Yesterday I competed in my first fat tire race. I thought it would be more of a "fun" race since it was called the Fat Cupid and there were couples and junior divisions in addition to the women's and men's categories. I opted for the couples category thinking what a great way to spend Valentines Day. We only had to start and finish together, allowing each of us to ride our own pace. Perfect...so I thought.
From the very start, the event reminded me why I stay away from group races and gravitate towards triathlons and time trials. No one can touch me while I'm on the bike!!! It's not in my DNA to be aggressive and push my way to the front of the pack. Just don't want anyone pushing me when I'm on my bike. Period!!
For the start of the race, they let the long course (8 laps) competitors off first with about a 5 minute delay for the short course (4 laps) riders. The course was a combination of single and double track with great snow conditions.
We headed out of the start shoot on double track and immediately headed down a hill. The guys were so aggressive to get to the front, that I got pushed into deep snow. Immediately I went down. (I guess they call that "making snow angels") I checked to make sure nothing was broken, brushed myself off and continued the race. Soon the double track turned to single track. Since I fell I was now at the back of the pack with some slower riders. This gave the fast guys finishing their first lap time to catch up. It was crazy having to pull over and let faster riders go by while trying not to get too far behind. The majority of folks would yell rider back so you could get out of the way. But there was one guy who actually swore at me. Instead of yelling some profanity back at him, I just yelled "Thank you and have a nice day." Silly me, I had no idea the 1st place was a million dollars and that you need to run over everyone. What an ass.
On the second lap a guy went to pass me on the double track. Now I was all the way to the right so riders could pass. There's room on this section for 3-4 bikes abreast to get by. But he came so close to me he hooked my handle bars and took me down hard. Okay I'm not even two laps into this "fun" race and I've been taken down twice!! Or should I say I made two snow angels? Well at least I'll be sore evenly since I've now fallen on my left and my right. (Cup half full)
By the third lap I was pretty tired. Racing in snow is a lot tougher than road riding. And maneuvering on the trails is tiring both physically and mentally. It requires upper and lower body strength and 100% concentration. I was pretty frustrated and thought briefly about a DNF. But I owed it to my partner to finish. As I started my 4th lap Mitch was already done waiting to cross the finish line with me. So instead of just hanging out, he came along for my last lap and encouraged me along the way. It felt good to cross the finish line and not get a DNF. But it definitely reminded me why I don't do group races!!
 |
| How I felt when it was all over! |
When you are picking the type of race(s) you want to do this year, think about you're comfort zone. It's okay to challenge yourself and try something outside your "box". Like a longer distance or a hilly course. But at the end of the day, make sure you are still having fun.
If you are doing your very first triathlon this year, consider one of the many women's only races. There's a drastic difference between a coed and an all women's race. The lack of testosterone in the mix makes for a much more civilized swim, as well as more encouragement from fellow athletes. I'm not saying women aren't competitive, but they are competitive in a different way.
I'm done making snow angels and looking forward to races where they don't say "Are you ready to rumble?"
Enjoy the ride,
Sheri
Sorry you got taken out twice! But glad you did finish it and had the sense of accomplishment.
ReplyDelete