The DAMn it is a new challenge, new gravel bike race across Minnesota
In a past 2 years I am realized that I am enjoying long distance race more than short. So I skipped race which have less interest to me and concentrate attention for the long distance.
Some other reasons why I am not racing too much:
- money! Looks like every year fee entry grows up much faster than pay checks )
- I want to spent more time with family
- race time it is stress time and I do not like it ))
The Trenton J. Raygor (what a awesome creative guy and organizer of this race) sent me message few month ago that they have available space for the race and I was at the waiting list. SO I am IN!!!
It will be 1 month after Dirty Kanza 200 and enough time for recovery.
Long distance race as a long trip. It is take a lot time for preparation . You ride your bike with thoughts about it. You thinking a lot about reasons which could happened during the race and stopped you... You have lots of night dreams about race...
After my finished of Dirty Kanza 200 miles I was not scared to do 240 miles. I know that only broken bike could stopped me.
So I just keep going ride my bike.
Most of my "training" this is my bike ride with trailer. I try to work harder and added hills training to my rides and this helps me a lot.
Strava - this is my "community". Because I do not have other people to ride with and too complected to find time to ride with other guys I have fun time to see where and how much ride my friends, look new places to ride and also short conversation. And the best part about strava I have my friends everywhere: USA, Belarus,Europe,RUSSIA and other.
So. I asked Dan just drop off me to the Start and pick up from the Finish
SO reason about this decision:
- I do not want that after hard work week he do not have time to rest and also he have to care about our 2 girls.
-No way to drop from the race
- I like self support (my wild way! my challenge)
The start was at the boarder with South Dakota. Small town Gary (SD) is a good simple of the town which shows you America NNN years ago. So pleasant was to see sign "Welcome bike across MN"
I packed my bike and made short trip around the city . I saw many of my friends not only from Minneapolis.
Before briefing we can see slade show with photos and name of the racers and short info ( I like this thing)
Start have to be at midnight It is good and bad /
Good because I never good sleep night before race. Bad because my body WANT TO SLEEP! ))
Funny part about the race you get cur card at registration so you do not know NOTHING about roads...route... only start and finish city. ANd next check point you will get another amount cue cards ...
So after race was started I decided try to ride with fast group of riders. It was second group. It is few small groups who passed each other. I am not group rider. SO i have to lead this group 2 times. It is funny feeling to ride on the gravel at night and have 22 mph average speed.
The worth thing was I scared for my eyes .The gravel rocks fly from the wheels of other bikers and I don't want to get trouble.
So after 15 miles I started to ride my own.
I keep going. But my body slowly went to the night.. And about 3 pm I feel that I so want to sleep. Few times I went out of the road because asleep! I do not what kind ENERGETIC people use I have to work on it. (any recommendations from your own experience ?)
5 -10 minutes before 1st check points one lady with group of riders passed me...
"SO ,SVETA, time to wake up!!" - said I for myself and competitors part of me woke up.
Honestly I do not really believe myself as an athlete.. I am always thinking "No way!"
But also never give up.
I know that my average is not so fast but I can move long time without breaks. SO , i stopped for 5 minutes and keeps going.
Half of the night you feel that you ride close to the river , you see big fog .. and upset that you could not see how probably beautiful outside around you now..
Magic moment to meet sunrise... with sun you wake up also....
In some moment guy in front of me skipped turn and I have to stop and loud so hard to return his back (it is happened with me almost all races, people do not read good cue cards.
Corn field without the end..
Gravel roads started to be worth and worth. Very soft...
THis is kind of gravel which I do not like, but it was almost half of the race like this. SO in that moment I realized that DK was pretty fast and easy race.
One of my friend all the time during the race passed me with few guys , than I passed them when they rested. It was till the finish line. At the second check point I head that I am first woman, what gave me motivation to keep going. At this sponsor check point was pickles and it was AWESOME!
Some water and I was on my way again. Awesome part about check points - FRIENDS! I do not feel that I do not have support team. All your friends gave you some good words and it is so nice! Thank all of them .
Hard part about solo ride it is you have to control your speed.. SO when other riders passed me I try to keep their speed or close to it. I am a dreamer.. SO when I went to my dream I am forgot that I am at the race )))
In the hart time I am thinking that after finish all this moments will be great memory )
SO organizers said that during the race we can stop at the local business to buy food. But during the day I saw only 1 gas station .. Next time when I saw store was about 150 miles. I bought coca cola and ice-cream and went forward.
Also about miles 150 the roads started to have good elevation chain... more and more UP...up ...up.
Some hills I just walked because I was tired enough. I do not make lots of pictures as usually in that time.
Farms farms farms.. I love this village lifestyle it is return me back in Belarus in my childhood time.
3rd check point and I still was 1st female. I hate this feeling .. All race you was ready that someone still can passed you... and it could be happened at the last mile before finish .. because they can know where are you and you do not know how much different between you. I know only few female at this race and their possibilities.
Last 10 miles was the hardest mentally. You almost there but not at all/ I rode last 5 miles with one guy...
At the finish Dan and my youngest daughter Yeva waiting me ( I made call phone to the Dan 25 miles before finish) and I was 1st female. 35 minutes different between me and 2nd female place.
