Post date: Nov 04, 2010 6:0:8 PM
After a relatively short drive to a collegiate race, the IIT team was among the first to arrive at the race. After setting up camp just off the starting section of the course, we set out to pre-ride the course only to find that the course tape had been torn apart the previous night, making parts of the course nearly undecipherable. After navigating the first half of the course we made our way to the back half, which was the more technical section, containing a double barrier on an uphill, a sweeping downhill section, a small creek crossing, and a sandpit.
After watching the MensB/Women race, and being put off by the Le Mans start, I laid my bike on the line and lined up for the run to the bike corral. At the whistle I kept an easy pace, knowing I wasn't in form and trying not to blow up during the race. Only participating in a few 45min races, the 1hr+ race went on for a seemingly endless amount of time, each jump over the creek and step through the sandpit making my legs feel heavier and heavier. The race rode away from me and I gave it everything I could, trying to concentrate on my technique for the rest of the race. Long after my legs burned from an effort much larger than they had given in a long time, I came across the finish line in 15th! (Ok, so there were only 15) At the end of the day, the team earned 1st overall D2 and had the best placed D2 rider, so it was a successful outing.
Chase