UCI3

The start to this weekend was epicaly, comically bad.

In bike racing, it’s pretty much given that something will go wrong sometime. It happens to everyone. But into UCI3, from a race standpoint, nothing really went right.

It was a hard decsion to race. It’s been an unimaginably rough week during which I hadn't touched a bike. On top of that, I had an upper respiratory infection that turned into a once every few years-getting woken up by fever-losing my voice for several days- being exhausted by stairs kind of sick. We’ve jokingly been calling it ‘the black lung’ after that scene in Zoolander.

But I would be wearing my Attitude Sports skinsuit this weekend, for Jeff, and I wanted to show it off.

Rolling up to the race Friday, my heart was heavy, my mind not in the game, my lungs felt like water balloons, and my legs felt really “rested” after not riding for over a week and spending hours in the car.

I registered, got my bike out, rolled around clicking though the gears when- snap. My shifter broke (again) less than an hour to the start. Go figure.

I am lucky, though, and thanks to Clayton, some haggling, begging, and cx bike magic later, I rolled up to the line just in time.

This first day of racing didn't go too well. I felt sick, Jeff was in my mind, I had no fight. So I quit, and that felt even worse.

We packed up to head back to North Carolina. I was ready for a break. There would be other weeks for cross. But as the mile markers on the freeway grew, I felt another kind of sick. I asked Clayton if we could go back to the race and he smiled.

I am lucky.

Saturday’s race was alright. The course was fun- a great mix of twisty corners and long straights. It looked like it hadn’t rained in a long time and the dry, dusty air had everyone coughing. I threw a bottle cage on for the race, which helped a little bit but looked so uncool (although I'm not really concerned with being cool. I have a blog, after all) but the only thing that could’ve hurt more than racing was dropping out again. I finished 8th, good enough for a few uci pts.

Sunday’s race, Harbin Park, has a special place in my heart. Mostly because it’s the home of the first time I had Skyline Chili. A vegetarian black bean and rice baked potato smothered in gobs of cheese... mmm. It was brutally hot out and the course featured some long straight sections that just baked in the sun. It would be a hard race, and although I was still feeling really sick coughing like a plague (which is a good way to clear out a line at subway) I had a better mindset and was ready to fight.

Into the first corner I was around 20th and that first lap I did what I could to move up. By the end of the first lap, I could see the chase group up ahead finally made contact with them by the second lap. Laura VanGuilder won the sprint for 2ed behind Katie Compton, Kaitie A finished third, and I rode in for fourth just ahead of Sue Butler who unfortunately had a mechanical in the last 100 meters. It felt good to be riding in good company and in my Attitude Sports skinsuit, for Jeff.

So I guess that's about it. I always feel awkward trying to give a recap of the race becuase I guess my perception of what happened really isn't that interesting. Also, it feels weird to focus on the actual race, which comprises such a small part of why I love cross. It's the camaraderie, something that anyone who's ever been to a cross race has experienced. I've met so many beautiful, kind people through this sport. I've been so fortunate to stumble into this small, crazy, spandex clad culture. I can't ignore the heartbreak and tragedy that has recently fallen into our lives, but at the same time I can't give up on bicycles. It's the friendship, the passion, the mobility, and the freedom. And within all of that, is always hope.

For some real race reports from the weekend:

VELONEWS / CYCLINGNEWS