… words to live by.
So, even though I just picked up Jens Voigt a little more than two weeks ago, and we didn’t see each other for an entire week up until yesterday because I exploded his rear derailleur on our 1 week anniversery, I entered the Dirt, Sweat, and Gears 12 hour race anyway.
Things in my favor:
Solid base training
I know how to pace myself
I know how to eat/drink
Innate tenacity
Things NOT in my favor:
It’ll probably be muddy
I fall a lot in the mud
I’ve never ridden at night (I was going to last week while it was reasonably dry, but then the DR thing happened…)
I entered the amature category even though I was sorely tempted by the nice prize money they’re giving to the top 3 spots in the Pro division. Since it’s my first time out, we’ll see how I fare against both fields. Next time it shouldn’t be as hard of a decision.
Other stuff: Weekend after this one, I’m riding the MTBÂ leg of the Memphis in May triathlon on a relay team. Then, on Sunday, there’s a MTB race at Mongomery Bell State Park that I’ll probably road trip to. I’m not sure what category to start in there. Common sense says beginner (cat 3), but from what I’ve heard, you can start as a cat 2 (sport) as well. I thinking that since it’d probably be a quick jump anyway that I should just HTFU and start as a Cat 2.
Who wants to make an almost 3 hour road trip to only race 8 miles, anyway?
based on your physical talent, i’d say you’ll get upgraded to a 1 after your first race anyway.
For sure go with sport! You will be disappointed if you do beginner…….go get em girl!
Oh, stop! Have you ever seen me try to negotiate something the least bit technical on a mountain bike?!? I’m like a monkey on rollerskates!
Andrea
Let me see the last time I raced a mtb race was back when NORBA was still around and I lived in Mission Viejo, CA. I think my last race was Beg or Sport at Mammoth Mountain and it was a either a NORBA or World Cup event. All I can is there where a lot of SAND BAGGERS….. Technical skills will come with more time on the bike.
My 2cents worth for the day.
later
BB
i would think you’d be bored with beginner and train way too much to even consider being there. go sport. if the race isn’t that technical, you’ll win anyways. don’t be afraid to run sections. you seem to be good at that too, so you’ll kill people running though areas they are struggling to ride. Also, female technical abilities in sport seem pretty wide ranging.