Do mechanicals come in three's?

In anesthesia and in medicine, most things happen in 3's. Like 3 people die, 3 difficult cases in a week, 3 call-ins in the middle of the night, stuff like that. I'm hoping that rule doesn't hold true in cycling. In the last 2 races I have had 2 mechanicals to my bikes that have resulted in me either coming in dead last or losing the race. I think 2 is enough since cross season starts in official swing this upcoming weekend. Here's the low down. 

(pic: Dino Indy start, first race on a 29er)

Dino Indy was the first breakdown. It all started great with me leading the elite women for about 3/4 of the first of 3 laps.

The track was dry and I was trying out the new niner and was having a fun time on it. I felt like I was in slow-mo in the corners compared to Terry, but maybe it was just the way the 29 feels. I don't think I was actually that much slower. Coming into the field section I was passed by AnnaJean, which I expected and faded a little before deciding to start racing again. About that time,  I noticed that my left crankarm/ cleat was wobbling all over the place and I thought it was just my shoe cleat coming lose. After babying this along for a whole lap, I found out what it really was because after an excel out of a corner the whole left crank came out of the bb and fell off.  Thus, ending my racing day. I was happy that I didn't kill myself, but I was super bummed since AnnaJean only had a 10 second lead on me and I still felt like I had some fuel left to burn. I walked back to the car about 2 miles, fixed the bike and decided I might as well do the last lap for fun. By that time it was starting to rain and I cruised along kinda happy I didn't have to risk my life in the slime trying to get a win. Unfortunately, this put me in dead last, leaving me with no payout. This was made worse by the fact that I got a speeding ticket heading out of Indy later that day. Oh well, some days just don't pay.

I ended the Dino series overall in 2nd place. Officially 3rd, but I omit trail work bonus points in my book since I feel it is not indicative of race finishes. I think trail work should be rewarded, but doing it in a race series at the expert level is not really the place. I feel race points are race

 points, not points on how helpful you are in life. It would be like letting the bears add a few points to the score board because they helped mow the field that morning before the game. 

Anyway, this officially closed the mtb season except for Iceman, and I am looking forward to that race a lot.

After the dino race, I took off (very fast) with my 

parents to the Tour of Missouri. We had a great time and it was a very cool experience. I am thankful that my parents have embraced cycling so much and enjoy watching it even if I'm not the one racing. I can't stress enough how anyone who rides a bike should go watch this event, it was a unique thing to see for sure.   

( pic: Garmin compound, Busch Stadium lot)

Mechanical number two happened in the first cross race of the year. Josh Johnson, Anne Young and I headed up to a Kisscross race in Grand Rapids MI to get our feet wet for the season. This was a smaller race and would serve as a low- key practice race for me. Practice races are for getting the kinks out and I had no kinks until the last stretch of the last lap when I rolled my rear tubie. I was leading by a sizable margin at the time and by the time I ran for a bit and then realized I had to far to run to finish, I deflated the rear tire to about 10psi to get the tubie back on the rim, got passed by the girl I was beating, then barely made it across the line ahead of the 3rd place girl. This was no fun to lose the race due to another mechanical, but I would so rather it happen in this race as opposed to a pro usgp race. That's why I do practice races. The good things from this race were: I sat in 4th overall ahead of a bunch of guys until my tire rolled, I held the effort no problem and still had more left, barriers were flawless, Anne kicked butt in her second cross race

 ever, and Josh brought home the win in the B race! 

I'm sure the bad luck is behind now, and I will get on with it. Mechanicals happen, I just hope they don't come in 3's. Cross is full on now, with 1 or 2 races every weekend until December and wncxw's every wed at the bike depot. Fun, fun...Hup, hup is what I have been waiting for since last year! (above pic: Josh and I 1st and 2nd in the first cross of the year. Cannonsberg ski area. Drt domination! )