Dirt Crit 1: July 2, 2009

With exception to the entire cyclocross season, the dirt crits are the race series that I look forward to the most.

The dirt crits are an opportunity for me to hop on my beloved cx bike, Christian, and spark the fire in me that I am generally unaware was dormant until the actual week and possibly the day of the first Dirt Crit.

On Monday prior to the start of the series, I rode the course on my cx bike to get myself reacquainted with my bike and the course.

It was glorious.

I felt alive.

I felt bad.

Naughty.

Like I was doing something that I shouldn't.

It was niiiiiiice...

Warming up on the flats by the river, I am reintroduced to the sand pit and have my first wipe-out of the dirt crit season...

Thankfully sand is soft, and sand is the only downfall this bike has seen.

As we ride the course, I feel myself aging in reverse.

I am suddenly 12 years old and the kid who used to venture out on her bike all over Brooklyn, NY and sometimes find herself down at the beach riding in the crisp and salty May air at Riis Park in Rockaway.

Dangerous.

Thrilling.

Happiness.

As Thursday morning dawns, I am bitchslapped by MoNa (Motha Nature) and am cramped over like angry trolls have kicked the snot out of me in my sleep.

I am hunched over and feverish.

(This happens every 28 days or so...)

*snicker*

I drag my ass into the office and the last thing I want to do is work, work, or work...but if I take the day off, I cannot hardly justify racing that night. So I work.

By the end of the day, I am still not sure if I am going to race.

I feel like ass as I drive home, but catch Ty's excitement as soon as I walk through the door.

He is kitted up and ready to go.

*beams with pride at her bratty little mtb racer in his pretty white kit*

He starts his normal trash talking about ass-handings and smack downs and I have to bite.

We wage a dollar on who will win between us.

(I of course bet on me over him.)

*smirk*

I kit up and load the bikes.

I am anxious to not only race, but to make a good showing with the cx bike.

Admittedly, as many times as I have ridden/raced this course on my cx bike, I feel sort of jinxed by Ralph's prediction that us cx'ers are going to flat.

I have never had a flat issue on this course, but know anything's possible.

I buy an extra tube.

We get to Castlewood and ride the course for any changes and feel confident when the whistle goes off in the C race.

I have one goal.

Beat Gabrielle.

I love the girl, but she has been kickin' ass at some MTB races and if I can beat her, that will be super awesome. The woman trains like a maniac.

*hugs Gabrielle*

We take off and I am able to advance on the turns through the matrix while some racers get tangled.

I take off after Gabrielle.

I hear Lo behind me telling Brit to jump on my wheel.

I want Brit to do well and have fun since I sort of helped push her into the race.

*high fives Brit*

Unfortunately, I don't think anyone was prepared for me to have an actual game plan.

I take off and go up on the grass to pass some racers and close the gap between me and Gabrielle.

I am behind Ty when we hit the creek.

Gabriell is 2 racers ahead of Ty.

Sadly, the racer in front of Ty wipes out on the dive into the creek...and just lays there.

He's OK, but not making an attempt to get up.

The poor guy looks like a turtle on his back.

Just as I pick up my bike to step over him to run the creek, he gets up.

Ty and I run around him and I tear ass across the creek and run up before mounting Christian (smacking my pelvic bone on my saddle) and charge after Gabrielle.

I catch her.

I'm there, but biding my time before I pass.

We come through the front of the course and I feel good until I hit the pavement and hear a sound that I hate.

"THUD!"

The sound of thinly covered rim on concrete.

WTF?!?!

*Thinks in head "DAMMIT RALPH!"*

I hop off the course as Gabrielle rolls on.

Bad words swirl in my head.

I watch racers pass by and am actually sad. (Yes, sad.)

Then I see Cody Jones from Ballwin Cycles.

I tell him I got a flat.

I joke about the jinx and he tells me he has a wheel.

"A cx wheel????" I squeal at him?

"Yeah. In my car. Do you want it?"

"Heck yes, I want it!!!" and nearly jump up and down.

As Cody rides up to his car, I feel the time ticking as racers go by...

I am reduced to Chihuahua-like behavior by the time he returns and he barely gets the wheel on as I rip the bike away and jump back into the race.

Holy hell I have a lot of ground to cover...

I dig deep and haul ass.

I see some racers and add my gears to plow past them.

I scared the almighty crap out of one as I came up on her and said, "On your left!" and hopped back onto the trail...

Through the creek, running up the hill and remounting to close this gap...

I don't even consider my brakes as I take a sharp left through the mud onto the trail between the brush and take extra enjoyment in my bike sliding through the turn and yet staying remarkably upright.

I can feel someone coming up on me.

It's a dude.

"Not now, sweet tits," I think as I dig deeper.

We hit the gravel climb at the bridge and I have to run it up.

He says, "I don't know how you are going so fast on that little bike!" and we laugh.

I keep it up and as I cross I am told "One lap to go!"

I have to catch that other chick.

As I take my turns fast heading toward the creek, I see her in the grassy section.

"Hold on, sweetheart!" I say under my breath to her as I close in on her and pass her on the turn.

I tell her she is doing great and dive into the creek.

DONE! I passed her!

I dive into the creek and come up on Casey and Karen.

Karen tells me to pass them.

No way.

Casey is ahead of me for contention. I'm not passing her. She's my buddy (and a badass 12 year old racer!) and I'm not in contention anymore.

I did what I needed to do.

We ride it out together and finish.

I didn't beat Gabrielle...or Ty, but I also didn't screw with the confidence of a developing young racer, and that felt pretty good...and right.

I did however enjoy more than I should have, scaring the shit out of the other 2 chicks...but I hope they keep racing and scare the crap out of me back one day.

Next race...The B race.

*wink*