But result overal is not good to me
PS So I do not happy about my result . I know that I could to do much better , I just ride , do not raced.I have to work on that. But for mom of two kids , for woman who never know much about how to racing is not so bad )Right ?
I LOVE this race. This is longest distance which I did per 1 day .
Sad part about race (as many endure race) you do not have ant memory about your race and place except number.. I no need trophy but small printed diploma which you can add to the your trophy shelf will be great.. because when you will 60 years old you want tell your grand kids story about it...
My raffle prize from the HUB bike store gloves and awesome gift from my friend Lynn Saari (we raced together some winter races)
In a past 2 years I am realized that I am enjoying long distance race more than short. So I skipped race which have less interest to me and concentrate attention for the long distance.
Some other reasons why I am not racing too much:
- money! Looks like every year fee entry grows up much faster than pay checks )
- I want to spent more time with family
- race time it is stress time and I do not like it ))
The Trenton J. Raygor (what a awesome creative guy and organizer of this race) sent me message few month ago that they have available space for the race and I was at the waiting list. SO I am IN!!!
It will be 1 month after Dirty Kanza 200 and enough time for recovery.
Long distance race as a long trip. It is take a lot time for preparation . You ride your bike with thoughts about it. You thinking a lot about reasons which could happened during the race and stopped you... You have lots of night dreams about race...
After my finished of Dirty Kanza 200 miles I was not scared to do 240 miles. I know that only broken bike could stopped me.
So I just keep going ride my bike.
Most of my "training" this is my bike ride with trailer. I try to work harder and added hills training to my rides and this helps me a lot.
Strava - this is my "community". Because I do not have other people to ride with and too complected to find time to ride with other guys I have fun time to see where and how much ride my friends, look new places to ride and also short conversation. And the best part about strava I have my friends everywhere: USA, Belarus,Europe,RUSSIA and other.
So. I asked Dan just drop off me to the Start and pick up from the Finish
SO reason about this decision:
- I do not want that after hard work week he do not have time to rest and also he have to care about our 2 girls.
-No way to drop from the race
- I like self support (my wild way! my challenge)
The start was at the boarder with South Dakota. Small town Gary (SD) is a good simple of the town which shows you America NNN years ago. So pleasant was to see sign "Welcome bike across MN"
I packed my bike and made short trip around the city . I saw many of my friends not only from Minneapolis.
Start have to be at midnight It is good and bad /
Good because I never good sleep night before race. Bad because my body WANT TO SLEEP! ))
Funny part about the race you get cur card at registration so you do not know NOTHING about roads...route... only start and finish city. ANd next check point you will get another amount cue cards ...
The worth thing was I scared for my eyes .The gravel rocks fly from the wheels of other bikers and I don't want to get trouble.
So after 15 miles I started to ride my own.
I keep going. But my body slowly went to the night.. And about 3 pm I feel that I so want to sleep. Few times I went out of the road because asleep! I do not what kind ENERGETIC people use I have to work on it. (any recommendations from your own experience ?)
5 -10 minutes before 1st check points one lady with group of riders passed me...
"SO ,SVETA, time to wake up!!" - said I for myself and competitors part of me woke up.
Honestly I do not really believe myself as an athlete.. I am always thinking "No way!"
But also never give up.
I know that my average is not so fast but I can move long time without breaks. SO , i stopped for 5 minutes and keeps going.
Half of the night you feel that you ride close to the river , you see big fog .. and upset that you could not see how probably beautiful outside around you now..
Magic moment to meet sunrise... with sun you wake up also....
One of my friend all the time during the race passed me with few guys , than I passed them when they rested. It was till the finish line. At the second check point I head that I am first woman, what gave me motivation to keep going. At this sponsor check point was pickles and it was AWESOME!
Some water and I was on my way again. Awesome part about check points - FRIENDS! I do not feel that I do not have support team. All your friends gave you some good words and it is so nice! Thank all of them .
In the hart time I am thinking that after finish all this moments will be great memory )
SO organizers said that during the race we can stop at the local business to buy food. But during the day I saw only 1 gas station .. Next time when I saw store was about 150 miles. I bought coca cola and ice-cream and went forward.
Also about miles 150 the roads started to have good elevation chain... more and more UP...up ...up.
Some hills I just walked because I was tired enough. I do not make lots of pictures as usually in that time.
3rd check point and I still was 1st female. I hate this feeling .. All race you was ready that someone still can passed you... and it could be happened at the last mile before finish .. because they can know where are you and you do not know how much different between you. I know only few female at this race and their possibilities.
But result overal is not good to me
| 47 | Sveta Vold | 18:41:00 | 111 | 1st Place Woman (results ) |
PS So I do not happy about my result . I know that I could to do much better , I just ride , do not raced.I have to work on that. But for mom of two kids , for woman who never know much about how to racing is not so bad )Right ?
I LOVE this race. This is longest distance which I did per 1 day .
Sad part about race (as many endure race) you do not have ant memory about your race and place except number.. I no need trophy but small printed diploma which you can add to the your trophy shelf will be great.. because when you will 60 years old you want tell your grand kids story about it...
My raffle prize from the HUB bike store gloves and awesome gift from my friend Lynn Saari (we raced together some winter races)
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