Hitting Rock Bottom at Gloucester - Day 1
"You HAVE to check out a New England CX race. They are EPIC!" We heard it for a few years and this year we finally committed to a NECX. We were on the fence whether to do Gloucester, Providence, or Northampton.
I knew when I registered for Rapha Super Cross I knew this was going to be big. I would be racing in the UCI Elite Women category, among some of the fastest women in the country. I kept telling myself "go for the experience and have fun".
We packed up and left Friday afternoon for Gloucester. Excitement set in as we headed north. Then the traffic started and what was supposed to be a 5.5 hour drive ended up being 8 hours. We rolled into Gloucester at 10:30. We had a room at the Cape Ann Motor Inn as recommended by friends. We woke up to see the sunrise on the Atlantic. Talk about WOW.
We arrived at the venue early to see a friend race at 8:30. We found out that he would not be racing so we geared up to preview the course. Lance's race was at 1:30, mine at 3 pm. Plenty of time to get some laps in and check out the sights. We picked up our numbers and I pulled my start call-up out of the lottery. I pulled 40. I asked where I would start - the official could not confirm. But I knew it wasn't first call-up.
The start was a paved climb and dipped into some swooping turns on grass. I was feeling good. We crossed onto some loose gravel at a corner my front wheel washed out and I was on the ground. I quickly pulled myself up as I didn't want to block people. I noticed the dirt rash on my leg and the burning was starting. Not exactly how I wanted to start the day.
A lot of the course meandered over loose gravel and sand. We were off the bike four times each lap - three sets of stairs and a set of barriers. I finished and tried to regain my confidence as I headed to the medic. I was cleaned up, bandaged, and sent on my merry way. The next few laps I was nervous and just couldn't get my act together. I watched Lance's race and got ready for mine.
I watched the Pro women line up and they began calling the rest of us. I looked around and the ladies were all lining up except me. I thought "did I miss my call-up?". No. I was the last women to line up. I had the whole back row to share with one other girl, who totally made me laugh when she said "well, no pressure on us now". Between my crash earlier and my last call-up, I pretty much decided my race was going to be...less than stellar.
The whistle blew and I watched the first rows sprint off as I waited to start pedaling. By the time we got to the top most of the field pulled away from me and I was left dangling off the back. I had a few girls to chase. And then I crashed. I picked myself up and watched the rest of the race ahead of me. My wheel was squealing and I tried to fix my brake several times. I was in a bad place. No one around me. And I was sore and mentally shutting down. I wanted to quit. I had hit rock bottom. In more ways than one.
But I didn't. I finished, even though I was pulled. I hung my head down and rolled over to the medic to get cleaned up again. As I waited, Pro Crystal Anthony sat down to get attention from a crash she and Meredith Miller were in. I left the medics, went to the car, and had a pity party for myself. I knew it was going to be hard. But I felt completely defeated. Lance tried to calm me down, told me to be proud to wear those numbers on my arm, and reminded me that tomorrow is a new day.
I knew when I registered for Rapha Super Cross I knew this was going to be big. I would be racing in the UCI Elite Women category, among some of the fastest women in the country. I kept telling myself "go for the experience and have fun".
We packed up and left Friday afternoon for Gloucester. Excitement set in as we headed north. Then the traffic started and what was supposed to be a 5.5 hour drive ended up being 8 hours. We rolled into Gloucester at 10:30. We had a room at the Cape Ann Motor Inn as recommended by friends. We woke up to see the sunrise on the Atlantic. Talk about WOW.
Not a bad view to wake up to
We arrived at the venue early to see a friend race at 8:30. We found out that he would not be racing so we geared up to preview the course. Lance's race was at 1:30, mine at 3 pm. Plenty of time to get some laps in and check out the sights. We picked up our numbers and I pulled my start call-up out of the lottery. I pulled 40. I asked where I would start - the official could not confirm. But I knew it wasn't first call-up.
The start was a paved climb and dipped into some swooping turns on grass. I was feeling good. We crossed onto some loose gravel at a corner my front wheel washed out and I was on the ground. I quickly pulled myself up as I didn't want to block people. I noticed the dirt rash on my leg and the burning was starting. Not exactly how I wanted to start the day.
Racing with a view of the Atlantic Ocean.
Battle wounds from hitting rock bottom
A lot of the course meandered over loose gravel and sand. We were off the bike four times each lap - three sets of stairs and a set of barriers. I finished and tried to regain my confidence as I headed to the medic. I was cleaned up, bandaged, and sent on my merry way. The next few laps I was nervous and just couldn't get my act together. I watched Lance's race and got ready for mine.
I watched the Pro women line up and they began calling the rest of us. I looked around and the ladies were all lining up except me. I thought "did I miss my call-up?". No. I was the last women to line up. I had the whole back row to share with one other girl, who totally made me laugh when she said "well, no pressure on us now". Between my crash earlier and my last call-up, I pretty much decided my race was going to be...less than stellar.
The whistle blew and I watched the first rows sprint off as I waited to start pedaling. By the time we got to the top most of the field pulled away from me and I was left dangling off the back. I had a few girls to chase. And then I crashed. I picked myself up and watched the rest of the race ahead of me. My wheel was squealing and I tried to fix my brake several times. I was in a bad place. No one around me. And I was sore and mentally shutting down. I wanted to quit. I had hit rock bottom. In more ways than one.
One of the three flights of stairs - Photo by Ray Cloutier
Dust and dirt - photo by Jeff Cote
But I didn't. I finished, even though I was pulled. I hung my head down and rolled over to the medic to get cleaned up again. As I waited, Pro Crystal Anthony sat down to get attention from a crash she and Meredith Miller were in. I left the medics, went to the car, and had a pity party for myself. I knew it was going to be hard. But I felt completely defeated. Lance tried to calm me down, told me to be proud to wear those numbers on my arm, and reminded me that tomorrow is a new day.
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