WORS: Big Ring Classic (Wausau, WI)

K.E. out front, tearing the place up!

Me behind like 15 women.

Me still behind like 15 women.

Making my move on the left.

On my own in the woods.

Still pedaling.

K.E. moving so fast she is a blur :)

K.E. off the front...crushing souls.


This weekend started out with hopes of racing in Council Bluffs, IA. The third race of the IMBCS series was to take place on Saturday at Lake Manawa State Park. Less than an hour before we were set to leave, we hear that the race has been postponed owing to severe weather that swept through the area the night before. We were pretty bummed out because we had planned on staying with friends in Omaha and quite a few guys from the shop were planning on going as well. But so be it, I guess...at least they told us when we did so we didn't drive 4 hours just to turn around and head back home. As soon as we heard it was cancelled, the first thing out of Kyle's mouth was "let's go to Wisconsin and do the WORS race." We talked about it for awhile. Maddie was already boarded, we were pretty much packed for a mountain bike race, it was going to be good weather up there (to race and to camp)...why not go? So, that was that and we headed to Wausau late on Saturday morning. The drive up was incredibly long. We got in around 5:30, registered, step up our tent, and got dressed to make a lap or 2 around the course. When we registered, the guys said to us that another couple from Iowa City had registered earlier, so we knew they Eppens must be there. Anyway, we ride the course, which is like a little over 8 miles. I could have sworn the first 3 miles were all fire access road. It was full of climbs and descends, but no less completely devoid of single track. The first single track section we came to was pretty rocky, but relatively short. Then more fire road, which made an abrupt right turn after a downhill section that proceeded to go straight up. At the top of this climb we made a left into single track that was very rocky and leg throbbingly steep. (There was even a sign on the trail that read Daddy! Daddy! Make it stop!) This section eventually flattened out and was just very rocky the rest of the way out. At this point the course has about 3.5 miles of fire road with a bit of single track here and there, but for the most part, the really difficult stuff was past. We did one more lap just to be familiar with the course and it was off to get dinner. (Kyle and I were getting quite grumpy with one another.)

Day of the race: I am scared out of my mind. We got up early. All I can think about is how badly these women are going to crush me. There is this one hill I have in mind close to the beginning. It goes up then veered to the right and up some more and once you reach the top you veered right again onto these wood chips that are like riding through molasses. I knew K.E. was going to beat me, but would they all beat me? I continued to struggle with this prospect. After breakfast, we got Kyle together since his race was first at 11:30. I got his numbered pinned to him, some more food in him, and send him off to warm up. After about 45 minutes of riding, Kyle headed to the start. I gave him a fresh, cold bottle for his bike, took the hot nasty one from him, and cheered when his group was released. He had a good start, despite 20 guys getting call ups in front of him. I really hoped it was a sign of good things for him this race since the excessive amount of climbing and minimal single track made this an ideal course for him. I then headed back to the car to get myself ready. After a bite to eat, I got changed and headed out to test my legs. Spinning was fine, but as I started to push, my legs hurt. I didn't know if they were going to feel like that all day or if I just needed to push them a few times. So I hoped for the latter and continued hammering up each hill I came to. Eventually, it was time to make my way to the start line. Whatever was to happen, was to happen. I was out of time. I see Kyle before the start. He was really happy with his finish and tells me to dump cold water on my head at the water station halfway throught the course.

I roll up to the line and K.E. is there, but as a past winner of this series she gets a call up. So, I am once again stuck behind a couple of rows of women. The race starts fast. We are hauling up this half hill and a pack of about 6-7 riders seems to be forming and pulling away. Just like last race, I can't seem to find a straight way out of it, so I head to the left into the more burly grass and continue pursuit. I manage to latch on to this group before the first downhill and I didn't really feel too exhausted yet. On the next climb, I see K.E. and another rider starting to pull away from the group, so I hurry around 2 of the riders in front of me to make sure I don't lose them. The next 3 miles decided my fate for the rest of the race, but unfortunately this time was kind of a blur. We were on the very challenging uphill rocky single track and the 2 women in front of me ended up off their bikes. I got off too and started to run. After getting back on, the 2 in front of me continued a little too slow for me and I fell over trying to navigate some rocks. This let 2 more women around. Up the road a bit, one of those women fell over in the rocks, which got me a place back. Then, back out on to the fire road. As soon as we got to a climb, I attacked and got passed another 2 women. Next, a group of 3 of us were in a line, and we passed this guy and started to head into single track, but being the dumbass I am, I wacked my handlebars on a tree and spun myself to the ground. The other girls just started flying to get away from me, but I recovered quickly and moved through the twists and turns as fast as I could possibly go. I was moving so quickly at one point that when I went to stand and take a corner at the same time, I smacked my hip into a tree. It didn't knock me off my bike, but it hurt like a mother. I didn't lose sight of the ladies up ahead of me though and once back out on the fire road, I caught my breath, dumped a big glass of cold water on myself (like Kyle told me) and went around the 2 women in front of me. Now, I'm on my own. I push, push, push uphill and down. There is no sign of K.E. or any other women, so I just worked as hard as I could the rest of the race. (That all took place in the first lap of the 3 lap race.) As I came through after the first lap, Kyle is cheering for me and I hear a few generic cheers, which makes me think that I am at least in the top 5. During laps 2 and 3, I continue to get passed by men, but never see any other women ahead or behind me. I am able to make it through all of the rock sections without putting a foot down and feel proud to make it without getting caught by the next girl back. I cross the finish line and see K.E. She tells me good job and Kyle is there to tell me the same shortly after. I assume she won and ask Kyle how many other women finished ahead of me. He was like, just K.E. I thought he was joking. There was no f-ing way I finished 2nd in this thing, but I had. Who would have thought? Not me. That's for damn sure.

So, it turned out to be an awesome weekend of racing...even if it wasn't the race we thought we were going to do. I got called to the podium twice. Once for winning my age group and again for getting 2nd overall. I met a couple of new women at the race that I really look forward to racing with again. Looks like I may even have to join the series now :) We will see.