This race went about as expected. Due to issues with getting my house rented in Coon Rapids, before I went out for the 20 minute pre-race warm up it had been 8 days since I'd been on the bike, should be well rested!!
The start of the race was perfect!! Nobody attacked...and the whole group took off very slow- couldn't have asked for anything better! ...well except fo maybe a pre-ride. I was in 2nd about 100 yards before we dipped into the woods, only I thought it was another half mile up the ski trail. All of a sudden the wave dropped the hammer behind me and they jst had too much momentum and I couldn't accelerate hard enough to hold off....I dropped to about 6th or 7th and as those of you that know my riding...the singeltrack was not the place for me to be that far back. I was held up through most of it and my legs still hadn't come around powerwise to sprint pass in the short ski trail sections.
The second lap came and I felt so rusty and not very smooth- riding was ok but breathing and rhythm was rediculously out of time. Struggling. Towards the end of lap 2 Rebecca Sauber (who had already won the Pro Womens Singlepeed Championship that morning) re-passed me when I mentioned the next girl was about 30 seconds behind nad I was not getting faster.
I was however able to keep on her wheel to the start of the third and final lap. Into the first singletrack I started to feel myself come around and I was able to finally get control of my race. Rebecca kindly let me by a few hundred yards into that section and I took off hard. I found "the zone" and raced smooth and fast- all focus was where its supposed to be...on the course...I know I passed lots of people cheering as I went through rock sections but I don't hardly remember them. The bike was handling so well just bouncing around and sliding and doing its thing perfectly underneath me when all I needed to do was pedal hard and look down the course. Nailed every technical feature (that wasn't cluttered with a fallin rider or two anyways) and the lap felt almost effortless! I went by several riders that had passed me earlier and as I came through the finish I REALLY REALLY wanted another lap!! I wonder who else I could've caught!
Anyways...finally after 4 previous attempts I had a great St. Cloud race and it wasn't a win but I did get on the podium with 3rd place and a big push from it to keep training.
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