(Can't get any better backdrop than this! L'ville in the distance and a UCI World Champ banner above you!)
Well, the season is officially a "wrap" with this weekends passing of the 2012 Master's World Championships event in L'ville. I've been on the road, sick (more on that later), and busy playing bike racer for the last few weeks so I have a little updating to do to the blog here as a result. I guess logically most people would think I should start with my reports on where I last left off... which would mean I would get to my USAC National Championship event in Madison, WI, but I've decided to do otherwise and start with this last race first.
Reason being? Well, it was my worse "race" I have ever done in my career and once I write this blog, I really just want to put it behind me and focus on all the other positive things that came out of the season. Not that my trip down didn't have good things, or that I didn't have some fun; but my race was something that wasn't one of them.
(I think the look on my face says it all... post body slam and just trying to hold on till the end!)
Backing up to the week before heading to Worlds: Most of you know I was struggling with bronchitis/ sinusitis/ pharyngitis that got going the day before my Master's race in WI. It blew up once I got home and I was forced to lay in bed for 5 days praying it would pass for my trip down to World's in time. I was taking so many herbs, antibiotics, and anything else (humidifier) I could do to move it along. But when your sick, your sick and things like that just have to run their course. I rallied enough Friday before my race to make it to pre-ride the venue. I was pretty tired after the short ride but after seeing what we were faced with, fitness really wasn't what determine the winner.
(Frozen deep ruts, everywhere, Oh MY!)
After a rainy, muddy race the day previous, and sub freezing temps the next day, almost every inch of the course was filled with frozen, unmovable ruts with areas of ice in between. I was devastated to be honest. I've never rode anything like that (not that many people in their right minds have) and after a lap around, I realized I was very terrified of these conditions. Okay. So now what? I tried to collect my thoughts and reasoned that the staff would have taken note that many, many people were crashing (badly) and switch over the tape a bit to make this a true test of cyclocross. After all, us old people don't bounce off the ground as well as non-master's! Surely that would happen. I can't believe how many times I heard racers saying "all they have to do is shift the tape over," or "I came all this way to ride my bike."
I went to bed that night not being anxious about how my fitness prep had been, but a nervous wreck about how I would be able to go to work on Monday from wrecking... how much was this going to be worth to me?
As race day arrived the course remained the same. I pre-rode with a different tire selection and felt a little better about my race. I knew I had the chops and the fitness. I had all the belief that I could live up to the race predictions from the media that I was a favored top 3. But-
Turns out I'm not the best frozen rut racer in the world.
I started off strong on the pavement. My legs felt so great as I kept right there easily with L. Bassette, the heavy favorite, but as soon as we hit the ruts, I started moving backward in the pack. I got behind a crash in the frozen sand and was instantly in the back of the pack. I started back up and was slowly picking my way back up to about 10th and then it was all over. I hit a cross rut that was filled with ice, slammed to the ground, and had to think twice about getting back up. Yet I did. I had badly hit my right elbow, couldn't feel my hand, and as I got back on my bike I realized I dropped my chain. Being that I couldn't feel my hand and was in a lot of pain, it took a very long time to get it back going again. DFL.
(Ready to look on to the next adventure: Master's World's 2012 and the season came to a end after 1 lap of racing. Photo: Chris Jones)
(Things started out pretty cool with a #3 call-up, but went down hill from there.)
After that, I worked back up a few places. I made the decision that doing more damage wasn't worth the risks for me and I pretty much shut it down and crawled around until I got the red light to finish. I might as well walked the course except with a unstable ankle that has had 5 operations, I didn't think that would be a safe option either. I finished 15th. So I'm considered 15th in the World (or master's usa version 2.0 with a couple Canadian mixed in). I finished the race and I kept the faith. Meaning I did all I could to represent myself in a Christan manner. I smiled. Made the best of it. It's a bike race.
I had came to win, but it wasn't meant to be.
(One of the frozen technical descents that had it's share of victims.)
I had told myself months ago that my goal was to just be able to line up at Worlds. I never imagined I would have thought I could win it. Back then I told myself I would be a winner for just lining up, so in that regard and given everything that I've went through this year: I'm a winner in my mind. That's what is important at the end of the day. I finished even though I was in a great deal of pain with my elbow (which is now all bundled up in a sling). In a course that was full of constant bumps, having a elbow the size of a softball didn't feel to smurfy.
(Those World numbers look pretty rad on the Panache/ Bob's Red Mill Kit!
I won't lie and say I'm not bummed out about it. I was very disappointed the course really only showed who was willing to take risks and maybe not set up cx racing for the all around picture of fitness and skill. That's just my opinion (and several other I spoke to) though.
Major kudos to those who won and placed highly. They are true world champions who risked it all to be on the top steps. I just wasn't willing to do that. It was my worse race ever, but worse things have happened to me. Things that are still very fresh in my mind and I'm women enough to say I didn't want to do anything that would bring me close to nearly dying again, plus I just couldn't bear to have a major injury again to make my family and loved ones worry about. I can suffer, but it tears me up to think about having them have to go through anything else so soon again. That's just being honest and that's okay in my book.
I lined up.
I fought my own personal fight.
I kept the faith and
I finished the race.
Big thanks to all who cheered and helped me out there this weekend! It was very cool of you all. I look forward to next year to give it a better go... as long as there are no frozen ruts!
No comments:
Post a Comment