First MTB race experience

[Anelia]

Congratulations again! Is the difference between the first lady and you big?

[Becky]

Well done! I find your accounts of racing for the first time very inspiring. There's a race this Sunday at one of my local trail systems, and I'm hemming and hawing about signing up, moreso after pre-riding the course. These reports give me some idea of what to expect.

[Loraura]

Congratulations again! Is the difference between the first lady and you big?

It's not huge, but it's significant enough that I can't expect to win untill I can do some technical things much better. Ledges are killing me on race times. Some I can probably make but fear tells me to get off the bike rather than fail the front wheel lift and endo-smack right into it.

[Loraura]

Well, I have completed the 2012 Texas State Championship Mountain Bike Series, and I am still in one piece!

I raced the final race at Rocky Hill Ranch this past weekend.

I pre-rode the course on Saturday, and had a pretty good fall. Bruised my arm and hip and shoulder, but survived. Most of the course, I could handle. I did find out that I need to learn how to ride some steep gullies (few feet very steep down, followed immediately by a few feet very steep up).

The smaller ones I could handle, but there were a few large ones (one was even called "the wall") that I could not ride. I just didn't know how to go about getting up the other side once my downhill momentum ran out. I watched other people nail it, but i coudln't quite emulate it. I put that on my list of things to learn how to master before next year.

I went into this race knowing that weather I got first or last, it made absolutely no difference for my placement in the series, as long as I finished. So I went in on race day with the goal to finish uninjured.

So race day comes, and I've got a pretty good routine going for pre-race activities by now. I had a little bit of nerves at the start, but not much. I was just chit-chatting with the other ladies. We've become rather friendly with each other, seeing the same faces each race. The whistle blows and off we go. I avoided a little pileup as soon as we entered the singletrack. 3 minutes into the race, I go down a descent that I cleared with no issue on the pre-ride. It's not even difficult. It has two line options. Straight down the middle (bumpy, roots, not smooth), or on the right, smooth, no roots, but off camber.

I have no idea why I took the off-camber line but I did. With my weight back for the drop, my front wheel did not have enough weight to keep traction and slid out from under me and down I went. And down and down until I was so graciously stopped by trees and brush piled on the side of the trail.

I hit my head, my teeth, my arm, my hip... I had to pick up parts of my helmet from the brush (the visor came off). After I manged to get untangled from my bike, stand up, check my head and parts, I decided I was OK to carry on. I did have a scratch and a "goose egg" on my forehead, but it wasn't bleeding (much).

In a way, this relieved me of any pressure I had to try to place well. Everyone passed me while I was plucking myself from the trees. The sweep guy was waiting at the top of the hill to see if I was going to continue or not. When I looked up to see if it was clear to go, he said "Go ahead, I'm sweep". I replied to him "Well, thanks, I didn't figure you were riding in the 40+ women's cat!" We had a little laugh.

So I started to ride again, and noticed my handlebars were no longer on straight. I stopped, got off the bike, held the front tire between my knees and started banging and prying my stem back to the center. It took me several stops and retries, but I finally got it pretty much straight.

Note to self: Check all screws/bolts for EVERY race.

I did catch and pass one rider from my cat/class, and several others who started at the same time as my group. I had a pretty good ride after that, really. I cleared some spots that I didn't on the pre-ride, so that's always a plus. Even with all the climbing on the course, I felt good at the finish.

I finished 2nd overall in the series. I got a really cool trophey and a "Top 10 fnisher" Tshirt. For someone who went into this racing thing expecting misery, torture, and a complete void of fun, I'd say, it worked out FANTASTIC.

I would highly recommend checking out the XC racing scene in your area. In addition to becoming a better rider Racing allowed me to ride new venues, meet new friends, and become part of the community. An amazing experience I highly recommend.

[Aggie_Ama]

I think I wrecked and busted my lip open on the same feature at RHR last year. Way to pick up and finish out the series strong, it hard to wreck so early and keep moving on!! See you at RLAG this summer.

[limewave]

Nice sum-up Loaura. I'm glad you were able to finish your race--hope you're not too banged up. Congrats on your season! And I can't wait to read your race reports next season