SMASHFEST!

Racing twice in one weekend is never easy. You know the pain you feel on the Saturday race is only going to be exponentially increased in 24 hours when you do it again on Sunday with tired legs. So why do it? 

Because it is SO much fun! 

It’s not very often that I get to totally smash myself with races so close together. Therefore when I can I take advantage of it, I do - and cyclocross/cross-country running season is the time to do it!

This past weekend was double cyclocross; one Saturday and one Sunday. I was totally pumped on Saturday and ready to just hammer it, but first I got to cheer on my boys, who usually race a few hours before me.

LittleCheetah was amazing out there. For those of you who know cyclocross, you know it’s a beast. You know it’s 40 or 50 or 60 minutes of pain and suffering that you have to have a lot of heart, grit and determination to do. But most importantly, you have to enjoy doing it. 

Running all over the course cheering for Javelin Daddy to catch the racer in front of him, and at the same time holding back proud-mama tears watching my littleman try ... and try ... and try again to get his bike up some of those crazy hills, then finally succeeding! It completely melts my heart. 

Family race weekends are the best!

Once my boys finish and have gathered their breath again, there is usually a few hours gap before I race. We’ll usually kick back, grab some snacks and talk about how fun the course was, what lines to take and where the crazy parts were! I resist the urge to dig into one of the delicious smelling post-race burgers, while my boys chow down. A post-race burger is absolute satisfaction, a pre-race one … well, let’s just say that may not go over well come lap 3 or 4 of my race.

A few hours go by and cue my race time.

Saturday’s pre-ride of the course went great and mentally I was ready to put myself through some serious pain and suffering to try and get the results I wanted. I lined up and off we went. Within the first half lap I was wondering what had happened to my legs? Did they take a wrong turn? Did they fall down a hill? Whatever happened, they clearly didn’t get off the start line along with the rest of my body! 

While I did go through pain and suffering, it didn't exactly yield the results I wanted. A few washouts here and there followed by some slow, ugly turns and hills made for a great sufferfest, but not a speedy one. My legs definitely had a different idea of what they were doing that day. Around lap 3 I'm thinking "crap, maybe I should have had that burger"? No worries, always tomorrow.

Post race pain face

Sunday’s race pretty much followed suit, with my legs left wandering around off course, clearly not attached to my body. Some days you have it and can hammer it, and some days you lose your legs. What can you do? That’s racing and I love it.

Next weekend is a triple header; cross-country at noon on Saturday followed a few hours later by cyclocross that night. Then, another cyclocross race on Sunday. Bring it. And maybe the burger too!