Psychocross Closeout

I know that I owe 3 race blogs.

I know.

I have bigger shit going on, so let me sum it up:

Mt. Pleasant Bubba Cx:

That course was futha muckin' wicked!

It was a the hardest, most bad ass course that has been a Bubba course for a long while.

This course was suited for MTB racers.

It made me happy. It made me cry. It made me puke.

There were stairs, barriers, and a ramp that drove the course through the bar.

'Nuf said.

In the end, I finished and beat some people and earned my wine and my sleep that night.

I had talked some people into trying their first cx race at this venue and they may never speak to me or ever race cross again, but it is what it is. I will remember them fondly and call them "pussies" in my head with a smirk if either become true.

Belle Fontaine II Bubba CX:

This was my favorite course (because I missed the St. Vincent's Bubba which I was told WOULD have been my favorite course).

I was ready for this race.

It was technical and muddy.

It was a Cory CX orgasm.

I felt strong.

I felt stronger when I powered up the big hill off the pond on the back side of the course and passed some badass ladies who usually school me.

It felt awesome when the PBR boys hoot and hollered and went nutso with their cowbells as this happened.

The very next lap ended up being a killer.

"The Root" took me down.

I went down, I dropped my chain, and Gina was hot on my tail.

The PBR boys screamed at me to haul ass and I hopped on and took a look behind me trying to keep my lead.

I felt strong. I was having a fantastic race.

There had been times I wanted to slap myself because I was so happy...even after the wreck...

As we took the hairpin off the gravel-garnished pavement onto the track along the pond, I added my gears and took off.

Unfortunately, I look the wrong line up the hill that time and quickly dismounted to run it.

My bike rolled back fast and the stem slammed into me, hitting my incision which is still sensitive and sore.

The pain was like none I have felt before.

It took the wind right out of me and felt like I had just been sliced with a razor and then kicked in that spot with a steel-tipped boot.

I could not breathe and felt all my intake rising in my throat.

I dragged my ass off the course and hyperventilated while the sweat poured off me and the heaving ensued.

I began to strip off my skinsuit and was in sheer panic that I would pass out and Jay would not know where the hell I was.

I think it was Davis who came over to me and asked if I needed anything.

Not wanting anyone to panic, I told him to get Jay.

I'm pretty sure he was nervous that I was absolutely not OK.

He told some lady who didn't know either me or Jay to get Jay.

(He pointed at my kit and told her to look for a guy dressed like me.)

This actually made me smile and I had to pull it together.

She was never going to find Jay.

I am not sure if she is still looking for Jay or if someone told her that he had been found.

Possibly she is still at Bella Fontaine park.

I'm not certain.

Kate stopped mid-race to check on me and I yelled at her to get back in there and race.

Damn. She probably lost a few positions checking on me.

Uncomfortable and preferring to be like an old sick dog and away from people, I put my skinsuit back on and got back on the course.

This made the PBR/concerned citizens feel better, I think.

I rode off, but could not sit up straight in the saddle.

I got through most of the rest of the course and Cristel pulled me out and walked me to the car.

I could not believe this pain.

Jay met us there and they doctored me up and helped me take my meds and I let them.

I was freaked out by the pain.

I would later learn why...

State Championship:

It was a pavement start.

The whistle blew.

I took off in a way that surprised even me.

In mid take-off, I could imagine Jay's mouth agape as he watched something he has never seen...from me.

Those type of starts are like a dream.

You almost want to pinch yourself to see if it is really happening...even if it only lasts for a moment.

Mine lasted until right before we hit the grass when Aubree (Beat the Effing Bejeezus Out of You Without Breaking a Sweat) Dock rode up next to me and calmly said, "Nice start."

"Thanks, " I said as we hit the grass. "Here's where it ends," I laughed as we hit the uphill barriers and took the hairpin.

Crap...there was Stephanie McCreary right there to break up our social hour.

I jumped on Steph's wheel and was fine until the giant run-up.

I had to shake my head and smile as she took off when we got to the top...

Good lord.

I promised not to psyche myself out this race and I didn't.

I bombed down the hill and rode my race.

Throughout the race, I was able to gain a few positions at the barriers and on the pavement, but never enough to catch McCreary.

This was not a day when I would be fine with simply finishing.

With 2 laps to go, something snapped in me as I hit the pavement and saw the reigning State Champ ahead of me.

Me and Becky had been dancing the entire race.

She knew I looked up to her and that she scared the hell out of me.

I added gears like a psycho and went into my drops.

I felt almost guilty about the way that I came up on her, so when I got there, I rode next to her instead of being a dick.

"Don't you ever quit?" she asked.

Breathless, I replied, "Not today" and laughed.

We talked about who was in front and what we were or were not going to do about it.

We were off the podium and were not getting there at this stage in the race.

That being said, neither of us agreed to a truce in this race.

There was no "Chariots of Fire" music playing as we held hands and crossed the Finish together.

This was a race.

I saved my energy as we manuvered the backside of the course and at the run-up, I went.

As I came up on Margaret and another racer, I did something out of character for me...

I said, "Coming through the middle" and passed instead of recovering.

The male racer said, "Go BIG!"

I did.

As I went, I said out loud to myself, "Holy shit. That just happened!"

I then realized that 2 spectators were there on the hill and heard me talking to myself.

That made me smile.

When I rounded the turn toward the stairs, I looked back. I was clear.

I hit the stairs and Jay verbalized his shock about what had just happened.

(That's twice in one race that I shocked that boy with something bordering on pride in one race...and possibly the entire cross season...for those keeping count.)

This was somewhat of an energizer for me as I generally can do nothing to impress him in a race.

I hit the barriers and felt pretty darn alive.

As I hit the sandpit, I could see that Becky was with Suzanne and if I didn't stay strong, those VeloForce girls were going to beat the crap out of me.

I went.

Hard.

As I came through the Finish I realized that the race was over.

I threw my hands up like some super fantastic European racer (I'm so totally not but was so wickedly happy that I could not remotely help what happened at that point) and screamed...

...then burst into tears...

The male racer whom I had passed and who had told me to "Go Big" rode up to me and said, "You can thank me for pulling you through the sandpit."

I had to crack up.

That was actually funny.

I think I told him I love him, but it's all a blurr.

Later I saw Becky.

She said, "I heard you're happy you beat me."

(It's almost like she doesn't understand that beating her, even when she is injured, is sort of a big deal for a cx noob like myself.)

I thought before I answered and hoped that this would not be one of those moments in which my frankness awarded me a black eye...

"Yeah. I am. I hope you take that as a compliment."

She had a look on her face that I cannot explain and I know she wishes that she didn't get injured this year...and so do I...yet I know that woman is going to do her best to punish me/bring out the best in me next year.

I almost can't wait.

I closed the day with 6th (of 12).

I was happy.

I am still happy.

I was so happy on Monday that I actually cried on my way to work replaying the race in my head (but let's be frank, it was the 22nd day of my cycle so there could be hormones in play here people).

It has been a long year.

I immediately started my super-secret off-season training Monday night.

I was stoked.

Jay was amused but seemed to get my excitement when I gushed about how alive I felt.

State was the first race upon which I could look back and say that there was not one thing I could have done differently in that race except be stronger and faster.

It will come.

I will make sure of it...or die trying.