VSS XC Round 2 @ Beaconsfield

Day started ok, got out there early today to make sure I was properly prepared for the race, all was well, tyres pumped up, chain lubed, had all my gear, made my way down to the start to warm up the legs a bit before the race and just rolled around the first section of the track, chatted to the usual suspects and had my usual nervous toilet breaks before the race.

It was about 5 minutes to the start of the race and I realised I hadn't checked out how many laps we had to do in our sports class, just figured it would be 2 as I rode the track the day before and knew 3 laps would be way too much. So we are discussing it on the start line and Megan tells me it is in fact 3 laps, so I am not too happy with this as it is a XC race and I can expect to race pretty hard for 1 -1 & 1/2 hours maximum but knowing it would be easily 45 minute laps for a sports class rider was figuring it would be about 2 & 1/4 race for me at least! Turns out you could add another 15 minutes to my guess, in the end I clocked up 2 hours 31 minutes which is double what the MTBA states the average for Sports class should be.
Top was unzipped a little too far here, someone remind me of this next time please!
Jane Ollernshaw and I decided to speak up and voice our opinions/concerns on the matter to which the race organiser agreed it was a good idea to drop a lap, only to be told that their timing system couldn't handle it???? Anyway, nothing to do but to just get on with it and try and do the best I can, we take off for the the first lap and I am behind Sharon but in front of Megan, got to the first steep downhill bit and Megan rode down it where I was a bit nervous and decided to walk, this gave her the advantage and she got in front, I pushed hard to get back to her and luckily the practice I had done out there the day before as Megan mucked up over the rocky section and I got in front of her again when she stopped to go over a log, this was right before a killer climb, well first lap was not that bad but next 2 were almost unbearable for me, I knew this is where I could make my get away and just pushed up the hill, I caught a glimpse of her on the downhill section as I was climbing the next hill and that was the last I had seen of her for the rest of the race, I was sure she was right behind me all the time so was pushing as much as I could, before the end of the first lap I had gone through all my water, shit!!! what rider with as much experience as I have now goes in to a race on a 30 degree day with only one bottle of water??? IDIOT! I took off for my second lap and was really feeling it, I was going to pull out once I got through the first half that leads you back to the car park, although I knew I was still in front of Megan so didn't want to but knowing I had 2 laps left and no water I knew I would do more damage than was worth to be able to say I finally beat my arch nemesis, so resigned myself to the fact that I couldn't go on without water and the race was lost, I came through the first section of the track and was heading towards the part of the track that leads to my car, literally 200 metres from my car and ready for a DNF and Ed, Jenni King's partner was there cheering me on and I stated that I couldn't go on as I had no water to which he quickly filled my bottle with his water and sent me on my way, at this stage I was already pretty dehydrated but made me feel better after having a few gulps, I got through that lap ok and finished that bottle again before the end of the lap, luckily Ed was waiting again to fill my bottle for me on way past for my last lap, I honestly couldn't have got through the lap without it and if it wasn't for him I wouldn't have finished the race, I definitely learnt my lesson there and will be better prepared next time, although if I rock up to another XC race and it looks like being more of an Enduro I will probably think twice about doing it, I want to do XC racing and not Enduro's and I can say that putting myself through 2 and half hours of racing at that intensity was not enjoyable at all an lets face it, as much as I want to win, I am really in it for the fun as much as the competitive side and if that is taken away then what's the point?
At least one of us was doing the right thing

So apart from a couple of little stacks I managed to get through the race with no major off's and 26 minutes behind first place getter Sharon and 22 minutes ahead of my friendly rival Megan, now that Megan is off the radar it's time to hunt Sharon down! :)

Struggling up a pinch climb, made it!

I can say that this was the toughest race I have done as far as the conditions, I have raced in hotter weather before but was better prepared and was 1 hour shorter than this race with less climbing, I spoke to a lot of the riders after and we were all in the same boat and looking at the amount of DNF's on the results page it definitely reflects how tough the conditions were, granted some of them were mechanicals I am sure the majority of them were physical.

Brett Henderson in action

Well done to fellow Croydon Cycleworkers Jenni King and Brett Henderson for top spot on the podium in their classes.

Thank you's for today

Ed, Ed, Ed wouldnt have done it if not for him being there at that time, and to all the riders that kept telling me that Megan was not that far off to keep me going.

Until next time Happy Biking

Kat