Momma’s Day Celebration!

It’s weird, but in four years of mountain bike riding and racing, I don’t think I’ve EVER flatted. A couple cyclocross flats and my share on the road, but never on a mountain bike. So warming up on the road, I rode through a parking area and picked up a chunk of glass in my rear tire. There was a half-inch slash in the tire, it wasn’t resealing and start was in less than 20 minutes and over half a mile away, so I didn’t have time to wait around, so I took it apart and put in the tube I was carrying. That’s a really messy job on a dirt road with new tubeless tires!! Fortunately a guy with his car nearby let me use his floor pump. I made it to the start with about 5 minutes to spare. I didn’t want to overfill since the tire was slashed, I put in about 25 psi, I can usually get by with that even on tubes and I figured if it wasn’t going to hold, I’d know during the 3.5 mile start loop and I wouldn’t have too far to get back.

There were about 25 women in the Cat 2 start wave, not sure how many were 35+. The start went really smoothly, it was a very well organized race! I settled in toward the back of the middle of the pack and passed a few women on the first mile of dirt road and since it wasn’t a huge group, it wasn’t too much of a problem once we hit the singletrack. I hadn’t realized that the finish area was a big loop around a cyclocross-like infield with lots of spectators, tents, cowbell and even a beer handup. No thanks, it’s a little early yet! Volunteers already at water station at the beginning of the 11 mile loop, very nice. The bike was riding great, climbing well and the tire was holding just fine. I overcooked a corner in the first two miles, slid out and went down, still getting used to tires and brakes and it was pretty loose in places. I was OK, but a couple of riders passed me. After that, it was some climbing, nothing steep except a nasty little rocky 24% hike-a-bike, but it was crazy to watch the tandem ride up it!! The second half was more technical, rocky and lots of swoopy turns and I was finally warmed up. I was going back and forth with some of the Cat 3 riders as we came to the finish loop area. One woman passed me, but then she and another rider crashed on some rocks. Then through the finish and onto 2nd lap and the trail cleared out a bit.

There was one woman in sight ahead of me and one behind. The one behind me passed me after a bit, she was a better climber, but I was gaining on the one ahead of me, I was a little faster climbing and better on technical, so I knew I’d have to pass her before the second half. I did manage to do that and picked off a few Cat 2 Men stragglers too. The other gal was still in sight and I wanted to try to catch her again. Some of the Cat 1/Pro Men were starting to come through, the leader by himself (impressive!), then in occasional 2’s and 3’s. Then about 2 ½ miles before the finish, I was riding over pointy rocks and PSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS from the rear tire again. I don’t know if I pinch flatted or just hit on the slash area. Whatever, I’m flat again. I didn’t have another tube and I knew it wasn’t that far, so I just decided to keep riding as long as I could, I did it before, the last mile of the cyclocross Super-D in October. Mostly, it was fine, took it easy or walked over the rocky sections. Oh, helpful hint…don’t try to ride an off-camber rock with no air in the rear tire, it’s a quick slide to the bottom of the rock. Made it to the finish loop and the beer hand-up, thank you very much! I knew that the one gal I passed was in the area too, I had asked her name, Amy, and I could hear it being yelled. But could I get to the finish line before she caught me? Unfortunately, not quite, she passed me about 100 yds from the finish. Results just posted, she wasn’t in my field. I was 11th of 16 finishers (18 started) in a very competitive field. I was pleased with my time, around 2:39, I was expecting around 2 ½ – 3hrs based on distance and estimated climbing, I lost maybe 5 minutes or so with the flat, so feel good about being closer to the fast end of my estimate! 5-10 minutes faster would have improved my placing somewhat, 15 minutes significantly, so I see room for improvement that I feel is attainable.

I made it home in time, coughing up the copious dust of the day to have pizza and homemade ice cream and a mellow evening with my family. A very good Mother’s Day indeed. I’ll try to put another few rides on the MTB between now and Sisters Stampede. It will be good to have another 26 mile race when I feel a little more prepared. I have some work to do to be ready for the Capitol Forest 50 on August 25th, but I have a fun and responsive new bike that will help get me there, I’m looking forward to the journey!

Thanks for reading,

Julia Fudge