My racing focus is starting to shift towards preparation for the longer races that loom towards the end of summer- Hampshire 100k &Shenandoah Mountain 100- and this week marks a significant increase in volume compared to most weeks I race xc. It also lacks the intensity I usually like to have in my legs.
I was tired going into this race and it hurt. We drove up to Walpole MA early in the morning for our 930am start. We rode the first mile of single track and dialed in the one technical section. I then warmed up solo and tried to rally. I did some sprints and could tell from my performance and HR that I was tired. Not only was I tired but I was nauseous. It was also very humid and hot.
As we lined up I kept wishing the whistle would blow so we could just start racing and I could throw up in the woods where nobody would see me. Luckily that never happened. The whistle blew and I went out hard into 2nd position in a field of 20+ riders. Hugo was leading and I sat on his wheel knowing he was a strong and good rider to follow. 50 yards before the hole shot we got passed by John "Fjord" from Westchester NY (its the best chester). I didn't want him to run away so I passed Hugo and hopped on John's wheel. The three of us went screaming through the rock garden and quickly split the field. Damn we were flying.
After 20 minutes of working at this intensity I forgot how tired and sick I felt before the start of the race. "I might be able to keep this pace after all." We dropped Hugo and kept riding. John never dropped pace and we were flying. At 45'ish minutes in I started to feel the pain again and knew I needed to drop my pace if I was going to finish.
I pretty much limped through my last lap and barely pulled 2nd place. I was hurting. Congrats to John and Hugo they were racing unbelievably well and it was a pleasure riding with them.
Katie finished 2nd place to a National Champ!
Cat 2 30-39
Dirtwire was there and made this radical race recap.
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