Submitted by Linda Elgart on 11/29/09
Golden Gate Park CX, Bay Area #4, and Districts Report
Today was important for a lot of reasons. I came in leading the BASP series by a slim 3 points. It was also the NorCal CX districts. They offered a women 45 category, riding with the 35 wave but picked separately. I figured that we'd have some new faces today, on account of districts, and that proved to be true. Ann Fitzsimmons (Fox) was competing in the 35's, and Janel Lodge, last year's BASP winner, also came down from the A's to contest the 45's. Also in attendance were the top two at Sierra Point, Carrie Edwards (Sheila Moon), and Hollie McGovern (Sho Aire), who had only done one of the series races. My main competitor, Kathleen Bortolussi (Rock Lobster), also in the 45's and just 3 points down, had the misfortune of being sick this week, and while she was racing, she was not at her best.
I had been practicing my starts, and I did manage to get my pedal quickly, for a decent start in about 5th position. Hollie blasted off of the line (as she did last week in Sac), but as last week, she eventually faded. Carrie seemed to be having problems. I passed her as she ran off the course. Ann at this point went off the front and stayed there. I was contesting with Janel and Kathleen, but eventually it was just Janel and me duking it out for 2nd overall and 1st in the 45's. And what a battle! This was definitely the hardest I have gone all year. We were passing people from the A wave which started a minute before. Janel was a little better on the technical parts, and when she passed me with a lap to go, I thought I might be dead. But somehow I dug deep and went really hard in the pedaling places; on every hill and straightaway. I led for the entire last lap, rather than get passed and not be able to get by again. John helped before the race by pointing out the good line on the steep, loamy downhill where so many people were crashing (it was on the far right, if you missed it), and that part went really smoothly. My technique of being careful when I needed to, and going all out everywhere else, seemed to work.
And, it was enough! I managed to hold her off by 3 seconds to claim my first-in-a-while CX district win. Ann's win in the 35 overall didn't hurt, since she hadn't done any of the other races, so I solidified my lead in the series. Barring disaster I'll hold it, especially since Coyote Point next week is my favorite course of them all. The most important thing now: stay healthy!!
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