O-Cup #5 - BuckwalloW............

On Friday July 8, my team mate Steve Dempsey made his first trip across the border to Canada.  He was joining Jay, the kids, and myself on a trip to Gravenhurst for Ontario Cup #5.  Buckwallow Cycling Centre is an awesome destination place let alone a great race venue.  It is also very convenient that the KOA where we camped is right next to the trails!

Once we arrived we unpacked, set up camp, ate, napped...... all the usual camp arrival stuff.  Steve, Pak, Kim and I headed out to pre-ride around 4:30.  Steve brought his full suspension Quiring Ti bike and I took to the trails on my Quiring 29er hardtail.  The course, the trails, the weather, could not have been more awesome.  We had a blast pre-riding.  We could not stop grinning from ear to ear.  It was also great to see so many young riders on the trails!!  There was not alot of climbing but it makes up for that in technical!  Rocks, roots, tight single track, open punchy climbs, false flats, flowing single track......  The 1:30 racers also had a section added to the course that tested your balance, technical skills and nerves as you navigated through all rock section/single track.  

Saturday was another beautiful day.  We relaxed, swam, ate and I pre-rode 1 more time.  Had I not been racing on Sunday I probably would have biked the trails all day with Jay and the kids!!  So much fun!!  

When I awoke Sunday something seemed different about my race morning feelings.  I was unusually calm, patient, talkative (for race morning) and organized.  I had some nerves but I was never overwhelmed by them.  The temps were a bit warmer then the previous days but I was not going to complain..... at least there was no rain!!  Steve and I warmed up and then headed into the woods, to the starting area. 
I knew at 'go' I was not going to go for the holeshot.  The open double track start was long and I knew if I stayed behind the leaders it would give my legs extra time to get used to the pace and warm up.  The elite women's group stayed pretty close together until we got to the section of single track that was all rock.  I was third in, behind Mandy Dreyer and Heather Gray.  Things were going OK until we got to a punchie little rock climb.  I messed it up, the lead girls pulled away a bit, I recovered and then got back on their wheels in the double track.  In a section of single track Heather got hung up, Mandy and myself went around her.  From that point on, Mandy and I pulled away from the group.  It was awesome to ride/race with her.  We are very encouraging and supportive of each other.  We rode the first 2 laps together, and toward the end of lap 3, I was able to put a bit of a gap on her.  I held my pace through lap 4 and came in for the victory!!  My first O-Cup win of 2011!!  I was very happy with my ride and had alot of fun racing!!  Steve had a great race, a couple crashes and came in 9th in the elite men's field.  Kim also had a good race, coming in 9th in the Master Expert Women's category.

(It's all in the socks!!  Mandy was pretty happy with her gift..... our team kit socks!!  Nolan was practicing his future podium pose!!)

What a wonderful weekend!!  Now I have a bit of time off before my next race.  It's hard to believe we are already mid July and almost halfway through my race season!!

Cheers,

Sue