Mountain Bikes & Other Things: 2010 - DINO 1

This is how it played out:

Results from DINO website:
Rank Finish Time DINO# First Last Team/Sponsor
1 1:40:08 90 Nicole Borem DRT Racing
2 1:43:02 23 Sara Krause Krause Sports Performance
3 1:43:22 154 Amanda McKay Shamrock Cycles
4 1:45:45 109 Emily Benson DRT Racing
5 1:50:55 22 Jayne Prater DINO Adventure Racing
6 1:51:35 129 Katherine Mowat Kirks
7 1:51:50 102 Angela Breeden Bicycle Station
8 2:08:54 54 Meredith Link Bicycle Station
DNF 24 AnnaJean Dallaire Alderfer Bergen

While AnnaJean is a pro and Meredith is an awesome rider, these ladies had a bad day. So, I'm considering myself last. At the same time, I consider myself quite victorious.

1) Again, I felt strong this entire race. Quite honestly, it was the slick conditions that kept me from totally punching it. My time was actually 8 minutes slower than my personal best at this course. Given the conditions & back-asswards way they ran the course (opposite direction from usual), I'm happy with the time. As Luther P. pointed out to me after the race, "You're just faster than your bike." Awesome. I totally was faster than my bike yesterday. I get it. I had more to give at times. Or perhaps I just need to work on my technical skills. Lol.

2) For the first time ever, I didn't get lapped by the Pro men who started 14 minutes in front of me! I saw Matt B, my sponsor, on a certain part of the trail as it meanders through a grassy field. Snaking our way through the field, I knew I was in front of him, but didn't know by how much. I set a new goal: DO NOT LET HIM CATCH UP. He crossed the finish line about 30 seconds behind me, on his 3rd lap--my 2nd. How neat to find motivation in odd ways!

3) I crashed and didn't hurt anything. My bike was fine; I had a little scratch on my leg; it was fine. The only negative--2 guys saw it happen. I stood up and asked, "So, what's my score?" Thinking a 6.8 or 7.2--something along those lines, one replied, "25!" I hopped back on the bike and contemplated what 25 could possibly mean for the next 30 minutes.

-Was it out of 100? Surely not. The crash was not that lame.

-Was it out of 25? No, my landing was not very graceful, and the audible grunt/low scream was not very ladylike. I would not have received a perfect score for this.

-Was it some other obscure system I wasn't familiar with?

It turns out, Luther P. was one of those guys. As I'm relaying this story to him after the race, he says, "That was me and another guy!" I asked about the significance of 25.

"You were the 25th person to crash at that very spot."

"Oh. I guess I'm not a complete klutz then."

4) I finished only 15 seconds behind a girl that was beating me by 90 seconds last year. I will have to get better!

5) The 3 days leading up to the race, I was in a foul mood due to the forecast of rain, rain, and rain. Knowing the course would be muddy drastically lessened my desire to participate. As I was on the starting line, I told myself to suck it up, get over it, and have fun. I did. I overcame those negative thoughts.

6) And last--who can not feel like a champion at the top of a short, steep hill where strangers were ringing cow bells and cheering me on giving me motivation to dig deep and CLIMB? I thanked them both laps telling them it was just what I needed.

Sure, it would have been MUCH more fun if the course had been less wet and the roots less slickery. But it could have been much worse. I'm excited to keep it up and see what I can do next! Maybe I'll even gain a couple of positions by the end of the year.

I don't have any pics from this year, so I'll put some in from 2 years ago as I crashed out last year; my tire rolled off the rim in that one.

All smiles....