Not Sucking in a Circle

Holy crap!

I did it!

I finally (yeah...finally) finished a crit!

(No, not one that I started last season, but on the very day that I started the race!)

It was super awesome!

(I effing hate crits!)

This one was fun....OK, "funnish".

That being said, I made a few mistakes and made a few HUGE strides for me.

WHOA!

Dan pep talked me the Friday before. He knew I was a bit trigger shy to get back in the saddle after wrecking the week before.

Truth is, I was sore as sh*t and just a little afraid of Trent (my bike).

(That's a little tough to admit to yourself, nevermind your coach.)

He told me he didn't care if I rode Friday (so of course I did) as long as I spun my legs on Saturday to open up my muscles.

I decided to ride Friday with Judy and at one point some dude on a mountain bike decides to screw with us and acts a fool when we pass left.

Game on.

It felt really good to open up and push as he kept stepping up the pace.

It felt better when I dropped him.

(Hello? Where did THAT competitive streak come from?!?!)

That little bit was enough charge for me to settle in on top of Trent and get reacquainted. I was mentally ready for my race on Sunday.

Soooooo...on Sunday morning, Jay and I get to Forest Park at about 6:45am.

We both realize we need a restroom and run over to Coffee Cartel so Jay can grab a bite and we can both get some relief.

We get back to the park at about 7:10am. (My race is at 8am.)

We set up and I get on the rollers to loosen up.

I do not know why this never works for me before a race, but I am always better spinning around than being on the trainer or rollers pre-race.

I feel the pain in my body and attempt to zone out to my shuffled playlist.

It's not working.

I go for my "sure thing" and throw on The Kings of Leon.

No go.

My body cries and I start to feel anxious.

I have to stop this!

I get off the rollers and ride the lot practicing my corners and letting my skin adjust to the chilly morning air.

I roll over to Jay, get my last minute items and hit the course to ride with everyone else.

Jay tells me to get some sprints in to open up.

I do.

I'm as ready as I will be today.

As we line up, I realize that my power tap isn't transmitting properly, so we screw around with that and finally it works.

At this point, the Juniors are lined up and some other Cat 4 women are lined up in front of where I was with my friends.

Remembering what Dan (and Chris) has told me, I line up in the front.

It feels weird.

I like it.

I notice a curious lack of trembling in my body.

(Am I dead?)

The whistle blows and we're off. (Yeah, me too!)

I like where I am as we hit that first turn and slight hill.

I really like this whole turning without breaking thing as we sprint through turn 2.

(Hi? Who is this person on my bike? Where is Cory and what have you done with her?)

I notice that I am breathing.

(Always a good thing to notice, especially in a race.)

I feel good. I feel strong.

(Flips off Negative Nelly medical "professionals".)

Somewhere about 15 minutes into the race I bridged when we dropped off.

It didn't stick.

*screeching sound of mental brakes*

Go back and re-read that.

I (Me...Cory Redmond) left the comfort of "the people" and bridged.

I'm pretty sure my mother is calling a priest right this moment.

OK, it didn't stick, but I amazed myself for that chunk of seconds. (Honestly, it wasn't a very big bridge.)

I think I was in a stupor for a while as my inner personalities decided who was going to race this race for me. This lasted through turns 1, 2, and 3 and while approaching turn 4, "Baby Cory" stuck her fingers up "Racer Cory's" nose and covered her mouth so that breathing was tricky (out of effing NO WHERE!) as we came into the turn.

I hear Steph say, "I'm right here, Cor."

I hear Susan say, "Hang in there, Cory."

Both are passing me in the turn.

Hell to the no.

*Racer Cory slaps Baby Cory and gives her a swirly*

I find Steph's wheel and go.

I am not getting dropped in this race. Not today.

*Dammit*

I hang on, but the now obvious sounds of my weezing and Susan's weezing entertains Stephanie once she realizes that it isn't her weezing.

There are four of us in this pack.

Steph says, "Cory, we are finishing this race if we have to carry our bikes across the Finish."

I agree.

When we come through the Start/Finish on the next lap, I see the time as "22". Now, this is where I had made a mental mistake.

I am so used to cx races that are 45 minutes plus however many laps, that it did not dawn on me to check the length of this race. Soooooo, I see "22" and think that I have a whole lot more time to go.

This is when I start to freak out a bit.

I am thinking, "Holy sh*t! I am only halfway through with this race?!?!? I don't have it! Holy sh*t! I am gonna DNF! F*CK!!!!! Dammit! No!"

All of this in my head, while breathing and hanging on.

We stay together for another lap and as we come through, Steph says, "We have 1 more lap and than 5."

I think I am hearing things.

She says it again.

I swear that I can see rays of sunlight shooting out of her wheels and her helmet looks almost like a halo.

Holy hell!

I only have 6 more laps!

SIX!

I can do SIX!

I can do almost anything six times....almost!

This gives me the charge that I need.

The four of us start making jokes on the back side of the course.

Suzanne wonders if it is too early for a beer...

Steph promises Powerade to all of her friends...

I start to think/dream of a Bailey's martini...

We take turn 3 and Suzanne (unknowingly) cuts too close right and almost wrecks me.

I see the curb in 3-D and slow motion.

I tap my break lightly and then have to sprint harder up that hill toward turn 4.

I am pissed.

Not at her, but that I almost wrecked and that I had to break.

As we roll through the Start/Finish, the race has been shortened and we have 3 laps to go.

I'm game.

Steph and I have rotated and worked together with Susan the whole race.

We are ready.

In the last lap, I am mentally prepared to go all out.

My goal is to finish behind Steph and to beat Suzanne. (Sorry Suzanne. I had to pick someone.)

We hit turn 3 and sprint up the hill attacking Suzanne.

Strong.

We take turn 4 and Steph comes around.

I yell, "GO!" and we take off.

I stay with Steph and keep a look out for a counter attack from Suzanne.

It doesn't come.

Steph and I cross the Finish and (of course) I have tears.

I am so effing high right then that I can't see straight.

I become a Catholic again for a second (a pure sign that I am dehydrated) and cross myself...and make the "Peace" sign with a Namaste combo.

Yep, there's the freakshow we all know and love!

I am like an ADHD kid on crack and Mountain Dew by the time I reach Jay.

I know he's amused by my excitement, but I am elated and there will never (no really!) be a better race for me.

I run over to Steph and hug her and we dig into her birthday cookie with zero regrets.

Kicking ass with your friend on her birthday...?

Priceless.