So when will be my 3rd? Nationals was race #1 of crap, and now race #2 of crap just passed by. I need to race again before the fall so I can get my 3rd mishap out of the way before cyclocross season.
On Thursday Chris and I, once again packed the car with the bikes and our stuff for yet again, another race. This time we drove to Suncadia Resort in Roslyn, WA. Raleigh was hosting a cyclocross race out there. The top 3 Elite men and women where given cash prizes of $1500, $500, and $250. Who wouldn't want that kind of money? The top amatuer Elite man and women where offered a "pro contract" with Raleigh to race the Cross in the Dark series. They where also given 2 Raleigh cyclocross bikes, with their entry fees paid for, and travel stipe-end. Not to shabby right? I didn't say it allowed because I didn't want to get my hopes up, but I really did want that contract. How cool would that be? Once I saw the list of registered riders, I wasn't really sure it would be something I could claim. So I just told myself race for fun, lets see how you stack up to the other ladies you will be racing agianst in the NW. If anything it will be a tough hard workout, see what cross skills I need to work on, etc.
At the start of the race I was feeling pretty good, my start wasn't too shabby either. For the first half lap I was sitting in 6th, and moving on up! I was pretty sure I was going to get past some of those ladies, I just needed my cotton mouth to go away!! As I was riding down a small decent just after the pits on the very first lap, fate struck and I my rear wheel was flat. I was somewhat confused for a moment...do I run the entire lap to the pits? Do I ride on my flat wheel? I tried both, and then I realized it wasn't going to happen. The course was so dry and fast that by the time I would have reached the pits, I would have been lapped. It just wasn't something I wanted to do, so I pulled out. I wanted to whine for a little bit. So that's just what I did. I pouted for a little bit, until I had to perk myself up and give myself a mental talk "at least you didn't pay for the race". That's right, I didn't pay to race, it was a free entry. So instead I test rode a Raleigh bike, that was pretty fun! The bike had SRAM on it, and it convinced me to convert from Shimano to SRAM. I think I'm going to go for it.
Once I got over pouting over the fact that my race was over in half a lap, I heard there was a bike I could pedal that would blend a margarita for me (courtsy of Cyclops)! So instead of worrying about my half lap race, I drank tequila while the Elite men raced and had a good time heckling Chris. Love you Boyfriend.
This race really teased me, and it has me mentally ready to race cross, but it's July!!!! I have nearly 2 full months before cross season. I am so sad! I have a lot goals for myself in the coming season. I want to win, I want my Cat1 upgrade, I want to stand out, I want to be fast, and skilled. Every race I do, I do it so it makes me stronger in CX. Every time I suffer through a road race I do it for CX (and a little bit for me), any time a scary section in a mountain bike race comes, I try it for CX. I race for 4 straight months to get me fast and in shape for CX. I also race road and mountain because I like it, but I believe it helps me. Road gives me the fitness, mountain gives me the handling skills, and CX gives me the love of my friends every Sunday.
I just love Cyclocross, there's no other way to put it. I love the sport, I love the spectators, I love my team, I love the scene. With the summer we have been having, Fall just might be my favorite season these days (since I get to race CX).
SEPTEMBER GET HERE!!!!!!
(Okay maybe not)
Chris and I are officially on vacation for 2 weeks. We are headed up to Vancouver Island to my families beach house in Comox. I absolutely love it up there. I was named after the town Courtenay, and there is awesme mountain biking in Cumberland (part of the Comox Valley). We will probably do lots of mountain biking and road biking, along with hanging out on the beach and at the river. I love vacation.
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