A quick rundown of my first mountain bike race, this morning's Sea Otter Classic Cross Country Category 3 40-44 year old men (the largest group riding the cross country this year).
It is lots more fun to think about doing a race than it is to do the race. It is also more fun to talk about the race you just completed than it is to race. That goes double or triple or even more if the last quarter of the race is spent battling systemic leg cramps.
No ADHD meds! - Note to self for future races: Don't take Adderall the morning of the race, the diuretic effect along with the heat and pace of the race caused me to seriously cramp up. I nearly cramped out of the race altogether but gritted my way through it (had to get my money's worth, ya know?).
Pee as late as possible - As Jay noted in the comments on the previous post, I should have used the bathroom before the race started. I had to stop to go (ironic sentence there).
Poo goo - Whatever the Clif Bar goo was I was handed during the one water station was not good, it was like having a mouth shot full of peanut butter while still trying to breathe. Plus the stuff was a very strong mocha flavor and that really wasn't the right flavor right then.
Hardest part of course - as Karen Kefauver notes in her short write up, the downhill sections through deep sand were rather insane.
Observations - goo is really gooey when it drips on your bike, handlebars and brake lever. Also, its really hard to enjoy the ride when your legs won't bend or won't unbend.
Place - I finished. No idea of what place I got, it could very well be DFL (that's Dead Fucking Last for them's that aren't knowing). But I finished when every fiber of muscle in both of my legs was demanding to stop. Results will be posted online eventually.
Missed fun - Finish line had been closed by the time I finished. So no Tour de France style awesomeness. Oh and the whole cramping thing, that was not joyous in any way, shape or form.
Smoothies spilled - 1, the leftover one in the truck when we were loading up to head home. That was nasty!
Sunscreen - Huh? What's that and why does my skin feel so warm now?
Thirst - unquenched as of yet.
Mechanicals - 0
Crampicals - I lost count.
Blisters - 1, on my thumb of all places.
Shout Outs - To the organizers of the Sea Otter Classic, lots of support, everyone was helpful and marshals were on the course to keep us, uhhh, on the course.
It was a good time in the end. I learned a bunch for my next race, didn't bash into any trees, didn't run anyone else into a tree and I did finish the race even though the cramps were potent enough to stun an elephant.
More to come, I'm sure.
