The Tsali KnobScorcher has traditionally been the spring season racing opener and is one of, if not the largest race in the southeast. The plan was to get out early on Saturday, head up to NC, pre-ride, and be sitting on our butts with our legs up watching the Final 4 & letting the lactic acid flow….uh, where ever lactic acid flows to…by mid-afternoon. (ok, yeh, I know the b-ball games weren’t supposed to start till 7, but there was showering and a lot of eating to be done after the pre-ride.)
Of course, the best laid plans of mice and men yadda, yadda, yadda….
Fast forward to race day:
pre race...
The course is set up differently from last year and we are scheduled to race 2 long loops and then a short loop to finish: 35 miles in total with about 3700’ of climbing (total). The race site is a mob scene. Participation must have tripled since last year (kudos to GoneRiding and their great promoting & organization!). When I raced Sport last year we had 25 women racing and they started us by age group. This year there were 40 Sport women and they started en mass.
The course begins with a big-ring fire road climb right off the start, to a big-ring fire road descent, and into 14 miles of tight, tight single track that affords few spots for passing.
Men’s Senior Expert, Semi-pro & Pro lined up (semi-pros & pros about 10m ahead) – at least 40 guys. The horn sounded. The front of the group took off in a huge cloud of dust. Then the sound of metal on metal & bodies on bodies, more dust and an “OH NO!” from the spectators. There was a crash at the back of the pack off the starting line. Chaos, riders picking up bikes, running, finally the dust cleared and they were gone.
The horn sounds and we are off. I get an ok start but my legs aren’t happy from yesterday’s 2 hr/20 mile/2100’ of climbing pre-ride. I’m slow going up the hill but as we crest I start to move up. I want to get as far forward as I can before we hit the single track. I do an ok job but not a great one and I am mid-pack as we enter the woods. I see a group of girls go off the front and a line of about 6-8 girls in front of me. We can only go as fast as the girl in front and there is a lot of grumbling from behind. A gap opens up 2 girls ahead of me and the trail widens almost enough to pass. The girl behind me and I squeeze by and move up. I pass a few more people early on and then we hit the first long, technical, climb. I get passed. I get passed again. I catch up to one of the girls who passed me and I pass her. This continues for most of my first lap.
I notice on one of the early rocky, fast descents that the trail looks like a graveyard for full water bottles and I think ‘Bummer, there are going to be a lot of thirsty people’.
I get passed. I pass back. Some girls get away from me. Some don’t. I have no idea where I am in the group or even who I’m racing against. (Expert & Pro women use number plates in the same number series.) I keep waiting for my legs to start feeling better but they don’t seem to be getting the message.
About ½ way through my 1st lap I reach down for my water bottle and grab…..yup, there are going to be a lot of thirsty people….AND I’M ONE OF THEM!!! $HIT!! Both my water & my gu are gone (my gu was taped to my water bottle for easy access). Note to self: always carry an extra energy gel in jersey pocket. By about ¾ through the 1st lap, every time I see a full water bottle on the course I am tempted to stop & pick it up. Holy cow, I’m thirsty!!
By the end of my 1st lap I’m pretty sure I’m turning to dust. I’ve been chasing the same girl for a while now but I’m not getting any closer to her. On the other hand, at least I’m not getting any further away.
I pass through the feed zone. Ooooh! Ooooh! Bottle and gu!!!! I point my water bottle toward my mouth and squeeze. Unfortunately I forget that I am also gasping for air a the same time and I promptly choke.
I stop choking long enough to get some water down and hear people cheering…..”Go Robin!!” huh?! Hey! Wait, wasn’t that last week?! (Turns out, Robin was nowhere in sight but a bunch of spectators read last week’s race report, recognized my jersey, and were having a good time. Hehehe, very funny. )
My second lap is harder than my first & I am feeling the effects of no water or gu for 15 miles. The girl I was chasing as I went through the feed zone gets away and I hear someone come up behind me. She passes me. I hang on to her wheel. I pass her. She passes me again. I pass her. She asks if I’m racing 30-39 & I say yes. We hit a fast, flat section and I pick up the pace. The next time I look back she’s gone.
About 2/3’s of the way through my 2nd lap I completely blow up. In fact, I think there was an audible pop as I blew. I have to walk up one of the steeper hills on the latter part of the course. I am miserable and I just want to finish. I can’t DNF 2 weeks in a row.
I get passed about a mile before going through the feed zone to start the finishing loop.
cheers as I go through and Ed, wrapped in a blanket (apparently done with his race) asks if I need anything. New legs would be nice, thanks, and maybe some lungs too while you’re at it. I shake my head no.
I start the final 4 mile finishing loop. I am dead tired. I hit the steep hill, pass a guy walking (must have been an expert guy?), and then have to get off the bike and push. I get back on at the top and continue. He does the same. I feel like I must be the very last person out on the course. I am moving at the speed of a slug and with all the pollen and my allergies I’m pretty sure I’m leaving a slime trail behind me. I slog on and get passed by 4 more girls. Now I am certain I am last.
Suddenly, I pop out on the finishing straight. I’m done! I pedal through the finish, roll straight for the closest grassy spot, get off my bike, curl up in a ball on the grass, and lie there.
In the end I finished 8th for Expert women and 14th overall (out of 30) for pro/expert which put me next to the podium and in the money.
Congrats to Grant for finishing first in Men’s Sport (age group), to John for finishing 9th in Men’s Expert 40+, to Robin for really being right behind me and finishing 9th in Women’s Expert, and to Z for winning Men’s Expert 30-35 (in his 3rd Expert race ever!!).
As always thanks to BURN Energy Drinks (www.sourcedrinks.com), Outback Bikes (outbackbikes@aol.com), Team 180’s (my dri-fit shirt was toasty & warm post-race!; www.180s.com) and Hayes Brakes (www.hayesbrake.com)
Ed really loves his Revenge!
