Too Slo to Go Pro

Can you find me in the above pic? (no, not in the cut-off short shorts)

The wide part of the course.

So, I rode the Old Fashioned Mountain Bike Race in Flagstaff yesterday. This race was tough, but fun. I learned a few things during this race that I thought I'd share. 

First of all, I had only 3 goals for this race:
1. Have fun. 
2. Enjoy the experience. 
3. Not injur myself. I managed to accomplish all three of my goals! Granted, they weren't lofty goals, but this was my first mountain bike race. I didn't expect to place or win, i just wanted to go out & have fun. 

So, I'm pedaling along and I immediately realize that I should have trained for this race. About 90% of this race was climbing. I hadn't really ridden in the whole month prior to this race and it showed :(. My lungs burned, my legs ached, and I just didn't feel in sync with my bike. Lesson learned; next time - train!

I also learned that I need to ride more single track trails, which is to say trails that are just wide enough for a bike or hiker. When I do go out and ride, I typically don't challenge myself enough. Descending a single track is a blast! Imagine winding in and out of trees, maneuvering over and around rocks, at speeds that may tempt you to hit the brakes. Fun stuff! I'm sure I had a silly grin on my face the entire time. Climbing single track trails, however, is a little more challenging. There are typically exposed tree roots, rocks, and other obstacles not to mention squeezing in between places that is just barely wide enough for your tires. There's no shame in hoping off and carrying your bike over obstacles that are too difficult to ride. I wasn't the only person to employ this tactic!

I also need more practice at clipping in and out of my pedals on a single track. There were, more times than I'd like to admit, instances where i found myself on the ground because I either couldn't un-clip fast enough or I'd un-clip the wrong side. No biggie. Nothing more than a scraped elbow and bruise on my arm & ego. I may look into a skills clinic at the local bike shop to get some tips & pointers. 

Overall, I'd say my biggest downfall was conditioning. Next year, I will be ready. Next year, I will train, ride this course more (this was the first time on the course), and just ride more before the event. 

Here are a few observances during the race:
1.  I (used to) fancy myself a climber - I need to climb more. 
2. I LOVE this sport. The camaraderie of everyone out there was incredible. 
3. Flagstaff is awesome for mountain biking!
4. I need to ride more. 
5. The cycling community in Flagstaff rocks!
6. That old lady on the trike with the basket full of croceries was faster than she looked. 
7. I can't wait for my next event, be it road cycling or MTB. 

Below are some pics from the ride:
 

Got a little dirty

Bike was ready to go

My cool beer socks!

Just about to cross the finish line.