Nats

Cross Nationals was an awesome experience. I raced the Women's Cat. B and the 35-39 races. My Cat. B race sucked but was a great learning experience. There were more than 30 girls lined up with a road leadout. I was way too tentative and let too many girls get in front of me. I started passing them in the dirt but then slid out and had my chain fall off. I get the chain back on, catch up and pass some more girls but was then redlining. I see Tom & Christopher and wonder why they aren't cheering and clip a white pole and can't get my pedal off of it. Ick. So, I ended up 21 out of 29 finishers and 2 DNF's. I didn't get lapped which was good but I felt I should have done so much better so I was pretty bummed.

On Friday was the Women's 35-39 race. I raced much better. I stayed upright. Redlined a little and let a couple girls past me but then got back ahead of all but maybe one, I think. I ended up 15 out of 19 finishers and one lap down. However, 10 of those girls were elites. There were a total of six of us that did both the Cat. B and 35-39. I only beat one of them in the Cat. B race but beat 3 in the 35-39 race including the girls who were 12th and 16th in the B race. So, I thought it was a good end to the season.

I think I'm going to focus on cross for next year. I'll do the few local mountainbike races there are, hoping we can have a relative watch Christopher. But, it is just too aggravating to try to both watch Christopher and warm-up at the same time. I then don't race well and am way too cranky. Tom isn't nearly as addicted to racing anyway and, of course, would rather not have to deal with me being a grouch. I'm going to try to do some road races. I figure it will help me get faster and will help me with cross.

I'm also going to get a SRAM Rival 165 crank and swap my cross gears to it. But, of course, I now have like nine months 'til the next cross race. How completely depressing.

As an early Christmas present though, Christopher has now started going to pre-school three days a week as opposed to one. I can get some work done and he was starting to get way too bored being with Mommy all the time and has been destroying the house.