racing

So far, this racing season has been challenging and humbling at best, while painful and degrating at worst.  The first two national xc races left me defeated; mentally and physically.   It is difficult to compete with the pros from the sierra that ride at 3,500 meters everyday and train hard.  I think I got lapped by the winner at least twice in a race of 6 laps in Quito.  But, the lesson learned was that I need to train more and set reasonable goals.    

For example, the goal today was to finish the race.  My friend Geovanny called me about two months ago to ask me to join him for the Chimborazo Extremo, a race in its fifth year that climbs 40 km and 2,000 meters in 40 kilometers.  I said yes.  When the first climb began, after the 10 km of flat and rolling downhill over hand made rough and crumbing cobblestone roads, I knew it would be a long morning.

The rain started early and didn't really stop until we reached 4,000 meters.  And then, the ripping wind chilled our wet clothes and bodies.  Specifically, my dam fingers, always getting cold. After driving from Guayaquil to Riobamba the night before, sleeping most of the afternoon, taking to mom, watching a traditional dance, drinking candelaso, eating ritch snacks and later a  meat lasana,  sleeping , driving to urbina, sleeping in the car, riding 35 km in the rain uphill, with a little singletrack and 10 km of flat or moderate downhill, waiting for Geovanny in the rain; I was tired.  And when I saw the sign : "Chimborazo 5km", 5 km never seemed so far on a bike. 

For the second time, my goal eluded me on the slopes of Chimborazo.  The first time was last January when my crampons were digging into the snow and I was climbing up through the dark at 1 am with Nate and our guide when I decided that my cold feet and gasping for air were reason enough to turn back.  Today was different.  I had it in my mind to succeed.  I knew the last 6-7 km would be the worst.  And I prepared for that mentally (even though physically my recent training reime has been lacking).  But I wasn't prepared for the freezing hands and flood of cars driving down the mountain past me between 1-2 pm.  When I saw our friend driving Geo's car down past me, with only 4 km to the summit, I gave in and got in the warm car which eventually took me back to the agreeable coastal climate that I never thought I'd miss in the first place.

 But the race was definitely a good training session, and will hopefully motivate me to get through the rest of the season.