30 minutes before the race at the Sea Otter classic, I was sitting on my bike on the trainer and I closed my eyes. I felt the breath entering and exiting my lungs. I wanted to focus on me; the things that I could control.
Since Sea Otter is a massive bike show (the biggest in the World!) there is all kinds of media at the event. At one point during warm up, I counted 10 cameras all pointed at me. It makes you hyper aware. It feels like everyone is looking at you. The weight of the moment gets heavier and heavier because you know it’s being documented to be replayed forever.
As I stood on the start line, I looked straight at Clayton. I often caught myself trying to glance around to see what “everyone else was thinking or doing” but I would pull my attention back to my own little world. My tummy was in knots, my heart rate was already high, and my hands were tingling from all of the adrenaline coursing through my body.
One minute until start. I locked in. I committed and when they said go, I had only one purpose. I fought through the group followed wheels and acted like this 5 hour race was only 3 minutes long. This race is a battle to the singletrack.
As I entered the singletrack in 3rd I put a gigantic checkmark next to that process goal and took a gigantic sigh of relief.
Sofia had a small gap off of the front then a few seconds back was Samara and then me followed by the rest of the field. We held a fast, but controlled pace and I was pretty confident that Sofia would float back to the group, but about 20 minutes into the race it was clear that her goal was to ride off of the front.
About 30-40 minutes into the race, Alexis decided to try to chase Sofia solo. I had a split second to make a decision and I felt like my chances of catching would be higher in the group. Plus, if you attempt to bridge that gap in a solo mission, you know that you’ve burn more matches and have a group of 5 breathing down your neck coming from behind if you faulter.
Coming into lap 1 of the two lap race (with 35 miles left to go) I received an update that we were only 35 seconds down from Sofia and Alexis. That felt like no problem over the course of the next 35 miles. The problem is that the group I was in was also trying to stack the cards in each rider’s favor. Instead of working together, we were attacking each other. The feeling in the group was not one of a cohesive effort but rather, one of trying to size each other up, hoping that each effort was an opportunity to drop someone else from the group, thus increasing your chances of getting on the podium.
As the temperatures started to elevate so did my thirst response. I had planned on a minimal amount of fluid for the race, and it became clear toward the start of lap 2 that I had underestimated my needs.
When I took my last sip of the water I had 10 miles until the next aid station and I had not planned on having support there. There were 3 aid stations on course and I had people at 2 of them. This 3rd aid station was a mystery for me. I had no idea if there would be neutral bottles there and I definitely couldn’t afford to stop to fill up my bottle.
As the miles ticked down I felt my body declining as well. I was just SO THIRSTY. I kept trying to push it out of my mind, but it was all I could think about. I needed water and I needed it badly. I survived just one mile at a time and as we neared that aid station, I promised myself that if there was water there that I would get on the podium.
As I rounded the corner I saw a neutral bottle hand up and I snatched it out of the air. As the fluids entered my mouth I felt energy re-enter my body. I was back in the game and I was ready to take it to the line.
I surged up the hill and entered the singletrack in first in my group (3rd in the overall race). I decided I wanted to truly race and not let it be left up to a final move. I began to ratchet the pace up the final climb. I wasn’t going to attack but I was going to let it be a slow burn.
It seemed to work because when the trail opened up again with just 3 miles to go, Samara was the only one who could make a move and I jumped on her wheel. We were neck and neck coming into the final miles and as I focused on that battle, I discovered another battle was happening just up the road. I could see Alexis’ jersey in the distance and we were closing in quickly.
As my legs completely cramped I did everything I could to keep turning the pedals over. I thought about everything I worked on with Enso Mental Performance and I kept re-directing my focus to the actionable items I could do to keep pushing onward and it worked! And, when all else failed, I also used the mental skill they taught me and gave myself permission to do whatever it took to just get to the line – meaning I let the pain face go on full display.
Samara and I passed Alexis in the final mile and as we descending down to the track I finally got to celebrate my hard earned 3rd place finish.
The last two years at Sea Otter were riddled with some heart break from bad luck so standing on the podium felt really special and I definitely do not take it for granted.
This weekend was truly something special. It was a great way to start the Grand Prix and such an exciting bicycle party! Thanks everyone!
hannahottotraining.com 