Mt Tabor Circuit Race 2009: Round 1 of 6, June 10

Race Report: Mt Tabor Series, Round #1 of 6. June 10, 2009

Womens 40+ 2nd Place

by Elaine Bothe

Short race, short report… well, for me ; )

First road race ever. Except for the Jack Frost TT a year ago, right off the couch. (Not recommended.)

The word “mountain” is in the name of the series so it was appealing even though the race is on pavement. The course is a curvy circuit about a mile long and some change on top of Portland’s own backyard dormant (?!) volcano. Glorious corners, beautiful park setting, half the course is uphill and half is down.

Since I don’t have a proper road racing bike, I shod my trusty cyclocross bike with some slick rubber and swapped out the pedals, cleaned up the brakes and off I went to warm up.

My goal: ride hard, stay calm and don’t crash. It’s a fitness ride, right? Uh huh.

I jumped right into the Womens 40+ category. It’s a bunch start, the seniors have red ribbons on their backs (Cats 1-4 or so, I’m not really sure, as opposed to juniors who are under 18), there’s also yellow ribbons, oh well can’t keep all that straight, and masters, blue. Shari pins my ribbon on last minute. I just know I need to pass all the blues.

I start out at the back of the pack, self conscious as this is my first road race. No countdown or anything, just a mosey as the pack oozes between all the curbs and fences. The lead pack eases away from me up the hill past the cheering Sorellas and friends and Mark (thanks everybody! It really helped!) but I’m picking off stragglers, reds, a yellow and some blues. Short uphill pop-up to a hard right, then the downhill stretch. I fly through the gears, I keep clicking but I run out so I just pedal faster.

Big bump in the pavement, right on the line. Who cares, I’m on a cross bike. I pass a bunch of people on the downhill, and hug the inside line around the fast sweeping right hander which is also bumpy. My bike is solid and handles really well without the knobbies, bumps or not! Cool! Didn’t know I owned a road racer!

Short straightaway between the reservoirs. (No spitting or snot rockets, please.) Then uphill, uphill lungs searing and legs burning though the finish and up, onto another lap. The road looks fuzzy, I’m so lightheaded! Breathe deep, stay relaxed.

Back and forth, I traded places with a blue-tagged Kendra Wenzel. I pass her uphill, she’d get me later, for several laps till the last lap when she camped on my wheel and sprinted past me for the win. I did not know we were racing for the win, I thought for sure there were more blues ahead!

But I take second. And $15 prize money! Yay, my first cash prize. Who’da thought, road riding.

Later my husband Mark had great race advice and told me to always assume I'm racing for the win each time I pick somebody off. Especially when everyone is all mixed up in a group like we were. Lesson learned. Plus, looking back, Kendra was showing me her plan, if I paid attention. She’s smart enough though, if I caught on she’d probably mix it up somehow. Oh well. I shouldn’t have passed her for dramatic effect that last time and should have camped on HER wheel! Next time. Lots of fun and a great workout. I’m looking forward to next week.

Photo courtesy of Mark Bothe.