The View from 58-inches High

Wednesday I spent a whole 10-minutes explaining to my mom that exercise is something like 75% mental. “Your mind gives up before your body”, “It only takes a millisecond for your brain to quit”, etc. I know this is true and I feel it every time I finish a race. I can almost always pinpoint the minute I quit. That doesn’t necessarily mean getting dropped or not putting out power anymore, it’s a thing it your brain that just says “Yeah, I’m pretty content with where I am so I’m not going to burn that match”. After the race though, you almost always know that match was there to be burned.

Last night the plan was good. We knew we didn’t have the numbers but we had a good plan and we knew what to watch for. When Leigh went, I knew it was dangerous. Kate was on the front to chase but I needed to be there too. Julie was out with a flat and Kim was not feeling it. It was just me and Kate. Bombing the downhill somebody got their front wheel tangled in my skewer, derailer or something. I went backwards a ton of spots while I tried to sort out if I had broken spokes or an untrue wheel or something. It was inside of 3-to go and I was about 12-people back with my teammate chasing man-watts; everybody single file. I knew Kim was telling me I had to go help Kate but that’s easier said than done; especially on that course. The championship loop will beat you mentally. You are literally not pedaling for 10% of the course and you’re full gas the other 90%. We were strung out most of the race with nowhere to hide. You have to be willing to take risks and you have to put yourself in the wind to move up on the championship loop. I had 2.5 laps and an unknown number of matches plus the finish to pull off. I used the corners to my advantage and moved up a 2-3 positions each time. *strike*, *burn*, *recover*, repeat. On the last sweeping turn before the up-hill that starts the lead-out I bombed inside and got in front of Kate. There was no pulling or helping and she didn’t need it. She got in front of me, looked back, and went. I grabbed her wheel and suffered. I knew I had suffered like this before and come out with the win so I gritted my teeth and started counting. I screamed to myself those same mantra’s I had just told my mom. I told myself this week there would be no regrets my mind would not win. Coming around the last turn into the chicane, I lost Kate’s wheel. I tried my best to keep pedaling but my legs would not respond. I tried to sprint but had nothing left. Kate held on for 2nd, which is nothing short of amazing.

Looking back, I know I left nothing but I also know I didn’t race the best race I could have. My cadence has been lingering in the too-high zone. My legs ran out of steam because there’s only so long that you can push > LT+25% at 100rpm!! There’s always something to improve and I’m already hungry for my next chance.