BUMP

The first weekend in June is one of my favorite weekends of the year. Not only is it one of my FAVORITE races, it also has the coolest race name: BUMP and Grind. It is my kind of trail and I usually either do very well or go down in a flaming ball of greatness (flat tires, broken wheels, broken body, etc). Last year I won BUMP for the first time ever (after many years of being close and having "issues") and it felt great!!! I was really hoping to repeat again this year but my miserable cold had turned into a full blown sinus infection. I didn't feel horrible I just had no high end or pep. Not ideal for a race weekend...

I decided to do the entire omnium (XC, STXC and Super D) because it is part of a bigger three race series that includes other events I will be doing. As long as I'm there, why not?? (Okay, I know: sinus infection. But besides that..) We arrived Friday and I rode part of the course; I wasn't going to ride the whole thing before the race regardless - it was a 32 mile loop. I'm not a fan of the 3+ hour pre-ride.

Saturday I was the only pro woman doing the short track so I lined up with the pro men. I held on to them for about 20 seconds and then I settled in to a moderate pace and got some good pre-ride jumps. I did pass one of the men at the end who was also saving his leg for Sunday's big show. Later that afternoon I lined up for the Super D and I was the FIRST rider off. Yikes. Nothing like racing down the mountain knowing that the pro men are right behind you. I got to the Blood Rock section of the trail and dropped my chain!!!! NOOOOOOOO!!!!!! I tried to shift it back on but it was jammed up. Apparently really jammed. I got it fixed but it wouldn't stay on the bike after that so I coasted to the finish slightly bummed about my run. I then found out that my chain got bent and twisted and I needed a new chain. Great. Fortunately my awesome hubby ran to the local Trek dealer and got me rolling again.

Sunday it was time for the big day. Paula and I lined up and after a short pavement start we went into the woods with her on my wheel. I felt strong but not fast so I tried to just stay steady and strong. We rode 3/4 of the race together and then the heat got to Paula. She came off my wheel on the last climb up Oak Mountain and I was solo for the last 6 miles. I rode in alone to take the win. Paula came in a few minutes later for second. Star was also out there racing in the pro field in order to get the distance in preparation for BC. She held her own and had a blast.  Oh, and she got the hole shot at the start!!

We even had Bruce from ProGold Lube fly back for the weekend to call the race and be the ultimate lube fairy (he loves it when I call him that...). The only thing the weekend was missing was one of the fabulous grills US Stove makes out there grilling burgers after the race. Maybe next year.

I won the omnium and went home feeling like I got run over by a truck. But I won. So it was worth it. And Monday I went to the doc. Time for some antibiotics to knock this thing out. I am obviously not capable of healing on my own. Call it a personality flaw.

Thanks for reading...