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2009 Middle Mountain Momma XXC Race Debrief Part I

At the bottom of Salt Stump Trail, a hoot of a descent in the wet conditions, I rode out into the Douthat SP campground and saw another couple of crates of Kroger bottled water. That was bad news – in that it indicated a lot of climbing remained ahead. Still clinging to the shreds of denial and hope, I stopped to pull out my soggy paper map and race description that they had handed out at the start. Blast, there it was: “Follow the regular XC markings to the finish.” Ha, ha! Like it was almost over. This entire second half of the normal cross-country course loomed ahead.

I started up the singletrack on the other side of the Park road. Here is where the up-until-then perfect course marking broke down, although the tracks of previous racers made it easy enough to stay on course. Up the hill, and up and up. I could hear people laughing and talking above, and I eventually caught up with some non-racers. What a day to be out on a group ride! The mountains were socked in with mist, and the dampness was everywhere. At the top – well not quite – the riders’ friends were waiting for them. I hiked past and remounted for the rest of the hill.

By this point it was just head down and keep grinding as I waited for the end. Several more climbs went by in a haze of pain and almost-cramps. Finally, the down hill. Another corker, with suprise switchbacks and at least one set of tracks skidding straight off the end of each one. At the bottom, I mean the real bottom, I could barely make it over the old swinging footbridge crossing the creek. The steep stairs at each end and the wet, flexing planks of the bridge almost took me down. I ended up jumping down the last few stairs, because I couldn’t make the steep stairs with my fatigued legs. I remounted and battled along another soft doubletrack, across another bridge and finally out onto the Douthat State Park road. I put it into the big chain ring and barged to the finish line.

The organizers had moved the finish line up, as they had retreated from the other side of the creek for fear the bridge would flood. It was even better, as I was on empty as I rolled through the finish, my Camelback empty, my ipod “Adrenaline” playlist finished, and my right leg cramping as I tried to put a foot down. 22nd place. I was hoping for middle of the pack, and that’s what I got during this epic all-weather event. © Big Mountain Riding