Coolest 24 Hrs at Boggs Mtn.

Gotta LOVE being on the top of the podium!!!!

This last weekend marked my first attempt at a 24 hour solo race for the season! I have been so busy racing 8 hour races (and having fun with the shorter distances for once!), that I just haven't "fit" one of them in yet this season, and what a race to do it at! This is a first year event, put on by the same people who put on the legendary Coolest 24 Hr Race in Cool, California. Jim Northey and his crew at Global Biorhythms events did not disappoint!

Mom and I packed up and headed out EARLY Saturday morning (figured we would avoid camping or hotel fees this way) towards Cobb, Ca. We arrived, picked up registration, and set up camp. We quickly made friends with 2 guys who were racing the 8 hour event, and next thing you know, mom is making them peanut butter and jelly sandwiches! They were cool, and it was the least we could do since we managed to enlist in their help with putting up the EZ-UP. For some reason, I was WAY nervous about this race, even though it was not my first race of the season. I think it was the fact that it was my first 24 of the season, and I had no idea how I was going to feel. I have been doing great in the 8 hr events lately, but wasn't sure about my endurance! Upon starting the race, any worries I had were quickly put to rest.........my legs felt SO amazing, especially climbing. Today was gonna be a good day! I jumped right out into 1st place right away, and managed to hold it for the entire race. The climbs that had previously kicked my butt earlier this year at the Boggs 8 Hr Race, felt like nothing. Things were close between 2nd place and myself for about 3 laps, which is when I started putting a dent in my gap between myself and 2nd. At that point I was about 20 minutes up. I kept pressin on with the hopes of lapping her, so I had a "cushion". On our first night lap, I got my wish. My nearest competitor had lighting issues which set her back significantly. It must have taken the wind out of her sails, because at some point I was 2 laps up on her. Things had gone REALLY smoothly up to this point.......but I felt it coming on.......what had zapped me and caused me to lose 1st place back at Idyllwild in September.....was rearing it's ugly head again........OVERhydration. NOOOOOO!!!!!!!

I took mini breaks as needed, and just hoped for the best in keeping 1st place. There were times where myself and 2nd place were in a complete "standoff" on who was going back out on the course. My advantage of course was that I had 2 laps up on her. I was able to stay in a while to try and get my stomach to settle, and finally went out for lap 12 at about 9am, and it was safe to say that it would be my last lap! Victory was mine, and it felt SOOOOOO good to be on top of that podium again in a 24 hour race!

A few added race notes..........once again, the pink Pivot Mach 4 was a hit on the race course! So many people commented on it, and it has gotten way more attention that any of my traditional colored Mach4's (make a note of it Chris!). I was known on the race course, not by name, but as "pink Pivot girl". One guy even came up to my mom after the race and said "that pink Pivot was hands down THE BEST LOOKING BIKE on the race course all weekend".

Thanks again to all of my sponsors who make it all possible!