La Ruta Lou and Cheryl at finish line!
My first race at Sea Otter
where I actually trained! NOW I know the difference between Cat 1, 2
& 3!
I may be an intermediate
rider, but I am not yet an intermediate RACER! lol - So why did I sign up for Cat
2? I got to ride more miles and climb more hills for my money and
ride against some very fast women! My race was not to start until
8:55 a.m. - I was warming up and nearly missed the whole thing - I had
to rush through all the young guys to get to the front where my
group was lined up. There were 15 women over 50 registered in Cat
2. The morning was very foggy and really tough to see where we were going
- Like a horror film! - First big mistake I made was "pre-opening" the Gu packets! It leaked out and my
shorts were stuck to my legs and my jersey was stuck to my shorts! The Cat 1
guys were coming around for their second lap and it took some getting used to
having these fast guys passing you on single track. On a sandy
turn a guy came up behind me and hit my rear tire and I went over the bars and
cut my bad leg again! -- No big deal, but it hurt and I already had 7 stitches
in that same spot! - I felt I was dropped pretty fast and I seem to be
getting used to that! A woman in my race got in front of me and must not
have done a pre-ride, she went down
a very bad line on the most technical part of the course and crashed really
badly on that rutted downhill - well, I heard there were a lot of crashes in
that spot, one guy went to ER and had his spleen removed.
All in all, it was a perfect
day for a ride. The sun finally came out and I just gave it my best
shot. It's a lot different "racing" 20 miles than it is
"riding" 20 miles in my local mountains. So many people on the trails
and passing made me nervous for a while. Then I got to the point where
the Cat 3 riders turn right and finish, and Cat 2 riders (me) turn left and
keep on climbing. This extra four miles was beautiful and lots of fun
single track and steep climbs! Suddenly I realized I was all alone!
I mean the view was spectacular and it seemed I could see for miles, but no
humans around! I said to myself, okay, Cheryl, you have been watching carefully
for signs, you cannot be lost. - there were actually some women
behind me, two, I think, but they were too far back for me to see.
I stopped and let some air
out of my tires and, again, had to pee! I have to limit my water
intake! lol
My good friend and mountain
biker, Sue F. reminded me when I got home how far I have come since I started
riding. When I met her and we would ride, if I ever got to a part where I
could not see someone, I would freak out! Fear really has ruled my life, sadly
enough, and I am so grateful that mountain biking has really helped me get over
these deeply embedded fears of being alone and not trusting myself to find my
way out of a brown bag!
Just like in Counting Coup,
I climbed a lot of what I saw others walking, and I was doing my best, and that
is all I can do, my best. I was totally confused about where the
actual finish line was as I got to the end and stopped, I think, two or three times , asking
spectators, "is this it?" T hey were all yelling and cow bells were
clanking, keep on going! lol -
too funny - I was tired, but excited when I saw LOU and Eric standing
there waiting for me - What a great relief that was! I knew she
was coming and was happy to see them both! Louise Kobin (La Ruta Lou) and I have been working together with her
coaching me since last October and these last two events of Counting Coup and
Sea Otter were two goals, two dreams, that WE worked for together! Thank you, Lou,
I could not have done it without you!!!!!
Yes, I wish I could say I
was happier with with my times in this race and counting coup, but who does not want to be faster?
Lou always has the greatest little one-liners to make me feel better. She
asked me, "would you rather be third and have the same time?" No, I
would not! She is right. She told me it's important to race your own
race. You never know who will be racing out there!!
Right off the bat she
noticed I had too much tire pressure, and suggest I might raise my bar up a
bit. BTW, making those two small changes improved my riding a lot! I
had no idea what too much pressure can do to a ride, like causing me to skid
a lot and lose traction! I kicked out a good ride yesterday with those changes!
Today while speaking with my
daughter Danielle I was telling her that I still feel disappointed and trying
to work through it.
Yep, I did - and if that
does not seem a like a lot to you, just try it!
Lou warned me that I very likely would not be
recovered or be 100% from racing Counting Coup in time for Sea Otter, but it was
doable, and so doable it was. I came home to my cool award that the
Warrior's Society sent me for counting coup ! My first real trophy at age 54,
hey, now, can you beat that? ;-) --- Look out, ladies, I will be back next
year for both these rides!
I told Lou I am just beginning. This is my training year, 2012 - now let's look at the races for 2013! This 'granny' gave up her granny gear and going to be training on her new Ty single speed and my 2 x 9 S-Works!
We don't really get old.
It's just a number. For me, getting older is something I never
thought I would even have the chance to do!!! Have you ever stopped and
thought how lucky you are if you have your health and get to grow 'older'?
Some don't have these options to grow up or grow old or ride a bike.
Meeting Coach Lou (La Ruta Lou) is one of
the best things to happen to me. She is a kind soul with a big heart and a
smile to melt you. She has wisdom and peace of mind I can nearly reach out and touch. She is the REAL DEAL, so to speak. She has been
racing "something" most of her life, and because she is calm, cool and shares
this love for mountain biking, I simply could not ask for more of the perfect
person to help me live out my dreams and some day win a race and get on a
podium!
Stay tuned because that time
will come! Right, Lou?
Thank you, God, my family,
riding partners, friends and my dog Mai, for all your patience, love and
support!
p.s. (if you read this far
and you happen to click the link at the beginning from garmin, you will see the
heart rate strap was on crack! - had me going from 47 to 240 or something
insane! These straps just stopped working? You think someone trying
to tell me something about listening to my body and not a strap??? Or maybe the doctors put in bionic boobs! lol
Night
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