Cross-country category: Sport Women I
Course Highlights: A stream crossing, a metal grate over a log (note the following picture courtesy of http://www.delmarvaphoto.com) and the fast sweeping corners.
Stats: 2 HZ women, Ali Flis and Caitlin Thompson in a field of 9. 2 laps of 7.5 miles each.
Average speed: 12+ mph
Weather: Sunny, highs in the 60's, perfect for a mountain bike race
Well, it was by far the most exciting mountain bike race that I have ever entered. As we got up the road on to the single track, I was sitting 8th. Twenty minutes of standing in the corral sure had not helped me stay warmed up. I made it up to 6th within 10 minutes, powering through some straight single track. Then I could see Kat from C3 Sollay. She, Ali and I all duked it out in the MAC cross series. I guess it was time for round 2. I got past Kat on a tricky bridge that she decided to walk and I finally caught up to Ali, who was 4th, as we she was cruising to the end of the first lap. Sitting in 4th was tough because I was fairly certain that 1-3 were up the road, but I could see Ali and Kat right behind me. Ali got past me as we pulled through the start calling at me to get on her wheel. Kat got past me soon after that as well. Back in 6th I hung on to Kat's wheel like white on rice. I got around her one last time but knew that if I didn't drop her then, she'd pass me at the finish. Then I caught a tree with my bars and somehow ended up with a bar-end sized bruise on my tush. Hmmmm.... Anyways, tried to sprint out in front of Kat, for 2 seconds. Then she hauled past me and I'm fairly certain I crawled to the finish line, exhausted.
Official results aren't up, but Ali got 4th and I got 6th. Great competition, awesome race. Can't wait for Granogue and the Stoopid 50.
"hung on to Kat's wheel like white on rice"
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