Moab, UT. 2010.
My first 24 Hour Race. Second mountain bike race ever. Ten
months into my new obsession with bikes, I stood in my baggy shorts, plain tank
top, elbow pads and full Camelbak among
300 or so other racers to run around the most famous juniper tree in mountain
bike racing. I was like a kid in a candy store, excited, nervous and basically
giddy. I was pumped to give this first lap everything I had. I was scared of
“babyhead hill” at mile ten (hence the elbow pads) and didn’t trust my ability
to make it down with a great deal of speed, but I was game to give it a try.
Being on a four-person team I rode my heart out on each lap. Everything ounce
of energy and effort I had was left out “Behind The Rocks” and the best I could
muster was a 1:31. I had never seen the quality of bikes and racers before. I
watched guys come in consistently under an hour on each of their laps. It was
like a whole new world had opened up to me. I was a little “starstruck” as I
watched Jari Kirkland stand atop the podium after destroying the course and putting
up 15 laps to take the women’s solo. I was in awe. I turned to one of my teammates,
Chris, as we were leaving Moab and I said, “Next year, I am going to solo
Moab.”
Moab, UT 2011.
365 days later, I was standing in the same spot wearing Trek
Store bibs and jersey. Elbow pads gone, no Camelbak. No team. I was here alone
to ride for 24 hours. I wasn’t worried about killing the run or even the first
lap. I jogged around the tree in the middle of the pack and eased up the road.
I hung back to avoid all the riders eating it on the first rocky section and
mosied my way up and down everything before the “Nose Dive.” The course
conditions were absolutely the best anyone could dream up. The rain had stopped
at about 9 that morning and there was no dust anywhere at anytime during the
race. The sand was hard-packed and stupid fast. I remembered the lines through
the rocks and was able to ride them with confidence unlike last year. I don’t
think I even broke a sweat on my first lap except for maybe the last three
miles of road where I grabbed a big gear and tore into the log tent (because,
really. I am and always will be a 10 year-old at heart and being a super speed
racer is why we all ride….right?).
 |
| WIIIIIIIDE ANGLE picture trying to stay warm just before the run |
Just as I approached the tent, I heard someone yell, “Yeah,
second female in!” My lap time was 1:26. Ha. I had to smile a little to think
that I totally eased through that lap and it was 5 minutes faster than my
redline effort a year ago.
A lot can happen in a year.
I stopped quickly at my
elaborate pit (aka my Mountain Hardware backpacking tent), grabbed some water,
a GU Gel and chain lube. After two more laps, I put on my lights and made sure
I had enough battery/light combos to get me through the long night that was
coming. I knew I was leading the field of women, but I wanted to widen the gap
and I had set a goal of 13 laps before the race. The air was starting to get
cold and my fingers were freezing from the descents. I put on heavy gloves and
kept pedaling.
Light and battery management as well as food and hydration
took up about 5-10 minutes between each night lap. The temperature was dropping
and my new friends camped beside me had a perfect and alluring campfire which I
sat by while trying to choke down food that no longer appealed to me. It is a
scientific fact that campfire minutes go by much more quickly than regular
minutes, and before I knew it 17-20 minutes of real time had passed. And this
became the trend for all my night laps even after my new friends left for their
hotel in Moab.
As I think back, I wonder if I would have sat so long
warming my feet if I hadn’t of been up almost a full lap? Having a big lead
gave me some comfort and the colder it got, the more my 13 lap goal was in
jeopardy. I was turning in consistent night lap times, but they were far slower
than I had intended. At almost the exact same (mile 13) as last year,
ironically enough, my headlamp failed and I wasn’t running a handlebar light on
that lap. The moon was huge and bright so I would have made it in fine, but I
was lucky enough that a woman came along shortly after and was nice enough to
let me grab her wheel and pirate some lumens.
I was unable to eat much after about 2AM. Nothing looked
even remotely appealing except GU. I think I took two bites of some kind of bar
and set it down. I was battling the sleep monster as my eyes were starting to
droop. My 4AM lap was the hardest lap of the race. It was (I think) harder than
anything on the CTR also. I (and every other female I encountered and talked to
on the course) had not felt any feeling in our toes since about midnight and
there was literally frost on my handlebars. Before mile 1 there are rubber mats
just below a descent that provide a way across a nasty, sandy wash. I hit these
at about 4:03AM and crashed HARD. My tires went 25 different directions when
they hit the slippery frost that had accumulated on the mats. GROAN. My knee and
the right side of my face took the full force of that crash and I wanted to
cuss. But I got up, fully prepared to fight and win this battle, and walked it
off. I yelled up to another rider who would have gone down on the mats as
soon as I had gotten back on my bike. We both went on and once we were a little ways past, I heard someone
yell “SONUVA” from behind me. Mats 2. Riders 1.
I pushed on and began to slowly walk some of the hills
between mile 2 and 3. I felt groggy, fuzzy and sleepy. I could have curled up
in a bed of rocks and been asleep in a second. The sleep monster was in my face
and I kept fumbling to draw my sword and slay him. I was a little unaware of
life going on around me as I just plodded along trying to stay awake.
After the Nose-Dive when the pace significantly increases, I
felt better and finished out the lap. I stopped at my tent for about 30
seconds, slammed some caffeine and headed out for another lap. I knew the sun
was coming to greet me in less than a half an hour. Yummy sunshine. The snow
covered LaSalles teemed in the early dawn. My crazy, beautiful life has given
my eyes some astonishing and dreamlike views and this was certainly one of
them. I knew I was 2 or 3 laps ahead and could easily be in my warm and
wonderful down bag in my tent, but the moment I experienced in the fresh
sunlight on my bike is one for the memory banks that I will be able to relive
for a long, long time.
I completed my tenth lap and everyone was cheering and going
crazy at the log tent. I was up by over 3 laps and people were yelling and
offering me shots and beers. All the
drowsiness and fatigue from two laps ago was gone, the glorious sun was shining
and I knew I could do two more laps to get closer to my personal goal of 13. As
it ended up, I finished my 11
th lap and threw my timing chip in the
air to celebrate my victory. My last lap in the new morning sun was something
like 15 minutes faster than the previous one…ah, the mind game involved in
racing. Indeed a crucial aspect to master.....as I had just proved to myself for the
one-millionth time.
I caught a nap in my tent while I waited for the awards
which started around 2:30. Flowers, a little bit of coin and a new Camelbak
were the material fruits of my labor. I stepped down from the podium honored to
have stood where some of my heroes had stood in years past. The dwindling
numbers led to not so fierce competition in the women’s solo
class, so dumb luck played a part in my ability to take the top spot. But I
will take it, cherish it and use this race as a huge learning experience and
confidence builder.
I CAN do this. I CAN solo without elaborate support. Negativity
has no power over a heart like mine and a desire so intense. SO:
F the
Naysayers!
I came along way on my bike in 2011. I went big right out of
the gate. I tripped and fell a few times, let the bruises heal and got back up
to accomplish and win some pretty cool stuff. I need to step up a level next
season though. I have big goals to chase and an upcoming winter to work my tail
off to help make them a reality.
Oh, and speaking of the winter, I can't wait to start rollin' FATtire & SINGLE speed in the snow...
Lots of reflecting. My thoughts coming soon...Maybe some CX here soon too...Zuni ride is out though...Bummer.
