CROSS CRUSADE #2

The day started EARLY! It was a long night of trying to sleep in a hot VW bus with an overanxious dog and a snoring Luis who was sleeping outside of the van that was parked inside Hollis’s parents shop.  I woke up feeling slightly grumpier than usual, cheerful Hollis stood outside the bus with a smoothie in hand. All I could think to myself was coffee. Need coffee now. I lay in the bus for a few minutes and then finally mustered the strength to get up and get moving.  Hollis’s mom had fresh eggs and potatoes ready for breakfast. We quickly ate and started packing up all of our gear and headed off to Ranier High School.

This was the first “real” fall weekend. It had rained the whole night previous. It was grey, cloudy, and windy. We were all excited to finally race in the mud rather than inhaling dust like the previous weekend at Alpenrose.  Hollis, Ryan, Spencer, and Luis were all getting registered for their race that started at 9:30, they had about an hour to prepare. Elise, Kaylee and I were not racing until 2:20 so we had plenty of time to kill. We watched the boy’s race and we proceeded to wait in the cold rain for our race. We registered and drank loads of coffee trying to get amped for the race.  As time got closer I became less and less motivated.

2:00 rolled around and we head over to staging area.  There’s disco music playing in the distance as I hop up and down to stay warm.  We keep moving forward and then the whistle blows for Cat C’s! EEEEK I’m instantly nervous and excited as I mash in the big group of fast strong women.  I can hear my teammates cheering me on which helped move me up the first big climb. The course climbs up a massive hill and then cuts left into the woods, there is a fast descent in then we weave through the trees into some off camber corners then into the barriers. The course is fast and it was pretty easy to pass people. I felt pretty strong as I slowly chipped away and tried to pass as many women as I could. As I continue to pedal my little heart out then I reach THE MASSIVE CLIMB! The massive climb was right after the pit, we popped out onto the gravel and the climb started.  I was out of the saddle for most of the climb, I could hear some of my teammates screaming at me to pedal faster! This hill literally took everything I had. I was so afraid that I would not be able to pedal up the hill and I would have to get off my bike, which would have been humiliating! Finally getting to the top of the hill we go back into the woods and I try to recover as much as I can. This was a TOUGH course! I was wheezing and grunting the whole time! I see Hollis in his orange rain jacket and cowbell and I smile J I can hear him cheering for me. I try to pedal fasting and look tough! As I pass Hollis I come up on a muddy corner, I go for my brakes as if I am riding my mountain bike but I keep going straight! AHHHH as I cartwheel into some tall wet grass mix with blackberries! I quickly get up and grab my bike and look back to make sure Hollis didn’t see me! (God forbid!) 1 more lap 1 more lap I keep saying to myself!  I come up on theee climb again, I know the finish is near, I just need to make it up this hill ONE more time! I pedal up the whole thing mostly with my eyes shut. I can see the OBRA man waving the checkered flag, signally that I am done for sure. THANK GOD I think to myself. I cross the finish feeling like I am either going to pass out or barf!  I felt like I had raced the best I could and I may have done better if I hadn’t had that silly crash. I was so relieved it was over! I pedaled straight for the car and put on sweat pants and my down jacket “AHHHH that’s nice!”