What's more the biking trail system is quite amazing and I would say my most favorite of them all. It's flowy, it's technical, it's challenging, and it’s fun and very inspiring with its beauty...
It's difficult to get enough of it, well unless you race it and race it hard, than everything is being left right on the path...
I placed 5th today after a pretty good race of 9 - Pro, Former Pro and Expert Women...
 |
| This is the first part of the single track of the course on the race morning... The scenery only gets better! |
This is the third time for me racing in Alafia, each time the course was very different in length and difficulty. Also what was changed each time is the class that I was racing in.
 |
| Scott and Me... |
Just two years ago I decided to put a stop to spending long beautiful Sunday days at work when other ladies were traveling the state and were racing their bikes like there is no tomorrow and having a great time. I got tired of everyone else living life that I wanted to have, so I told my husband that’s it, we will need to just work around it and make it happen for me. So we did, we signed me up for the whole Florida State Series and I was about to see and learn finally myself what is out there and to put myself to the test. I fell in love with this park in an instant, but back than as a Cat 3 really starter upper I was quite intimidated by some sections of the course. I raced hard and after a tough battle I managed barley to squeeze on the side of the podium placing 5th. I was happy and unhappy at the same time. I couldn’t understand than how the girls that went faster than me did that, since I gave it all. I didn’t know if I was capable of riding any faster and what it would take to do so. So much to learn…
 |
| Bebes train coming out of the single-track... |
The history did repeat itself once again I decided to move up one more class after winning most of the Cat 2 races in the series and becoming pretty much a series champion by actual race points considered.
 |
| Ready for my pass! |
And here I am not that much later standing on the start line with the Pro/Expert/Cat 1, either way you name it lets call it the fastest set of ladies you will find in the sunshine state. I knew that you just don’t enter expert class with riders who spent a lifetime mastering the sport and just hop on the podium. I knew I signed up for long, tough and humbling but also learning adventure…
I have huge respect for everyone that I stand next to on the start line nowadays, since I know now what it takes to get here.
Our trip to the park was pretty quick and very peaceful. I learned over the years to appreciate my surroundings more and more and I enjoyed some scenic and untouched and very Florida like views from the passenger’s window. If not my husband reminding me where we were actually going I would be stopping and just snapping pictures with my camera, since it’s something that I just love to do, besides my biking…:)
When we got to the park, it was hot, way warmer than we expected. Riding those trails which seem like never ending roller coasters is not easy when the temps are that high... We enjoyed the ride however very much and were very happy with some improvements and new small sections added to the trails.
I wished I could have ridden more but I felt quite tired, from all the work and training and still I needed some energy left for the next day’s race.
 |
| Love those bridges over beautiful swampy waters... |
Some clouds rolled in later on in the day, but instead of bringing some cooler air and relief they poured some rain on the course instead.
On the race morning, it was foggy at spots, even hotter than the previous day and very humid. The grass and leaves were wet, roots were slick and air was saturated.
We were soaked before the race even started. I positioned myself to the left of the field and whistle sent us off. I didn’t feel I had bad start and seemed like I was somewhere in the mid of everyone, however very quickly we approached the balustrades for the first turn and I found myself trapped there and rest of the girls went by. Not best case scenario and I didn’t really expect it to happen but it did. Either way I knew most of the ladies were going to just jet fly the first lap and I could only hope for holding on as close and as long as I could. Not only I didn’t feel as fresh as I would want to be for this type of race, my legs screamed quite early letting me know they were not or nowhere near the hundred percent that this race would require. After a while I realized I was doomed once again do race my own race and I settled in my pace.
 |
| The Finish! |
Thankfully pretty soon however I was able to make a pass on one of the ladies, but rest of the field seemed to be getting away from me more and more with each passing mile. I also knew that shortly there will be another factor of bunch of fast guys ready to pass that is going to slow down my movement but thankfully this time not to halt like in the previous race. Most of the riders were super polite and worked with me nicely the best way to move on with the race, well besides only one rider who just announced “race leader coming through” and apparently was expecting that everyone will get off their bikes and stop racing on the really “no pass zone” section called The Magic Island; which is just a giant mountain in the middle of the forest with a snail like trailing path on the edge of the swamps with just enough space for one bike. We were thankfully already before the last descent before coming out of the section and I told him he needs to wait a second, when he said “NO” and thankfully found an alternative line on a 180 degree turn and he jetted away. Can’t imagine what would happen if we met just seconds before where there was really nowhere to go and not only he could have jeopardize my ride and my safety but also everyone else behind.
 |
| That's a strongly packed podium... |
Oh well. I finished the first lap in 8th and I think I enjoyed most of my ride during the second lap. I was very deeply settled in my zone well until I was told that I had two ladies in front just 25 seconds away. This changed a lot, and fueled my spirit and sent me on a quest on getting to them as close and as quick as I could. I felt good again, I felt I was racing and I was in the game that I needed to stay inspired. I saw the first girl and made my pass; she told me the other girl was just ahead. Maybe what felt like a few minutes later I saw the next rider. I settled on her wheel and approached a few times for the pass but it was obvious that she was not going to make it easy for me. I decided to stay with her through the magic hill and try to make my move after that on the root infested single-track. This didn’t work and I stayed with her to the next big opening and finally was able to make my move. It was perfect this time, it did suck some energy out of me to put down the hammer and go by and get away but I was worth it and I was ahead and on my own. Now all I had to do was to keep building my distance and keep getting away…
 |
| After the race... |
Toward the end of the lap there was another girl on the side of the trail, not sure what happened there but she said she was OK. And through the shoot once again for the third lap we go. I was able to push even harder this time but like we know with time the obstacles start getting bigger and tougher the longer you are in the race. I felt strong and carried away through this very tiring and challenging course for what I consider a strong finish. I definitely wish I could have done even better, but under all circumstances I feel happy about my race. Assuming rest of the super strong field is primarily focused on strictly bike training and racing while I need to manage my time much more carefully and set aside almost half of my training time to Xterra which takes me out running and swimming on top of my biking; I’m not going to complain. I take the fifth place finish proudly with me home…
If the next class wasn’t starting their race and my husband wanted to ride I would have gladly got out for the next lap, more relaxing this time. Yes I was tired, but this trail system is just so awesomely sweet I didn’t want to stop biking…
Instead I changed to my Salomon trail shoes and went for easy jog through this beautiful forest. Really it was a different type of experience. This time around instead of all the noise, cheering, squiring brakes and spinning wheels there was a complete silence. It was like some enchanted magical forest from a fairy tale… Huge and majestic oaks covered with moss kept the understory in the deep shade allowing only some streaks of light to get through. Tree roots were running through the path and were sinking in the bright green, still and mysterious water. Little trickles of the tiny streams could be heard only at times or the chirp of the bird or some acorn falling.
It was difficult to turn around and head back…
 |
| Brave Cupcake Pixies showing off their battle marks! |
Video from race by Jane:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UY81bdXGNZw&list=UUGgXlMabvbypnFZohYIgLJwThe moment we started to drive away from the park all I could think of was when I’m going to come back here again…
Always humongous thanks to my amazing support!
No comments:
Post a Comment