After getting no sleep last night, I reluctantly get up at 7:00am and get ready for the race. Surprizingly I feel pretty good. As I am driving over to Flat Rock Park I am wondering if today is going to be the day that I finally make it to the podium? Will the cramping be a continued issue as it has been alot lately?
I have been training and eating like I think that I should be. The only thing missing is the proper amount of sleep to replenish and rest the body. I feel that I will be ok even if I do have some issues in the race. Only time will tell though.
I arrive at the park and am only beaten there by Dave and Terri Berger, the race promoters at GoneRiding.com. So I go over and pick up my race pack and chat with them a while. The park slowly starts to come to life as the other racers, supporters, and volunteers start to show up. I head over to talk to some of my friends as I see them arrive.
My race starts at 9:30am, so I head back to the car to get my gear ready. I have been drinking my Cytomax for 2 days now hoping that it helps me with my cramping issues. I have also packed a half bottle of pickle juice in the last ditch case of needing some cramp relief during the race.
So to the line I go. 3 2 1 and we are off. I am in 2nd position for the first 1/4 mile until I am passed by 2 guys, and then another one right before we get into the woods. I am holding my position until right before the rock garden when Mack passes me and the guy in front of me. So I crank it up and pass that guy too. I want to try to keep up with Mack since we seem to be about the same speed and are close in the points series.
I quickly realize that this was a very good decision as we enter into the rock garden. I have always had trouble with the first right hand 180 deg switchback. So I watch Mack and follow his line and don't have any problems at all. YAY.
So we are now heading past the lake, over the road and into the bottom section below the dam. This section has several switchbacks in it and they are off-angle and have loose sand and pine straw on them. When we hit the 3rd turn I get a little off to the right side of the trail and BAM, I go down so fast that I didn't even have time to put my hand out to catch myself. My wheels just slid out in the loose stuff and took the bike right out from under me. One guy passes me before I can get back on the bike. I am ok, so I jump up and jump back on the bike. Mack has now got a 100 foot lead on me, but I am not worried about that right now.
I am now riding by myself, but I can keep Mack in my field of view ahead. He is riding good but I think that he isn't gaining on me. As I make my way to the back side where the big rock is, I prepare myself for "the hop" onto the rock. When I hit the rock my chain is jarred so hard that it pops off to the inside of the crank. I am trying to pedal and shift the front derailier in hopes that it finds it way back onto the chain ring. I have no forward momentum so I quickly come to a stop and have to unclip and manually put the chain on. This resulted in Mack getting a huge lead on me. But I am still alone and I don't see anyone gaining on me.
So I keep trudging along in hopes that I can somehow catch back up to Mack. I am pretty sure that I am in 6th place now. I maintain my pace as to not go too hard and kill myself trying to catch him. I still have over one more lap to go and I don't want to push it and start cramping again.
I finish the first lap alone and with no other issues and no cramping, yet. But as soon as I reach the first climb they start. All I can do is back it down a notch and push down with my heals more. I never fully cramp or lock-up, but my legs are so close it isn't funny. Every crank of the pedal is a battle to keep them away.
About halfway through the 2nd lap, and with locking up an ever increasing issue, I decide to try the pickle juice as so many of my friends have suggested trying. So at the next flat spot I reach down, grab the bottle and attempt to slurp down a couple sips. Before the juice even has a chance to reach my stomach it trys to come back up. This is disgusting and I think I will throw up!!! Holding my mouth, breath and everything else I can think of, I manage to keep it down. That was NOT a good experience and will never happen again! Whoever thought that was a good idea needs to think again.
So anyway, I finish the race with marginal success (not fully locking up) and claim a 6th place. Not on the podium, but getting closer by the race. I am somewhat happy with my performance, but still very concerned with the continued cramping issues. What to do, what to do???
Here are the race results . I also jumped from 13th in the points to 5th. So now the race is ON...
