My Sea Otter weekend started when my alarm went off in
San Francisco at 5:30 Saturday morning.  My carpool
mate, Eryn, was working at the Expo at 9:00, so we had
an early start.  I haven't registered to race, and I'm
not convinced that I want to race - at this point I
just want to see what all the hype is about.  This
will be my first time on my bike since November, and
my first race since NORBA nationals last summer.  So I
know I am not in the correct shape for this race (I
have, however, gotten 30 days of skiing in this winter
- so you can see where my priorities are).
 
After getting lost just once, we arrived at SO at
about 8:30 and found our campsite.  My Team Wrong Way
campmates generously offer me some Moose Drool beer -
um, thanks, but it's 9:00 in the morning - maybe I'll
have some oatmeal first?  I down a few packets of
oatmeal, hangout at the campsite for a while, and
finally head to the XC course at about 10:30.  Yes,
the course is muddy, but not as bad as I had imagined
after what seems like 3 straight months of rain in the
Bay Area.  So I decide to race, and go drop my $60 on
a race plate and bag o' goodies (which includes *one*
orange bike sock).
 
The rest of the afternoon I spend wandering around the
Expo, spending way too much money on super cute bike
accessories - tank tops, t-shirts, Zeal Optics
sunglasses... you name it.  (By the way, the pink Zeal
Optics trucker hat is **by far** the dopest thing in
my wardrobe right now!  I recommend one for every
Bella!). 
 
Back at the TWW campsites, our entertainment for the
evening is watching the assembly of a travel BBQ,
which we end up not using, as we are invited to a
pasta dinner a few sites away put on by a Christian
cycling club.  mmmmm.... warm pasta, and lots of it! 
I eat about 3 servings of both pasta and salad, a hot
chocolate, and some cake (I'm the only person I see
over 6 years old eating the cake, but I don't mind). 
 
The next morning, I putter around the campsite,
cleaning my bike, killing time until my 9:55 start. 
Finally at the start line, I find Teshia and MO, and
we're off.  The first half of the race I spend
leap-frogging with MO - she passes me on the
downhills, I pass her on the uphills, she passes me on
the downhills, I pass her on the uphills... The race
is a combination of biking and running my bike through
ankle-deep mud (eewww - the sucking sound of mud as it
creeps into your shoes!).  2 hours into the race I
feel the lack of training hitting me HARD.  I only
have about 2 more miles, but I'm bonking hard.  My
stomach is actually growling.  I can't really see
straight.  I've eaten all I have.  I see a spectator
on the side of the course eating a yogurt and I
actually almost stop and ask if I can have a bite. 
Then I decide he'd probably think I was grosse and
ride on.  About 25 feet from the top of the last hill
I stop, get off my bike, and have to talk myself into
getting back on it.  Clearly I need to be training
more.  I finally cross the finish line and grab about
4 of the free Cliff bars they are handing out.
 
After downing about a gallon of grape Cytomax and a
quick shower, we head back to the Bay Area.  The next
day I check the results to see where I placed.  Hey -
I'm not listed!  I have sent 2 emails and a voicemail
to SOC, with no response.  I think I will forever be
lost in the black hole of the SOC.   And I've searched
lots of categories, in case they lumped me with the
men like they did to MO.  No luck.
 
By my own trusty pink Freestyle watch (which is
apparently more trusty than their crazy ankle "timing
chips"), I finished in 2:16, 13th out of 15 for Sport
Women 30-35.  I guess I don't need the fame and
fortune of being officially listed on the SOC results
website :)
 
Thanks eveyone for a great weekend!
 
Piper
 

 



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