The Vulcaniser!
I had a few objectives for this race. It was my first 2pm race, so I wanted to make sure I got my fuelling right. I had to eat just enough and at the right time. Too early and I’d feel hungry and underfuelled during the race, too late and, well, I’m sure you can imagine the worst case scenario. So I’m pleased to report it seems I got it just right. Second was hydration, particularly in the heat with some of the recent problems I’ve had. But again I seemed to have it just right (and big thanks to Karen for feeding me too). Another goal was to complete the race feeling like I’d given it everything, including no crashes and not getting lapped. Another goal accomplished. And finally, to achieve a mental state where I retained focus for the whole race - a slowly deflating rear tyre in the last lap and a half affected that slightly, but for the most part I achieved that too.
The start went well. I hadn’t really known what to expect. In the past in small fields like that I’ve known I’d take the lead or close to it pretty quickly, but I’m up with the big girls now and every now and then I’d have a thought that I was going to be blown away and left looking like I’d dropped my chain while they all pedalled away in big chain ring half way down the block up a steep climb! But I managed to hold my own in the start, even getting ahead of Bob (the eventual winner) for about 40 seconds :o)
I’d already dropped to the back by the top of the start climb, but was right on the tail of the group as we hit the first pinch which saw 2 or 3 riders off. I managed to hold my balance and get in front of Fiona while she was getting back on, but she got past me again soon after. Up the next short grassy section I fell back again but made up some time on the first downhill and after the short climb to the next downhill was catching again, so of course used the technical sections to my advantage. By the bottom of slimline I was back on the tail but as it turned up a hairpin there were more offs and that forced me off too. I got back on and wasn’t able to get back on the train. I didn’t help my cause by messing up a gear change in to the steep climb, going in to big instead of little! I abruptly hauled to the right to ride along the hill and let off the tension so I could change down, recovered and kept pushing the pedals up the hill. Straight after that we were in to the final downhill (Boars Nest). It was just out of here I injured myself in 2006, but no issues this time. The final challenge of the lap was the ‘carpety climb’. In 06 I never got up it, but with Tama, Heather and Chris all egging me on I had no trouble.
I wasn’t too far off the pace and in laps 2, 3 and 4 made up a little bit of time. Around half way through the 4th lap I noticed something wasn’t feeling right in my rear wheel and soon noticed I was losing pressure. Well, I thought, the terrain isn’t too bad so I shouldn’t pinch flat and lower pressure will be good on the climbs (let’s not worry that I started with very low pressure because of the climbs anyway!). In the 4th lap it really wasn’t a problem, and I had a really good lap. In lap 3 I’d really started to feel it in the legs with a bit of jelly-leg feel and some good pain, and in lap 4 the pain was intense - it spurred me on to push harder and keep that pain on because as we all know, pain is your friend!
Heading in to lap 5 it was obvious I really didn’t have enough tyre pressure so I was careful to unweight the back of the bike when rolling over anything. I could feel the rim every now and then (and I’m running light weight tubes) and it was starting to roll out on me around corners and anything that hit the side wall. I was still riding well. I was knackered and felt like I’d blown my legs apart, but that’s exactly what I wanted. There were 3 pinch climbs that I thought had the potential to take me out as fatigue set in, but I rode all 3 in all 5 laps. Unfortunately with the tyre so deflated I was off on a couple of other pinches in the final climb and I probably lost a total of about 2 minutes to that problem.
I cross the line in 2.17. Last place, but I was elated. I’d completed my first elite race! I could ride expert and be winning races, or I could really test and push myself up here in elite, and I have no regrets about my decision. It’s not about winning or losing, it’s about riding to the best of my ability. I’ve always wanted to be able to respect myself after crossing the line, and I definitely could with this race.
The best thing is, even though I felt like I gave it everything, I still feel like I’ve got so much more to give - and now I’m just amped as hell to get out there and give it in every race over the next few weeks!
