Fontana NMBS Race - the event

WARNING: LONG AND GRAPHIC. ;) SKIM IF YOU LIKE!

The official reports are written up on the Velo Bella boards link at left), and more pictures there as well. I've only got digital copies of the ones posted here, but cooler pics of Allie racing are on the Bella site. Good stuff, she rocks!

The RACE
4X Well, I got my a$$ handed to me on a platter, but know what I need to do:

• Learn to track stand (for the start, so I can be clipped in)
• Work on easy doubles
• Relax
• Stop hesitating on things I know I can do
  

Downhill
With the exception of Nemesis (a steep rock face to sharp right-hander w/6" of sand, followed by a quick 180 degree left hander/drop, also in deep unpedalable sand), the course wasn't too bad. In fact, it was heaps of fun! Loved the course, and was having a super time with the other Bellas (especially Allie, the other downhiller), trying out my new Fox gear, enjoying my new Giro Rememdy helmet, getting used to my new bike (the Stab Deluxe - rides like BUTTER!) , and just having the greatest weekend ever.

The course isn't like most, where there is a resort with lift service to the top. Instead, at Fontana we took a shuttle to a water tower where the road ended, and then had to push our bikes up the last 1/4? 1/3? of the hill. The heat, being geared up in full DH gear, and being tired already didn't make the push up any easier.

In the days leading up to the race, I (we) would take 3 practice runs, including two additional pushes to the top from the halfway mark, for a greuling day. Add to that the final third of the course being a flat all-out sprint to the finish, and each run was a killer workout!

Anyway, last day of practice, I cleaned the course entirely and was stoked for the race. My goal was to finish in the upper ranks of the lower third, grin.

In the midst of all this, Allie had a crash and got a solid "charlie horse" in her thigh. She tried to walk it off, and we goofed off at the tent, taking pictures (to come later when they are emailed to me) and having a good time. It was only later, when she went to change out of her biking gear, that she discovered this:


And we ended up spending the afternoon at the ER getting stitches. Here she is with a blue glove (she shredded a couple 'cause she hates needles and it made her feel better). She kept one as a souvineer:


She's awesome. 6 huge stitches, and she proceeded to race the next day. Well done!

Anyway, race day came. And....

.....I was tired from too many practice runs, and honestly, too sketched out. First "pro" race and all, and the mental games I played with myself got to me!

In the AM, I took one practice run and ate sh*t on Nemesis. Thus, I was nervous in the race qualifier an hour later. Of course, Nemesis felt my blatant fear and delivered a solid upper cut and I:

• Wiped out.
  
• Lost time.
• Got on the bike and couldn't get my left foot clipped or even on the pedal.
• Flustered.
• Tipped over.
• Got back on the bike.
• One-footed it through the rock garden, bobbled everywhere, and almost fell a third time.
• Too tired to give it my all in the sprint - heart rate pegged at 199.
• Damn.
• Qualified 24th out of 26, so not too bad. Eeek!

Going over the edge on the rock face (i.e. about to feel the upper cut to the jaw...)


Two hours to chill and recover. Allie and I ate some Chinese and chilled at the tent. Got geared up again, and back to the top we went.

Alex, the team manager / giver of encouragement, rode up with us. Since there was time, we hiked down to Nemesis to take a look, since he hadn't seen it yet. Talked through the problems, and with a plan of action in mind, we hiked back to the top. Where I proceeded to sit down and feel dizzy from exhaustion and nerves.

Sitting on my bike prepping for the run, I tried to get my mind in the game. 30 seconds to go. Ten seconds. 6. Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, BEEP! And I was off.

• I was hesitant but my goal was to just clean on the top, and pedal my a$$ off on the sprint.
• Came around to the first rock feature, something I'd had NO issues with thus far.
• There was the marker tape, ripped off and blowing across the trail.
  
• (Of course, I know now that I can just ride through it, but I'd never done it and it flapped into my face. I was sketched out already, but the tape pushed me over the edge.)
• Down I went. Ka-thump thump.
• Checked the bike: no damage.
  
• Stood up and unwrapped the tape from my bike, mounted, and realized I'd fallen in the worst place: just before an uphill climb.
• With no momentum, I wrestled the 45 lb squishy bike to the top.
• Emotional and wobbly.
• Got to my buddy Nemesis, and somehow.....cleaned him!
• Yay!!!!
  
• Too giddy at cleaning Nemesis, I fell in the 180 left-hander.
• D esperately tried to remount.
  
• Again, one-footed it through the rock garden, and pedaled my ass off in the sprint.
• Heart rate pegged at 200, I couldn't pedal any faster, and my friend Jackie just about caught me in the finish.

About to tip over in the sandy 180 degree turn:


One of the little features in the middle of the flat sprint:


Shrug. Last place, but really, I'm not too concerned about it anymore. I know what I did wrong and what I need to do better for the next race. I am capable of riding everything they throw at me, and if I just don't fall, I'm easily in my goal of the top of the bottom third. ;)

Goals:

• Fewer practice runs the day before the race so not as exhausted.
• Train train train! Singlespeed climbs so can handle the sprint better. Berms and technical practice.
  
• Practice practice practice!
  
• Relax - doesn't help to get nervous and fall in the race in places where you don't normally fall!
  
• Also, got the first Pro race under my belt, so shouldn't be as sketched out next time.