Wausau

Well, the weekend was an interesting one to say the least. First off, let's give a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Bill, Kevin Plato, and Colleen Lemke today. Three "special" people. . .one "special" day. Congrats for making it another year!

Saturday's pre-ride was fabulous. SS Amy and I tore it up and I truly felt like I remembered how to ride my bike, for the first time this year. I was one with Phoenix (my bike). In fact we went back to catch the single track we missed on the lead lap and Bill, Beans and "the Dreamy A.J. Ettmayer" rode with us. Bill was on my tail when he announced I was picking some very nice lines and I was riding very well. My response? "Well Bill, I don't SUCK anymore!" And it's true. I don't. . . . . .or so I thought. . . .

Sunday's plan was to get out there on the leadout (which typically HURTS me) and get into the single track in the top 5. It's astonishing how many of the sport women can't ride that stuff. One screw up and it would be all over for me. I busted butt to get up there and suck a wheel and sure enough, going into the Hoe chi men trail, I was in about 4th. Sure enough, biff from the girl in front of me, biff for me, 6 sport girls on my tail. . .they all fly by. My confidence was shattered, my heart rate was skyrocketing and all I could do was try to run it out until I could hop on again.
After that, Mistake after mistake had me ready to pull off and DNF at the end of lap 1, but then I thought that single track is fun. . .I should tough it out and ride to ride. My endurance is 10,000 times better than last year. . .maybe this time I COULD take some gals at the end. Who knows?

I caught up with the next gal in my age class, who I thought was WAY ahead, and she informs me we're 1 & 2 in age (#1 pulled out). I still thought we were back in the 20's for overall. . . .guess we weren't. Suddenly SS Amy is on my tail yelling at me to go faster and giving me a hard time. She's such a slave driver! Well, it was just what I needed. After my "competition" biffed a few more times, I decided enough of this. I can ride this stuff. So I started to pass the next time she was laying across the trail. I couldn't believe it when she said "You're not going to give it to me, are you?". I thought she was joking. Apparently she was not. I SHOULD have said "sure, I'll give it to you. . . .but you have to catch me first". From the rear I hear SS Amy yelling at me to "Gooooooooo Brittany!!!!". So I went. And I never saw my competition again. I rode the lap out like a champ. Now where that was the prior lap, who knows?!?

I guess that just goes to show you that you never know what will happen. A "bad" day for MTB Girl. . . . .1st in age. . .10th overall (minus the single speeders - which is what they post for Sport). I guess I'll take that.

Now if I can just get rid of the sciatic nerve pinch. . . .I'm thinking maybe I can hit that top 5 goal yet.