OCup #1 - Had some Fun

Last year I tried racing in the Master Expert category. I was always in the bottom part of the pack. This year I switched back to Master Sport, were I am usually mid pack. I haven't been able to train this year and I just want to take a more relaxed, fun approach to racing this year. Sport category is 3 laps instead of 4, and starts earlier.

I started up 'the hill' at Mansfield, trying to hold my position in the pack. I got about 1/2 way up and realized that I was not going to be able to sustain that pace, so I slowed to a pace I knew I could maintain to the top of the hill. Lactic acid was building up in my gut. By the time I got to the single track, there was only 1 guy behind me, so I settled into my pace and started working on catching guys in the singletrack sections. After the first lap, I caught a couple guys in my group and by this time, I was caught by some of the top expert females who started behind us. I tagged on to one of the ladies who was setting a good pace for me and we started reeling in more people. Every time I got to 'Devils Drop' I had someone in front of me, so I never really got to open it up on the downhill, but I wasn't really slowed up much - as you exit the forest at the bottom of the hill, if you time it right, you can pass on the inside of the right hand turn and I got the pass I needed each time there. I leaned into the corner too much one lap and my tire folded over, but thankfully it held and didn’t burp its air out (running tubeless). At the end of the second lap I caught up to two more guys in my category, but I could not bridge the gap right away as we had to climb 'that hill' again to start our final lap. I tried to keep them in sight up the hill, but not blow up at the same time. At the top of the hill I set a goal to get past them before the first singletrack, as I knew if I could do that, I could put some distance on them before the next hill. I got by one guy, the other one was a little faster than me so I settled into a grove in the single track and tried to reel him in. At the next doubletrack section I was right behind him and got around him before the next bit of single track. I started big ringin' the sections I could to get as much distance on him as I could. One of the expert ladies was right with me and we kind of worked together I think to keep the speed up. Near the end of the last lap, I could see one of the guys from Team Speed - he isn’t in my category, but I knew he was in Deny's category that started about 2 minutes before I did. I set another goal to pass him. I wanted to get around him before Devil's Drop so I could have a clear line to the finish, but I couldn’t bridge the gap in time, so I settled in behind him to set myself up for a pass at the bottom of the hill on the right hand turn. It worked out and I sprinted to the finish where they were handing out chocolate milk to everyone.

I felt great with my race because I had fun. I know I didn't have a great finishing place, but I finished smiling and feeling strong. I don't know what was up with the results, I know they had some issues in the timing tent, but my first and second lap times are messed up - my second lap was just over 8 minutes apparently. I felt stronger as the race went on, but I can't tell if I actually was, because the lap times are messed up.

All in all, I had a good time, and I am looking forward to OCup #2 at Albion