my teammate Amanda Miller on the front line.
I was wondering where my pre-race jitters were. Maybe I left them in the portable toilet. But as the race official began to count five . . . four . . . three . . . two . . . two, I found them again . . . one . . . and then we were off. A smooth clip in and fast and furious pedal kept me in the top five for about a mile and a half. One by one I was passed. So I settled into a sustainable rhythm and kept trucking. Good thing the scenery was so amazing! We rode approximately five of the 20 miles along the Western Rim. I wish I would have checked out the scenery a little more, but I was afraid of falling over the edge, so I kept trucking along.
One hour, forty-five minutes and 6.08 seconds later, I came across the finish line. Nick said he has never seen me finish a race so relaxed. I figured at that point, I was either DFL or at least a mile or two ahead of the last gal. Turns out I was just two places ahead.
I think my average heart rate for the race was about 182. Seemed high considering the highest I had seen it previous to the race weekend was 178. So to sustain it for that long, damn, my heart was working. Wish it could relay the message a little better to the legs.
The good news from the race though, is that I fell in love with my bike to come, my bike fit is finally settling in, I pushed some pre-season limits and I have a good sunburn to kick off the shorts and jersey tan line. I had a bike fit reevaluation on Friday and we moved my cleat back to a normal position since my hips had rotated back to a normal position. Although I may look like a goof with the theraband in the gym, I still get to keep the lift in my left shoe—if I was a boat, I would be portside without it.
I have three weeks until my next race. I was a little disappointed with my results, as girls I was competitive with last collegiate season, just rode away. But it just reminded me that I am in a different phase of training and now it is time to transition. It’s time to focus on training on the bike, not off the bike. Instead of working out in the morning, lifting weight, building up my running, swimming a few days a week and doing yoga every day like an exercise-aholic, it’s time to choose two. Yoga and biking. Add some intensity to the bike to bring my race game up, and keep up the yoga to keep my balance. Oh, and the theraband. It’s actually quite sexy. The trails are starting to clear, until my carbon steed arrives, it will be road riding under sunny skies and bringing up the quality, not quantity.
Being just a week over lifting weights, my legs were a big heavy to say the least. Intensity hasn’t been very regular in my training regimen. For once, I wanted to do a bulk of base mileage to hold me through a long season of mountain bike racing, so although the long five and six hour days have slowly been building the little capillaries in my legs, they left them lackluster to go fast.
Nonetheless, the weekend of racing the Rabbit Valley Rally in Fruita, Colo. was a blast. I was impressed with the organization, professionalism and turnout at the first event of the season. There were more than 60 women participating at the event. Within that, there were two types: women who have been riding bikes for so many years, endurance and riding bikes is coded into their muscles, and women my age who have been racing on the road for two months. Unfortunately, I was neither. So although I had an outstanding start for the first mile and a half, I became a bit dogged down as my muscles screamed, “Sarah you’re above threshold!” That and a slow leaking rear tire. (at least I felt like a rock star in the sandy sections)
The Dale’s Pale Ale Off-Road Time Trial on Saturday was nearly six miles of technical terrain. It appeared that you climbed to a ridge and then rode down. The parts I wasn’t expecting were the technical sections, the eroding trail, the undulating ridge and power climbs, and a three foot drop that nearly dropped my jaw.
Luckily I was riding a brand new Yeti AS-R Carbon for the first time that kept me from endoing over the handlebars. After that ride I was convinced—this bike rocks. I was so surprised at its quick responses, accelerations in the climbs and steadiness in technical descents. I felt confident pumping through the rollers, and for the occasional discount, it was light enough to throw over my shoulder like a cyclo-cross bike. I guess there are perks working for a sweet mountain bike company, especially when my other bike is sold, and I need one in a pinch. Anthony (our demo guy) was so kind to set me up perfectly on it. I can’t wait until my beauty comes. It’s going to be black, full XTR, with a white and pink saddle. Gotta keep the pink somewhere.
I wasn’t totally stoked with my 25:42.5 result on course, but at least I enjoyed the feeling of burning lungs afterwards.
I went and pre-rode 10 miles of the XC course with Nick shortly afterwards. The trails in Fruita are incredible. Miles of rolling (partly sanding) with just enough technical sections to keep you entertained, but not too much to slow you down. We didn’t make it out to the long loop. Better to save that one for the race.
Sunday morning was a long one. I’m not use to a noon start time. I guess that leaves enough time for the ground to warm up and for people to get over their hangovers. I had a short warm-up, and things weren’t opening up as quickly as I thought after a hard day yesterday. I gulped a few sport leg pills with a sip of Cyto-max and three Honey Stinger Gummis, and lined up next to my teammate Amanda Miller on the front line.
I was wondering where my pre-race jitters were. Maybe I left them in the portable toilet. But as the race official began to count five . . . four . . . three . . . two . . . two, I found them again . . . one . . . and then we were off. A smooth clip in and fast and furious pedal kept me in the top five for about a mile and a half. One by one I was passed. So I settled into a sustainable rhythm and kept trucking. Good thing the scenery was so amazing! We rode approximately five of the 20 miles along the Western Rim. I wish I would have checked out the scenery a little more, but I was afraid of falling over the edge, so I kept trucking along.
One hour, forty-five minutes and 6.08 seconds later, I came across the finish line. Nick said he has never seen me finish a race so relaxed. I figured at that point, I was either DFL or at least a mile or two ahead of the last gal. Turns out I was just two places ahead.
I think my average heart rate for the race was about 182. Seemed high considering the highest I had seen it previous to the race weekend was 178. So to sustain it for that long, damn, my heart was working. Wish it could relay the message a little better to the legs.
The good news from the race though, is that I fell in love with my bike to come, my bike fit is finally settling in, I pushed some pre-season limits and I have a good sunburn to kick off the shorts and jersey tan line. I had a bike fit reevaluation on Friday and we moved my cleat back to a normal position since my hips had rotated back to a normal position. Although I may look like a goof with the theraband in the gym, I still get to keep the lift in my left shoe—if I was a boat, I would be portside without it.
I have three weeks until my next race. I was a little disappointed with my results, as girls I was competitive with last collegiate season, just rode away. But it just reminded me that I am in a different phase of training and now it is time to transition. It’s time to focus on training on the bike, not off the bike. Instead of working out in the morning, lifting weight, building up my running, swimming a few days a week and doing yoga every day like an exercise-aholic, it’s time to choose two. Yoga and biking. Add some intensity to the bike to bring my race game up, and keep up the yoga to keep my balance. Oh, and the theraband. It’s actually quite sexy. The trails are starting to clear, until my carbon steed arrives, it will be road riding under sunny skies and bringing up the quality, not quantity.
