Last official MTB race
What a great weekend.
Waterpark on Saturday with the kids and some friends. Good times for sure.
I ended up making my rib hurt on the waterslides so started to have second thoughts about racing on Sunday. Then it being so cold I was like meh, I'll just call it a year.
We headed to the course to get Ryan, the neighbor kid, ready. He was racing Cat 2.
Sent him off and went hiking into the woods. I saw the dirt and the roots in the singletrack and there was NO way I wasn't suiting up! It helped that it wasn't as cold out as I thought it was going to be.
So hurry up and eat. Talk shit with my friend Meg. Register. Run to get dressed. Find all my shit. Get ready. Warm up. And hurry up to wait.
Don said Goooo...
I had a decent first 3 laps. Minus Elizabeth just slamming on the brakes for whatever reason causing me to endo into her and then almost coming down in the river, the first lap was okay. I also had burrs on my kneekers from being on the ground that kept stabbing me. Second lap I realized I lost all my food in that crash, but whatever. I wasn't going to stress about it. However the ghost shifting or stiff link or whatever it was I had going on after the crash was pissing me off. Major pressure on the pedals and it popped. After awhile I got over it and just stayed in easier gears. The third lap I was starting to cramp by the elite climb and I still had a lap to go.
Fuck the last lap. I was so DONE. I don't think I could have rode it any slower. I stopped at the elite climb and tried to stop from cramping. I knew I was going to be in trouble when I made it to the equalizer (very steep long hill).
The equalizer was easier to get up that time than my 3rd lap and I think that's because I stopped. Next year I have to be more aggressive there even if I'm walking. I was so paranoid about getting in the riders' way that I spent way too much time waiting and looking back. The crowd didn't give anybody any room, barely enough for two riders to get through. Anyway, I'm glad I raced. As much as I suffer in Elite it is much more satisfying than Cat 2. It would be way too hard to go back to being stuck behind much slower people again. I'd rather bring up the rear in Elite any day. As much as I suffer out there, it's still totally fun.
Two things:
1. It would have been nice to prepare for racing on Sunday. I barely ate breakfast and I was totally dehydrated from not drinking good fluids. Not to mention the waterpark all day on Saturday.
2. Not that I ride very much anyway, a decent 1 to 2 rides a week, apparently helped more than I thought. The past 4, or has it been 5, weeks after my rib injury I haven't really ridden at all. I've tried more than a few times to only have to come back home because it was too painful or I couldn't breathe right. You can't not ride for a month before an elite race and expect a better result. Not that I did, but I can't help but wonder how I would have done if I had been healthy and ridden more.
One of the highlights of my race was on my last lap John caught and passed me (obviously). It's always nice to see him on the course. Anyway, Matt Gehling shortly after was behind me. He was like "Crap! wrong Gatto!" and took off. That totally made me laugh and forget about the fact that I could barely ride my bike.
<--John.
Again Sheboygan didn't disappoint as the finale. I can't wait til next year.
I can't believe the season is over!
Waterpark on Saturday with the kids and some friends. Good times for sure.
I ended up making my rib hurt on the waterslides so started to have second thoughts about racing on Sunday. Then it being so cold I was like meh, I'll just call it a year.
We headed to the course to get Ryan, the neighbor kid, ready. He was racing Cat 2.
Sent him off and went hiking into the woods. I saw the dirt and the roots in the singletrack and there was NO way I wasn't suiting up! It helped that it wasn't as cold out as I thought it was going to be.
So hurry up and eat. Talk shit with my friend Meg. Register. Run to get dressed. Find all my shit. Get ready. Warm up. And hurry up to wait.
Don said Goooo...
I had a decent first 3 laps. Minus Elizabeth just slamming on the brakes for whatever reason causing me to endo into her and then almost coming down in the river, the first lap was okay. I also had burrs on my kneekers from being on the ground that kept stabbing me. Second lap I realized I lost all my food in that crash, but whatever. I wasn't going to stress about it. However the ghost shifting or stiff link or whatever it was I had going on after the crash was pissing me off. Major pressure on the pedals and it popped. After awhile I got over it and just stayed in easier gears. The third lap I was starting to cramp by the elite climb and I still had a lap to go.
Fuck the last lap. I was so DONE. I don't think I could have rode it any slower. I stopped at the elite climb and tried to stop from cramping. I knew I was going to be in trouble when I made it to the equalizer (very steep long hill).
The equalizer was easier to get up that time than my 3rd lap and I think that's because I stopped. Next year I have to be more aggressive there even if I'm walking. I was so paranoid about getting in the riders' way that I spent way too much time waiting and looking back. The crowd didn't give anybody any room, barely enough for two riders to get through. Anyway, I'm glad I raced. As much as I suffer in Elite it is much more satisfying than Cat 2. It would be way too hard to go back to being stuck behind much slower people again. I'd rather bring up the rear in Elite any day. As much as I suffer out there, it's still totally fun.
Two things:
1. It would have been nice to prepare for racing on Sunday. I barely ate breakfast and I was totally dehydrated from not drinking good fluids. Not to mention the waterpark all day on Saturday.
2. Not that I ride very much anyway, a decent 1 to 2 rides a week, apparently helped more than I thought. The past 4, or has it been 5, weeks after my rib injury I haven't really ridden at all. I've tried more than a few times to only have to come back home because it was too painful or I couldn't breathe right. You can't not ride for a month before an elite race and expect a better result. Not that I did, but I can't help but wonder how I would have done if I had been healthy and ridden more.
One of the highlights of my race was on my last lap John caught and passed me (obviously). It's always nice to see him on the course. Anyway, Matt Gehling shortly after was behind me. He was like "Crap! wrong Gatto!" and took off. That totally made me laugh and forget about the fact that I could barely ride my bike.
<--John.
Again Sheboygan didn't disappoint as the finale. I can't wait til next year.
I can't believe the season is over!