Norba National #3
Deer Valley, UT
June 16-19 th, 2005

It’s been almost three months since our last Norba National held way back in the middle of March. An unusually long break to accommodate those riders wishing to do the four World Cup races in Europe. Since I’m not racing in Europe anymore I enjoyed a lot of time at home doing the local races with my husband. This past weekend we all reunited for three days of racing at the upscale resort of Deer Valley, Utah; a ski area five minutes up the road from Park City.

The most unusual event of the weekend was the first stage, held on Friday night at the Olympic Park. We did an uphill time trial on the Olympic bobsled course. Yes we really did ride our bikes up the cement bobsled track. The track was exactly a mile long with fourteen turns. It was deceptively steep, with the worst part being the last quarter mile. I figured it was around 15% at the top. The riders went off at thirty second intervals. Fastest to the top was the winner. I started fourth from last in the women’s category. With a course this short and steep, and at altitude, I approached this time trial a little differently than most. I started my effort at maybe 75% and slowly increased the intensity so that by the top I was at 110%, a heart rate of 181, and enough lactic acid coursing through my muscles to fill a 10 gallon bucket. It was an amazingly painful effort. Most riders said their arms were completely numb by the top. As I approached the finish I heard my manager yelling “Stand up! Sprint to the finish!” My legs were burning so badly that it was almost impossible to stand up and accelerate to the finish line. And it’s a good thing I was too tired to verbalize my reply to his enthusiasm. Once you cross the finish line the next challenge is trying to stay upright on your bike. All you want to do is collapse on the ground in total exhaustion, which some riders did I was told. My teammate Katerina won. Willow Korber was seven seconds back in second and I was a mere half a second behind her in third. It was a good ride for all of us.

Day two was the standard two hour cross country suffer fest, I mean race. The course climbed up a steep fire road followed by a rip roaring descent through lush vegetation, aspen and pine trees, down to the bottom of the ski area. There was a long single track climb back up to a saddle, followed by another high speed single track descent. Another dusty switchback climb, another rough descent and it was back to the finish, only to do it all over again.

Our start was around 3:30pm, later than most of us like to race. Late afternoon races really kill the entire day. You can’t do anything before the race other than eat, drink, and hang out in the condo. And once the race is over it’s time for a late dinner, some more hanging out, and then bed. Late races also make it difficult to sleep. Your body generates a lot of energy during the race and it continues to do so well into the evening. You feel like a thermo nuclear reactor on caffeine lying in bed trying to fall asleep.

The cross country race wasn’t my best event this past weekend. Right from the start I knew my legs were on vacation instead of being at work and I was in for a long day. I got dropped half way up the first climb, crested the top in 9 th place, and began a furious chase down the descent. All of the descending in the race was the kind that makes you grin from ear to ear. Fast tight singletrack through lush vegetation with banked turns, smooth switchbacks, and great views (I only saw those in training of course).

After the first lap I was in 8 th but had caught three other riders just past the start/finish. I made my way into 5 th place half way through the last lap. The legs got better and I felt more like a bike racer instead of Joe Pack Fill. I finished the race in 5 th place. Not what I wanted but not bad considering how lackluster the legs felt.

On Sunday was the short track event. The course was short with a steep climb, a section of the dual slalom course, and some tight loose turns followed by a fast section of pavement through the start/finish. I was hoping for a better day. For the first ten minutes of the race I was having a better day. I rode in the top three and felt strong.

Then the legs went on vacation again and things fell apart. I got dropped by my teammates and rode alone in 5 th. Shonny Vanlandingham won, Katerina was 2nd and I held on for 5 th. After all these years of racing it still amazes me how little I know about my body. Sometimes you do everything right and nothing works. And the days you eat Krispy Kreme donuts and get a ten minute warm-up are sometimes the days you feel like a super star. It was a frustrating weekend because I always want to win. I don’t like being a spectator in the race. I like being the one who makes the race.

My husband, Greg, also raced and did very well in the semi-pro category. He was 12 th in the cross country, 5 th in the Super Downhill, and 3rd in the short track. Yeah team! I am home for another month and will be doing some local mtn bike races before heading up north to Schweitzer, Idaho (near Sand Point) for our next Norba National.

Until then...
Alison