NOVA #1: Fountain Hills, AZ

Friday, March 30, 2007 through Sunday, April 1, 2007

Time Trial: 3rd (Expert 19-29)
Super D: 6th (Open Women)
XC: 6th (Expert 19-29)
Overall: 5th (Expert 19-29)

"Chill out", I keep telling myself. "It's just a game." But after a winter of diligent work it felt like more than a "game or sport".

I’m raw with emotion and over-thinking. The mental battle is waging at me. I know that I went into this weekend with more expectations than were necessary. I had intentions of terrorizing the competition. I knew I was strong. I trusted my training. I felt my power on the bike. I had so much support from the sidelines. There were numerous things in my favor.

The Time Trial was exciting and one mistake took me from the top of the podium to 3rd. Still a good outcome. The Super D was my first ever and I did it on a hardtail. I placed 6th in the Open Women category- not to shabby considering my rear hub growled at me the entire time (we replaced that before the XC).

I thought I could catch the pack following a crash 15 mins into the XC race. Unfortunately I didn't do so immediately. I am completely aware of the fact that mtn. bike racing will continue to hand me tough situations and far from perfect scenarios. Part of my strength was the knowledge that I can face those head-on. However, I did not practice that principal in my XC race this weekend. I was disappointed in myself. Even after the pile up I should have caught the pack. I wasn’t urgent enough about catching them.

Only moments earlier I had been extremely urgent about passing racer #2 so racer #1 didn’t get away from me. I was racing to win. So I was urgent when I knew I was sitting well. But I was a quick quitter when I was riding last, chasing alone.

I DID fight…but it was in spurts and not a continual push. In a way I didn’t give up. I didn’t drop out. But I know that I wasn’t pushing a race pace when I was on the trail alone. I tried. I failed. I disappointed.

I absolutely believe I still have an opportunity to turn my failures into improvements following this weekend. The third lap of the race I shifted my attention to my skills and handling. At that point I didn’t care if I completely wiped out. I pushed around the turns faster than I usually do to test my limits. I realized straight away that I need to pour hours into improving skills. I am nowhere close to ready to go against Pros....yet.

Rusty skills are something I felt in all three of the races. It was my first mtn race of the season. I've been on the trainer a lot this winter and not on the trail. I fought with the bike a great deal. Part is the early nature of the season. But a large part is that I have to be gutsy in learning skills at higher speeds. I needs' to get 'meself out wif da boyz again...something about testosterone pumping through their body makes them crazy on a mtn bike.

My coach provided unmatched support at this first race. I wanted nothing more than to give Al a win. That wasn’t how it all played out. I must keep my chin up and keep working harder to be better. This weekend of racing has redirected my focus toward the mental side of training. I am physically fit. I still have a mind to make cooperate. I have new places to focus my efforts as I commit to keep kickin'.