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Jen Jordan's Journal
Home Turf Advantage?
Publicado por at 11:16 on diciembre 16, 2009
Sunday, Nov 29 Golden Gate Park San Francisco A few weeks ago I considered registering for the 35+ Masters event because this is the district Championship, and my racing age is 36 or 37? I can never figure it out for cross season. I realized that if I chose that route, I would be giving up on the possibility of a top ten series award for the BASP Elite A women's series. This is more important to me than a district champ medal, so I stayed in my field. I'll be a master someday. No need to rush it!
This course is my "home court", being only a 10 minute ride from my door. I didn't train on the course much this year, because the Park people were saying the trails were overused, and might not give the permit for the race. I tried to do my part and "keep off" until Pilarcitos had their permit in hand. They got it the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, so that afternoon I went out to preride what I knew to be the course for the 3 previous years. This course is generally not technical, and quite flat. There are many places where you can really use your power, and pick up a lot of speed.
I did about 5 easy laps on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday prior to the race. I knew the start was a light uphill grade on cement, but quite long. I knew people would pick up a lot of speed and then squeeze into a tight right turn with roots into loose dirt. I must have practiced this turn 20 times in the 4 days prior to the race. I knew that people would work hard to get up front, then break and scrub speed when they approached the turn. NOT ME! I planned to go wide and only break in an emergency. I visualized and practiced putting in 35 sprinting pedal strokes off the line, then sitting down and powering through the turn. Only a crash would stop me, and I kept that out of my mind.
If you can see it (visualize it) it can happen. If you can't see it, it won't happen right? RIGHT! Ah... life.
I prerode the course Saturday afternoon with Baker when the course markings were finally up. The course was as I predicted, but with a little variation. A quick drop between two trees leading to a quick run up was added. I tried to ride up it a few times on Saturday. I came pretty close, but knew it would be all chewed up on race day, and not rideable by most.
On race day, I felt confident and well rested. I had no doubts, but I did have 2 boobs that were extra large (for me), and some serious bloating. I'm PMSing. Oh well, I've races like this before! Jennifer and I arrived early. We missed the C finish, but found Joie and Jenn H. Thank you two for being the tent toters! What a chore!
I warmed up on the dirt track around the polo fields and watched what Karen Brems was doing. Looked like a 40 minute, steady ramp up zone 2 to warp speed. I tried to pay attention to myself and do what felt right.
At the start I felt confident and followed my plan. Stay to the right, sprint hard, and don't slow down until something else forces you too. In cross, you sprint at the start, and rarely at the finish. This starting "hole shot" positioning makes all the difference.
My race was really quite "uneventful" in the good sense, that I held on to the wheels of those ahead of me for as long as I could stand. Next time I will pass them! If I can see it, I can do it!
I rode fast and safe. My only mistake was easing up at the end of the last lap and getting passed just before the line. Next time I will hold onto those wheels a little longer. At least I wasn't looking back!
Thanks again for the great support, and especially Jenn H for being the tent queen. That thing is no tinker toy!
Oh, by the way, Katarina Nash, an Olympic Medalist, won the race. She took a header into a tree and still won by 40 seconds. I was 15th.-JJ
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