Cyclocross Nationals and Southridge #1

It started Sunday. Madeline Bemis and her Dad stopped by our house on their drive up to Reno, Nevada for the 2018 Cyclocross (cx) Nationals. We took them on a ride to show off our area and the trails we have built.

It was a fun ride consisting of smooth flowy trails and a couple "adventure" trails, where we haven't ridden in a long while and the "trail" had become nearly no trail at all. The Bemis's spent the night at our house and before they departed we took Madeline to the Buttermilks climbing area to climb and run around through the rocks.

Tuesday morning my family and I left our house for Reno. It is actually one of the closest races to our house (only 4 hours away), so we packed up that morning and left. The day was perfect to be going to a cyclosross race! It was gray and raining, and helped me focus on the race ahead. We got to the venue in the afternoon and Vieve and I walked down part of the course to get a feeling for what the race was like. It was my first cyclocross race, so naturally, I was a bit unsure of what to expect and nervous because this was the National Championships, a race not the least bit taken lightly. As we walked through the waterlogged grass toward the finish line it started to hit me..."I'm racing in a nationals race and it's my first cx race."

I would be racing in the non-championship division because I don't own a cx bike; therefore, I raced my mountain bike. After seeing a bit more of the course my family and I headed to our campsite.

The next morning after eating breakfast we went back to the race venue, picked up our packets, and watched the Club Collegiate boys race. Milligan College cycling team, where I will be attending this fall, was at the race. I got to watch the team race while I tried to learn some cx techniques.

At noon Vieve and I started to pre-ride the course. It was a fun course! It started on a hard-packed dirt road which shortly turned off into the grass. There was a short staircase to run up, a creek to jump, a sand pit, and a case of Belgian stairs, then back into the grass, jump over barriers, and onto some mud which dumps you at the bottom of a steep off camber climb and descent. Next was a short section of pavement and sidewalk through the dinosaur park and back onto the hard-packed dirt to the finish line. After three laps on the course we ate some lunch and spent the rest of the afternoon watching races.

Thursday morning was freezing out and my races started at 8:40, not giving much time for the temp to rise. Dad brilliantly brought a heater for the back of the truck so Vieve and I could crank the heat and stay warm while kitting up and pinning on our numbers. We were soon leaving the warmth of the truck and were out in the cold starting our warm up. Next we gathered at the staging area with the other racers. Because I had no points, I started in the back of the 36 girl field.

The start whistle blew and I was trying to pass all the girls I could. The race sped by...it was only 30 minutes and 3 laps and I finished 4th!! Later that afternoon we watched the collegiate team relay, had my podium, and started the drive home.

Friday was back home to squeeze one day of school in before leaving to Fontana for the first Southridge race and our first cross country race of the year.

Dad woke us up...3:30 Saturday morning. It was the normal Southridge race schedule... "Jump in the car and fall back asleep as Dad drives to Fontana. Wake up around Adelanto, eat breakfast, arrive at the venue around 7:30, register, kit up, warm up, and race." The morning seemed just like an average morning at a Southridge race, except for the unusually warm and windy weather. I raced the pro woman class, hoping there would be more competition, but I was the only one. I started with the pro men. It was fast. I was dropped quickly. I tried to keep pushing myself through the steep single track climbs and descents. One lap down and my feet started to go numb...I loosened my shoes and started up the first climb. I always forget how hard this course is, especially being the first race of the season waking up the body to the strain of racing. The second and third laps blurred together and I was done. I finished a minute faster than all the other woman who raced 3 laps!

Genevieve (who got 1st in her category) and I had our podiums and we headed home from a good week and weekend of races!

Thank you to my family for all your continued support and help. Thank you also to Speed Tuned who has supplied me with a great set of race wheels, and to Ice Sports Wear for the great apparel!