My first race as an expert

[han-grrl]

Well i did it. I finished my first race in the Master Expert category. It was a Verrrry muddy course, 6.4 km long, experts did 3 laps.

Oh first off, Marie Helene Premont was there (Olympic silver medalist) man she is FAST!!!

My first lap i was a bit surprised with the agressive start of the women, being used to the sport category. Something pinged my chain, which nearly droppe, but i managed to do a quick backpedal to keep it on.

Then i started to feel a bit of panic on the first climb, also i lost my warm up during the wait to start...ok no biggie. BUT, i tried to make up some time during the first technical section and i wasn't thinking much on my way out of it, and there is a bit of a concrete path we needed to follow, so with muddy tires, i completed wiped out on the concrete ( i have the road rash to prove it! ) Ok, back on the bike...

the rest of lap 1 and lap 2 went pretty well, i was handling the technical well (for me!), but then lap 3...i went through the "why the heck did i sign up for expert" phase of thinking, but then i realize, with this terrain ANYTHING can happen, and i'm fine, my bikes fine, SO KEEP MOVING! So i did. I was slow, they were even calling the race marshalls off the race course (thanks guys!)

So when i saw the last race marshall whistle my arrival to the timing tent, i thought "that's right you whistle, I'm STILL racing!"

Anyway i finished. 3 laps...it was really really hard. I learned a lot. But i am proud that i did it, coming back from ulcer surgery, and having missed two months of training. I still have a lot to work on, but i am looking forward to the process.

Did i mention the mud?

Happy Racing!

Hannah

PS i finished 4th

[maillotpois]

Great job, Hannah! Sounds like an exciting race - congrats on the 4th place!

[SheFly]

Congratulations! Sounds like you did well in your first race as an expert, despite the mud . If you're racing, and you're not dirty, you're not doing it right!

SheFly

[han-grrl]

...and i made the podium! Ok, it was only me in my category. it was pretty funny actually because they were going to start the senior and master experts separately, until there the race officials saw it was just me left waiting...so at least i got to start the race with other humans around...

This race was at tremblant, very tricky technical course, lots of bridges (ack!) and climbing...the final section of the race took you through the cobblestone main street of the resort, so that was kind of interesting to ride through all the tourists...

i finished 3 minutes faster than my first race, so not falling definitely makes a difference and i felt really good, i pushed hard, so it was me versus clock...

Smile
Han

[LBTC]

Congratulations, Han! You rock! Those are some pretty fabulous results!

Hugs and rockin' butterflies,
~T~

[RoadRaven]

Way to go Han...
Doesn't sound like my kind of race at all - cobblestones and mud? You are far braver than I.

But tell me, all this time I have thought you were a road racer - but you cyclocross? Mtn bike?

[han-grrl]

I mountain bike race, cross country...i'm back to the provincial cups circuit this year, i took off last year to focus on the 24 hour solo and some good base training...

i am HOPING to try cross this year...if i can get a bike organized...

[RoadRaven]

Oh
Dont know why I had the idea you were a roadie

Anyways, that explains your stunning legs (did I see them in an early avatar or a "leg pic" thread?)

Not just the careful gym workouts - you push those calves through mud as well

I'm well-impressed - congrats again

[spokewench]

Congrats on your race! and in the mud! I actually like racing in the mud (until I have to clean my bike up later)- Don't know what's wrong with me.

Yeah, I agree, the master's experts here in AZ start really fast too! But that was not really a bad thing for me since I've got sprinters legs so starting hard is not bad for me. It's the lasting to the end that gets me (our races are a lot longer at the expert level).

spoke