Nova Norba National
Phoenix, AZ
March 17-20, 2005

Round two of the Norba National Series brought us to Phoenix, AZ. Last week the temperatures reached into the nineties so I was anticipating a hot and sweaty weekend. Our team arrived a week early for our photo shoot and equipment dispersal. It was a fun couple of days sorting through mounds of new clothing, helmets, shoes, and getting new bikes measured and fitted. We spent the first three days doing head shots, casual shots, team shots, action shots, and night shots. It’s exciting but a lot of work and I think I spent a total of ten minutes a day in my hotel room until late in the evening when I was finally able to go to bed.

The race started on Friday with the opening time trial. Since we were in the area all week we were able to pre-ride the courses. The race was at McDowell Regional Park, about nine miles from Fountain Hills, one of the newest suburbs in the concrete jungle of Phoenix. The park is full of rolling twisty single track that works its way in and out of washes, arroyos, and up and over small ridges. The cacti are big and they are every where. Cholla, saguaro, barrelhead, and candelabra cactus line the sides of the trails. Because of the huge amount of rain Phoenix has been doused with over the winter, the desert is in full bloom. Everything is green, yellow, purple, and red. The flowers are gorgeous and of course everyone’s allergies were also in full bloom.

The weekend’s races were run in the same stage race format as we had in Texas. We started with the time trial. It was an eight mile loop on a different course from the cross country. Super fun and quite fast. Lots of tight loose turns, quick descents, short power climbs, and lots of cactus to avoid. It was also quite rocky so I rode my Blur. I went probably 10th from the end and had a good ride, enough to move me into first place temporarily. By the end I had slipped down to fourth, twenty seconds off Sue Haywood’s winning time. A much better ride than my dismal 13th place in the Texas time trial. And no collisions with the cactus.

Saturday was the short track event. The course was much shorter but still used a section of single track from the time trial followed by a long gradual uphill on double track to the finish line. It ended up being a lot harder than it looked. I had a much better race than two weeks ago, but still not up to my standards. My legs don’t seem to like the short fast accelerations at the super high heart rates. I suffered most of the race. Luckily my teammate Katerina Hanusova had good legs and was able to make it into the winning break. She rode away with Sue Haywood and Willow Korber. I was in a small group maybe 15 seconds behind them. Katerina and Sue sprinted at the finish with Katerina getting the win in a photo finish. I didn’t have anything left and ended up 6th. Not great it’s getting better.

The cross country was run on a different course from the first two days. The loop was a fast six miles on similar terrain except there was one sign significant climb about ten minutes before the end of the loop. Because of the tight single track there was little room to pass. You had to time your move perfectly to fit in between the large cactus. A miscalculation had painful consequences. The race started off fast since we only had 200meters before the first single track. I was lucky enough to get in first. I set a brisk tempo but didn’t go crazy. With these kinds of courses it’s almost easier to lead because you can set your own tempo and you have a clear view of what’s coming. I spent most of the first lap in the lead. Rode a moderate pace up the climb and then followed Mary McConnelog down the only rocky descent. There were probably seven of us together when we crossed the start/finish line after the first lap.

Shonny took over at the front at the beginning of the third lap. She was riding the rolling single track really well so I decided to back off and let her get a gap. I was in second and was able to slow things down. She had a good fifteen seconds half way through the lap before Sue Haywood started chasing. Team tactics are fun in mountain bike races. I sat on Sue’s wheel as she chased Shonny for the next lap and a half. We finally caught her part way up the climb on the last lap. I wanted to slow Sue down on the climb so I jumped around her. My acceleration was enough to drop everyone and I quickly caught Shonny on my own. The two of us rode together the rest of the race trying to keep a gap on Sue Haywood. It was a fast and furious last ten minutes but we held the lead. Shonny and I took turns in the front and as we came to the finish line she was fortunate enough (for her, not for me) to be in the lead. Because there wasn’t any room to get around her and because I’m not going to push my teammate into the cactus, Shonny won, I was second and Sue was third. It’s great my teammate won, but secretly I wish it had been me because I felt so good. Oh well. Hopefully she’ll repay the favor later in the season.

Speaking of cactus, my other teammate Katerina was pushed into the bushes by an aggressive Sue Haywood early on in the race. She had to stop and pull her bike back on the trail and was never able to regain the group. I know she was disappointed because she was in 2nd overall at the start of the day. A lot of riders ended up in the bushes. The medical tent was quite busy taping up the bruised and bloodied appendages.

My husband also raced this weekend in the single speed category. He won every stage. A complete and total domination.

Now I’m sitting on the plane heading home to Colorado. The pilot announced that it was 32 degrees and snowing. What a way to celebrate the first day of spring. Haha! No more mountain bike races for a month. Then it’s off to sunny California for the Sea Otter Classic in Monterey. Until then…..

Alison