St. Cloud Single Track Escape

I'm so sad that the season is over already, it went so fast! Matt and I both learned a lot about training this season and we now know what worked and what didn't work as well. We also know we really need some hills to train on; and since Hutchinson is about as flat as a place as you can get, we are not really sure what we are going to do about that aspect of our training.

Both Taylor and Devon raced Kid's Comp at St. Cloud. They both did very well. They both finished 2nd in their age groups. Devon finished 7 out of 13 overall and Taylor finished 9 out of 13 overall. They both said they had a lot of fun. The only riding Matt was able to do for the day was behind Devon in his race. Matt said Devon did great he passed people well and even wiped out pretty good, but got back on the bike and finished with a smile.

Wyatt raced in the kids race and did great as well. He always has a smile on!!

Jordan decided, since she had 1st place in her age bracket for the citizen category wrapped up, that she would ride this race in the sport category. (Ok if you ask her Matt and I talked her into it.)

I went into this race gunning to stay as close as possible to the lead riders. I was well rested and feeling good. I went out just before the race and warmed up really good on the course, I have found more than anything else this is key. The warm up not only gets my legs opened up and ready to ride, but it gets my mind into the course and ready to go. At the start line I was lined up in the middle next to Jordan who was next to Michole (her friend who also decided to race her 1st sport race). The man at the line started the 10 second countdown, only he hesitated between 2 and 1 and that messed me up a little, I started to go and then he hadn't said 1 yet so I held back and then went. That was enough to get me off just a little later than I would have liked. Next thing I knew my space was closed in and my handle bar had Jordan's jersey wrapped up around it. In an effort not to fall and not to make Jordan fall (that was my biggest concern) I really held up and tried to get untangled. After a little tire rubbing and laying my bike at a pretty good angle, I got us out of the jam and Jordan was still on her bike. Although we were both behind. I got my wits about me I started around the parking lot and then I put my bike near my top gear and gave it all I had. I knew there were certain people I wanted to be in front of when I hit the single-track. I gave it all I had and I accomplished my goal, just before entering the single-track I passed the last of the riders that I was concerned about, the 3 female riders left in front of me were not going to hold me up. As soon as I entered the single-track I did a little bit of shifting and my chain jammed (I had horrible visions of Afton, when I had worked hard to stay in front and my chain jammed and every single woman passed me by.) This time I stayed on my bike going back and forth with the petals a few times and then it let loose, I was soooo relieved. I started to weave through the single-track and I was making good time. Still during the prologue lap I passed 1 of the women then I passed 1 more somewhere around the parking lot at the beginning of the 1st lap, then I knew only Becca Heath was in front of me, I knew this was her home course and that all season long she finished many minutes ahead of me. My goal was to try to stay as close to her as humanly possible. Towards the end of the prologue lap Matt informed me that Becca was about a minute ahead of me. This gave me a little push to ride as quick as I could. Throughout the rest of the race spectators would let know how far I was back from Becca, from there info I knew I was falling further and further behind. I was not upset, I continued to ride as clean as possible and pass as many people as I could. I knew that Shanna was somewhere behind me and I also remembered at Mankato with only a half a lap to go Shanna passed me and stayed way ahead of me. So my new goal was to make sure that she did not catch me, by riding quick and clean. I accomplished this goal. I finished 2nd overall for the women, 2nd in my age group, and I had already wrapped up 2nd place for the year in the MNSCS standings.

This type of course does not necessarily suite me, but I have found through out this year that I am no longer held back but the type of course. I had the best time this year. I rode strong, I had no injuries and I learned a lot. Now I just need to figure out how to increase my speed. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Special thanks to Tom Warner and skinnyski.com for a lot of the photos.