Brace Yourself as the Beat Hits Ya.

 So, when you race, there are a few things you worry about. For me, my first is, "I hope I don't get sick." Bam! If I didn't wake up with a migraine on Saturday morning. The bad kind that makes me puke. So, I took my meds and that means I can't race. We had planned on racing both days at Dan Ryan Woods on the South side suburbs of Chicago and rented a hotel room. John decided not to race on Saturday either. I felt badly about that, but he said he wasn't ready and had to get a wheel trued and something else. Anyway, he was very gracious about the whole thing.

We made it to Chicago around 3 on Saturday, checked out the course and then made it to our hotel room. That evening we met my friend Sarah and her boyfriend and a friend of theirs at the Kinderhook Tap. The food and the drinks were lovely and it was great to see Sarah.

 The second thing I think before a bike race, "Man, I hope I don't crash." I woke up on Sunday with a much milder migraine and decided to try and race, but just know that I wouldn't be very strong. I figured I didn't know anyone there, and if I sucked hard, no one would know who I was or remember, and I'd get to ride the fun course. My last preride lap before my race, I tried to get up this hill in the single track section, that I hadn't been able to ride before. I pedaled my ass off, to get enough momentum. I actually made it and was all, "Yea me!" when Bam! I hit a root and went careening into a tree and then side endo'ed off my bike. I hurt both my shoulders in the crash and somehow slammed my middle finger into a tree. I didn't feel too terribly bad, just a little shaken, so I decided to still race anyway.

 The third thing I worry about before a race is, "Well, at least I I hope I don't have a mechanical during my race..." And Bam! If I didn't drop my chain after going over the barriers. I had too much momentum and almost tripped over the barrier, causing me to accidentally slam my bike too hard into the ground and my chain to drop off. I was already at the back, it just put me further behind.

 Needless to say, I was very last in my race...Besides the 3 women who didn't finish for whatever reason. It was fine, though. I know that the menopause and migraines will be a huge factor in my racing for the next however many years (hopefully, only a few more, please). So, right now all I can do is suck it up and deal and appreciate the times when my hormones aren't raging or crashing (however many minutes a month that might be). I also had a great time riding my bike around the course all day and hanging out with my friend, Sarah the night before and John was such a great support during my crappy race.

This is my finger the day after. John told me to elevate it and Monday morning at work gave me plenty of reasons and motivation to "elevate" my middle finger.