Suffering. Pain. Anguish. And For What?

I didn't know how the Draper race would go, but I had hopes I'd ride strong. But I got the first warning signs of trouble going up the first single-track climb. My heart rate was high, breathing heavy, and I felt like I was suffering more than I should be - even with the pace not really high because I was behind a line of other racers. Last year this section was almost restful in the line of riders. This year I was working too hard for this easy section. And it didn't get better.

And most of the field of Sport 40+ was ahead of me. Way ahead.



On the long climb up the dirt road I just had no zip. And when the pitch kicked up a bit, I dropped from the middle to the little ring. Shameful, but I just couldn't crank the middle ring today. Last year I could. But I did pass a few other racers. And snaked a few guys to get onto Clark's ahead of them.

Flying down Clark's was fun. The bike handled well and I rode fast, for me. It's such a good trail to descend it's nearly impossible not to enjoy it.



But then it was the BST section with it's rolling nastiness. It's not really nasty, it just tends to chew me up. I actually did OK in this section.





I flew down Spring Hollow and felt good on this downhill too. And even motoring along Highland I felt OK.





The half lap was not too bad. I was warmed up now and actually felt a bit better climbing. But I wasn't fast, by any means. The BST and Spring Hollow went about the same as the first lap, just a bit slower. Here I am finishing.



I finished down in the bottom third of the field - 14th of 19 racers.

It doesn't sound like a bad race, but it was for me. I felt like I just couldn't go fast. I was working hard, mentally trying to push - but it just wasn't happening. It's one thing to suffer to go fast, but I felt like I was suffering more than last year's race, but going slower. That bugged me.

The course was OK, but there were some annoying moments when I couldn't get around people or they bailed on climbs and forced me to bail too.

And my mouth was dry, cotton-mouthed and coated with mucus / loogie the whole race. I'd drink and spit. And my nose was running. And of course sweat running down into the mix too. I felt gross. I blocked most of this out to keep focused on going fast, which I wasn't, but it was just another thing that made me feel icky about this race.

Then after the race I'm hacking and coughing.

In short, this race pissed me off. I'm not fast right now, yet I pay money to prove that to myself. Stupid. I'm done racing for a while. It's just not doing much for me. I'm going to ride for fun and forget about racing for a while.

Update: I wrote the above last night after the race. I've mellowed a bit this morning, but I'm still committed to laying off racing for a while, except for the MTB biathlon coming up next week at Soldier Hollow that I really enjoyed last year.

A good part of the evening was talking to so many mountain biking friends. Of course it's always fun to hang with my UMB teammates. And as I walked to and fro I talked with a lot of people. Even the quick greeting is pleasant, and having a little conversation even better. Lot's of good people in mountain biking.

I could also appreciate the victories of others. Brad and Tasha (husband and wife) took 1st place in their categories. Elden raced Sport 40+ on his single-speed and placed 5th (thanks for checking my body fat as you passed). And my dear wife came in 4th (may have held onto 3rd if not for 2 crashes).





So it wasn't all bitterness. I just wasn't happy with how poorly I performed.

My mind has been on some local trails I want to explore. And I want to hit the Alpine Loop again while the gates are closed.

Update 2: My productivity is taking a hit because of the day-after-race fatigue. I'm sleepy and want a nap badly. Maybe weekday races aren't for me.

Update 3: I keep looking at race photos and finding good ones of myself and Jolene, but I think I'm done now.