- and this sums up my very first Super D experience - my lungs are still bleeding...
Explanation: I headed to Kelso early Sat. AM for the Sirbikealot OCup #1 Super D race. Being a total newbie, figured the D meant downhill - ish, so I packed up the 31lb. Enduro SL, and headed to the hill. I was sure this would be the perfect choice - it is a bike that I have had for years, and love riding over fun rugged mountainous terrain, but had never thought to race XC cuz it's got 6 inches of travel, 7 when it needs it, rides like a couch, and weighs a lot, but still, it performs amazingly well as a trail bike, and climbs like a charm - a slow, laborious charm, but a charm non the less. Well...really...hindsight is 20/20.
The race was awesome fun - got there early and did 3 trips up the Kelso climb and 3 runs down-ish the course - not bad for a little training, and I was feeling good. I was quickly made aware of the fact that the course was a lot more flat, with some up, and then a bit of down. I was jonesing for a lot more "D"with my "Super"... Getting myself up to fighting speed during practice was proving tough, but I figured adrenaline would kick in when it counted, and I could find some legs.
Ha! We had a short LeMans start which was total chaos - crazy fun-s%$t kinda chaos - so I started the race in hysterics. My bike is sooo tall, that there was no way I could throw a leg over, never mind the mass of guys steamrolling me - this is not my forte!! Witness...I'm the one on the right...your left...
After a horrendous start, I tried sooooo freking hard to hammer up the small rise, and get rolling, but I could see the only other woman in the race far ahead turning the bend. As the race is only 6 or so minutes long, I knew I would have to pull out a serious, serious horseshoe to catch her and make up time. Hence, the bleeding lungs.
I pressed on, breathing like a bloody freight train, trying to get my little legs to push as hard as they could, but she was waaayyyy gone. I did keep trying though! But soooooo got me arse whooped - I found some good limiters though - I have a real hindrance with fast, big downhill berms - too much brake, not enough faith - must work on this. It was very cool to race so fast, and so short - if I felt at all slackish, I would just remind myself that it was only gonna last 7 mins., so I would try to pour it on again - awesome training for mind and body. I feel I learned a lot in a short amount of time, and it was very cool to race out of my element, and do something new. Seems I may be hooked, and I'll head to Horseshoe for the next one, but this time with the HeiHei, as the SL was just too much bike.
And now for something completely different...
On Friday AM I am headed to Halifax for the 24HR. Eco Endurance Challenge Rogaine race with Cap'n Barb - as I mentioned before, it is also the opening of lobster season, and I do plan to fly home with several new friends of the clawed variety, so if anyone has a hankering, contact me, seriously, cuz there will be a fest when I return on Sunday night. I have recently tasted the new Spirit Tree Cidery's Pub Cider, and feel it will be a fine accompaniment - if you so desire, go get some at their location, message me, and then join me!!! I'll bring the butter :)
This race will be great training in sleep deprivation for the upcoming Summer Solstice race at Albion Hills. I guess with my new love of the early morning wake up, things may be a little easier this year? That, or I'll fall asleep on the trail at 8:30PM...always the life of the party... :)
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