findyourfast:Two different race days, different weather conditions, slightly different courses and
findyourfast: Two different race days, different weather conditions, slightly different courses and two totally different results. I won’t get into Saturday because someone said I had 15 minutes to be upset and then I had to get over it. So… I learned from it and moved on. Sunday morning the sun was out and the mud from the previous rainy day had turned into peanut butter. The course was super slippery on the flat parts, I kept sliding down the off-camber section and the mud in the wooded area was so thick that it was faster for me to get off the bike and “run.” This made for some seriously slow lap times. I took the lead, paced myself and stayed focused. I could hear people cheering my name which motivated me keep digging deeper. Not knowing if I could actually hold this momentum I kept trying anyways. I had NEVER been in first before so I couldn’t give up now! A year ago I was finishing in the back - if not last some days! As my bike slipped around, I struggled to find the correct line. The closer you were to the tape the better it was, but then you risk potentially getting TOO close and ripping the tape down. The mud was unavoidable and falling could happen at any given moment. Then you remember that EVERYONE is suffering, making mistakes and trying to figure the course out just like you are so just pedal your damn bike and try not to mess up too much.- @MaeElizabethG*Thanks to Trish Albert for some of the photos! -- source link