where to begin

hmmm... i have my worst results at wausau. i've never had a great day here. i'm not sure of the exact reasons. too much open? singletrack is never to my advantage because i'm usually stuck behind someone or completely red-lined from the open pedaling? probably a combo of both. the pre-ride didn't make me feel any better.
i started with sara, the guys and the kids. it hurt. i started falling behind right away, could barely breath, my legs screamed, my back ached, i essentially felt like shit. never recovered until late in the lap. i stopped twice to stretch my back as it was screaming at me to stop. the mosquitos loved it.
we arrived back at the car and i thought i was going to puke. i grabbed some fig newtons. put about 3 down and started to feel a lot better. we headed over to red bud road to do the singletrack across the way. we ventured on a trail we've never taken and were pleasantly surprised by the views and beautiful rock gardens. good good stuff. (all the more reason to get back up to wausau even earlier to pre-ride 24-9.)


after pre-riding and chit chatting we all headed back to the hotel to get ready for dinner. about 20 of us headed out for mexican. good stuff. afterwards, pool party, wrenching and chit chat.
i wasn't really looking forward to the race but at the same time just told myself to go out and have fun. the singletrack there is super rad.
my start seemed to come up super fast. i lined up and chatted with angie for a bit telling her how awful i'd do and her reassuring me (and probably rolling her eyes) that i'd be fine. i wasn't convinced. i haven't been nervous for a race in years, but i was nervous for this one. even on the car ride up.
as don said go i was at the front (not the lead) and stayed there. what? oh wait. ding. starting with the men and sara was way too fast for me. i probably blew myself up. i love (well maybe love is a strong word) the start of the sport women race. i started to settle and didn't care if people passed me. i was doing the best i could. i couldn't breath and my legs were screaming. finally into the singletrack. not recovered yet, but i knew the worst part was over. i finally recovered and was stuck in the singletrack. duh. i know, it's part of racing. but seriously. i never pedaled (well okay i pedaled on ho chi minh), hit the brakes constantly and almost went over the bars because it was so slow. oh well. i sat behind deb for a long time she was stronger than me in the opens and just as i'd start to recover and sometimes catch her the next singletrack started. i tried to pass a couple times but i just didn't have the gas to power by.
i just stayed patient. i finally felt recovered enough at one point to go by. and i did. into probably the only mud bog/puddle on the course. wow. i suck. i motored pass to find it was a long way to the singletrack. hmmm... i made it to the singletrack by myself came out, crossed the lap line and was trying to recover. a bunch of women passed me... regina, deb, angie, jamie, and 1 or 2 others. i smiled and laughed to myself. i wasn't defeated or anything but was happy with the effort i put in to try and put time on them, maybe it was ill-timed or whatever, but i put myself in the hurt locker to try and advance.


i actually recovered pretty quick (for me anyway) and went on my way again repassing everyone but deb and jamie. a bunch of us were held up in the uphill rocky singletrack (is that ho chi minh?) by some little kids. i didn't mind at all. it was cool they were there. for some reason i had an i heart wors moment. i cheered them on as i slammed my crotch into my top tube. we were finally able to get around and i shortly caught deb in the singletrack. i so wished i could've gotten by. i didn't get to ride the best singletrack both laps the way i could've. yes, yes, i know, then get there first. we all have our strengths and weaknesses. as irritating as it can be i still would rather have the skills to bomb the singletrack than be able to hammer the opens. which sucks sometimes in a race but is really cool on rides.
i was able to get by her on the next open section. i had no idea what place i was in, but definitely hoping for a top 5. it was my goal before the pre-ride, even though i told myself after the pre-ride it was top 10. riding the open section it seemed to go on forever and ever. where the heck was the singletrack? i was imagining all these girls on the back of my wheel soon if it didn't get here quick. i felt myself fading a bit. finally the singletrack came. i could here angie and one or two other girls on my wheel. crap. go. go. GO. my legs were tired. my legs weren't quite noodles but they were close. the short ups in the singletrack hurt. i was thinking about the next open section which wasn't long but still, and the next section of singletrack before the finish. so cliche, but i was thinking to myself pain is temporary, pain is temporary... you're almost done. hearing the sound of chains bounce as it felt like they were getting closer. i pedaled like crazy to the next section of singletrack, almost not able to pedal through that section barely able to get a move on. i saw jamie just ahead with a bunch of guys exiting out of the trail and onto the finish stretch (i'm guessing she was stuck behind them as once they exited she took off like a bat out of hell). i tried to close the gap, with a sudden burst of energy, probably an adrenaline rush of seeing jamie and knowing it was done, at least as i didn't think i could pick her off...
my legs were done. i was glad to be finished. i thought i was maybe top 5, turned out i was 3rd overall and 1st age. stoked. i think it was my best wors result ever.
john on the other hand had a rough day. he's still recovering from his sickness and is drugged up on antibiotics and prednisone. hopefully all that crap will be out of his system by mt. morris so he'll have some fun out there. he said it wasn't very enjoyable feeling like shit out there. props to him for finishing.


mitch had a bad day with two race ending mechanicals but everyone had a great day.
a few thoughts, thanks to jeff for getting us a killer deal on our hotel room. thanks to brent for understanding my obsession with his stuff and bringing some goodies with him for my fix. bummer his daughter was sick and he couldn't stay race day. it was nice meeting ryan's wife and his son ryder. i'm so glad sara is in and was able to make it up with us. i will miss her when she goes back. and thanks to everyone, especially destiny for helping out with our kids. we wouldn't be able to race with out that help. or at least it wouldn't be near as enjoyable.

*all pics stolen from the goat.