Anyways the Patriot Cross race was a bit of a shocker for me. I didn't know what to expect, but I certainly didn't think I'd be off the front before the first half of lap was over haha. Ok ok it was a Cat 4 women's field and I know that I'm still crazy fit from my broken triathlon season. But still, I didn't expect THAT!
The girls started way faster than I expected them to; they just shot off the line! So, I just kinda did what they were doing and went with them thinking I'd just hang with them and see how I felt.
There was a line along the shore of lake this race went around that doubled over on itself not far from the start. That's where I went from 3rd or 4th to 1st.
The Master Plan at that point was to just be ahead of everyone at the logs we had to ride over since I was betting it'd be a bit of a bike-person clog. And I was right - one woman crashed out with a broken leg!!
So I just kinda kept going at it as fast as I could, rode the lines I'd practiced, and tried not to blow myself up until I saw the 1 lap to go sign. I was so glad to see that sign, too!
They had quite the series of down, turn, and up steep little hills. It was hard to make those, catch your breath and keep moving quick.
This little dip was crazy! It musta taken me ten tries to ride it on the practice runs, but I know making that hill made a huge difference on this race. It was fast at the bottom, and steep at the top, so it was super slow just as you got to the flat. Fun stuff!
The barriers were totally the thing that worried me the most, mostly because in practices I've kinda knocked them over with my bike...ooops. Got through them each time fine on the race though, so I guess when the pressure's on I can pick up my bike enough. Found out after the race that the barriers were 2 inches taller than they were supposed to be - makes the cat 4 girls all that much tougher!
Every time I hit the pavement, I took a deep breath before pushing it just a little harder.
I finished with a few minutes to spare ahead of the other women, but boy was I ready to be done.
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