The First Race on my 29er.... Or Not.

[Aggie_Ama]

Last Sunday I finally decided to race my Epic 29er in her first race. I had the bike a month, needed one more race to qualify for the series and it was a course I was comfortable on. The morning started great, muggy but my legs felt good. I had stomach flu last week but that meant I was super hydrated. The heat was a major concern but I figured just pace myself and hope for the best.

The start is usually a strong point for me. The whistle went off and I struggled to clip in, not a great start. My goal was to stay with the group as long as possible. Even with the bad start I did that. Made it up the wide double track and through a little gate. After the gate is a wide, fast downhill. It can be a little sketchy but what happened next is beyond that. I am still with the pack and suddenly my face hits the ground. I went over the bars fast and hard. My front tooth hit and immediately a panic. I feel and think I have my teeth but there is blood. I am in no man's land (away from a course marshall) so I get back on the bike.

After I drop into the first single track I see my teammate (and wilderness first aid trained) Carla. She wasn't racing just spectating, I pull off and she assures me I am not in need of stitches, lends me her bottle to rinse and checks it again. She talks me through straighting my wonky bars (you have to fix it yourself) and I go on. I ride for about .25 miles into more single track but I can't get myself together. I am a mess and tell the sweep I am done. Cut the course, go see the medics and ice the lip the rest of the day. Good thing I didn't keep going since my rim actually had been badly dented, wheel was a completely out of true and the headset was seriously loose.

Here is a photo Carla took before I stopped and my lip the next day. It is now normal looking, just waiting for the cut to heal.