It's on . . .

[limewave]

I am officially registered for my first xc race this season! And I signed up in the Expert cat. And I'm totally going to get it handed to me!!!!!

I'm a little stressed about it.

Oh well.

[indysteel]

Good luck, Limewave! When's the race?

[limewave]

May 7th. One week before my 25k race! Not smart.

[indysteel]

You'll do great. I truly admire you and all the other TEers who formally compete in some fashion. It's way more than I've had the nerve do!

[Catrin]

You will be awesome! Just think of us sitting on the sidelines cheering for you

[OakLeaf]

Exciting! Good luck.

[spokewench]

I was a worried my first expert race too. Just go out like you normally do and ride your own race; you might surprise yourself!

[Aggie_Ama]

Have fun! I have been getting my butt handed to me at my first three Cat 2 races of the season. BUT I set little goals for myself and try to learn. Example

Race one - 6th out of 7th. But I had a time goal based on the slowest rider last year and I smashed it. I also rode a climb I didn't think I could.

Race two - DFL. Didn't make time goal because a rider hit a tree in front of me and I spent about 10 minutes making sure he didn't have a serious head injury. But I road a drop called Hospital Hill that scared the pants off me in January.

Race three - DFL. I crashed my hardest wreck ever about 1/4 mile in. Rode the whole race with a serious hematoma on my hip and just below my knee. But I finished and am incredibly proud of that.

The best thing anyone told me is "this isn't my day job, so the only a$$ I have to kick is mine."

[zoom-zoom]

Very cool! You'll do great, I know it!

[SheFly]

Limewave - take a deep breath - you will do fine! Congrats on upgrading to a Cat 1. The distances are a bit tougher initially, but you will get used to it. Like someone else said - go out and ride your own race.

Aggie - so proud of you for finishing! Remember that DFL > DNF > DNS. Achieveing little goals in the races is a terrific accomplishment and it sounds like you are really improving.

Good luck to both of you! My first race of the season is 4/17, and it's one that I love. for once, I'm actually looking forward to it .

SheFly

[limewave]

So many cheerleaders in this group! I Love it!
Aggie--I like reading about your racing and am looking forward to following your season this year.

With the very slow ushering out of winter, there's a chance I may not even get a trail ride in before the race! That's a little nerve racking. Nothing like getting thrown into the deep-end!

[SheFly]

With the very slow ushering out of winter, there's a chance I may not even get a trail ride in before the race! That's a little nerve racking. Nothing like getting thrown into the deep-end!

Meh - riding on the trails before racing on them is over-rated

Have fun, and enjoy! We'll look for the race report.

SheFly

[zoom-zoom]

With the very slow ushering out of winter, there's a chance I may not even get a trail ride in before the race! That's a little nerve racking. Nothing like getting thrown into the deep-end!

Derek went out last night on his mtn. bike and ended up riding mostly gravel back-roads. He said there was still 10" of snow on a lot of areas of trail. Boo, Winter!

[limewave]

Derek went out last night on his mtn. bike and ended up riding mostly gravel back-roads. He said there was still 10" of snow on a lot of areas of trail. Boo, Winter!

That doesn't surprise me. Although, I hear the Yankee and Cannonsburg may be rideable. I'm gambling with the weather here, but I asked my mom to watch the kids one night next week with hopes that I can sneak out of work early and get some trails in. I'm afraid if I don't I'll spend too much time in the saddle, like a road race. Yesterday I road my mountain bike on the road and every time I came to a driveway, I had to stand up or sit back down. It kept me on my toes!

[channlluv]

For those of us not as familiar with with the acronyms (namely, me), DFL = Did Finish Last or Didn't Finish Last?

I got DNF -- Did Not Finish, and DNS -- Did Not Start.

Thanks, ladies, and good luck, Limewave! And Aggie, too!

Roxy