Guilford Grave Grinder race report 19 May 2019
Stats according to Wahoo Elemnt Bolt computer 39.43miles in 3hours 5 minutes 50 seconds. 12.7mph average, 5341ft. Official results: Time of 3:07:43, 5th place among open women, around 75th place overall when last I looked.
A couple of days before the race I received an email from Felicity the race organizer asking me about the confusion between my name being “Roxanne” and being registered in the Men’s category. I told her about my transition and the wish to avoid controversy. I told her that I am now legally female but was not when I registered. I said I am happy to race any category they put me in provided I can still participate. I simply want to reflect well on Team Bicycle Express and come from a place of fairness. She put me in the women’s open category.
This was a tough race, on par with the WATA in terms of feel but obviously a formal race. It felt more difficult as the climbs felt longer, and I pushed harder, the course is a blast on very scenic gravel roads 93% gravel. (40-mile loop, 93% dirt roads (7% paved), 4,800 feet of climbing) according to race organizers. Rain and 50degrees at the start which faded quickly and turned to clouds and warming. The finish was sunny and nearly 70degrees.
As in the other gravel races, my Soma Juice 29er with full fenders and jones bars drew many comments some kidding and laughter. By mile 20 no one was laughing anymore. I shut down a number of riders on lighter, more expensive, gravel race specific bikes. I passed two riders who commented that my bike must weigh at least 5 pounds more than theirs. I just responded that “it is what I’ve got”. “Bucephalus” is what I’ve named the bike after Alexander the Great’s horse, performed like a charm. The drive train is getting on in age but everything worked well with very few shifting issues. The brakes were flawless, Thank you Matt Green!
This time of the season the gravel roads are generally firming up so I ran my full pressure, which is 45psi. My rims are rated to 50max psi so I like a little buffer. I think I could have run my 40mm tires lower without significant loss. There was not peanut butter on the course, all surfaces were fairly firm.
Around mile 30 I heard a car approaching from the rear slowly, the rider behind me shouted “STOP THAT CAR! HE CLIPPED ME”. I managed to get the drivers attention. An elderly man with a large cowboy hat driving a compact car had clipped the racer behind me with his mirror and had no clue he’d done so. The rider had no injuries and was able to stay on his bike I think, but strong words were shared by the racer with the driver who thankfully pulled off the course.
Bicycle racing for me as ever is about the mental battle with myself, yea it is nice to do better than other riders around me but that opponent between my ears is always the most formidable and the one I am constantly stuck with. As fatigue sets in I struggle to maintain racing focus. Other thoughts and struggles pull at the corners of concentration. Family issues around my transition, pain, and weakness from the past flood in. Getting out of the saddle and struggling to the top of the next climb seems insurmountable at times. The sheer difficulty of applying intensity for 3 solid hours tugs at every mental and physical weakness I have. Thoughts would drift to painful struggles, I’d pull my focus back to being in the moment, trying to catch the next rider ahead. Reminding myself that this moment is all that I have and that I would want to live in this experience. Feeling strong, free, racing bikes and pouring all I have into the effort.
I did manage to forget my homemade race gel but a GU gel, and BOBO gluten-free granola bar along with my usual pickle juice and GU drink tablets worked like a charm. Forgetting my gel has prompted me to restructure my picklist. Thanks, Ezra!
I had the pleasure of riding a great majority of the race with Rebecca Lowe of BMB who rode her 29MTB and seriously challenged me on every climb dropping me more than once. We dueled back and forth with two men from 545 Velo. On the last descent, one rider from 545 Velo passed me saying “See YA!” on the way by; I caught him on the next climb and beat him by more than a minute in the end. I spotted John Spinney at the start who went on to win 6th place! Congrats John!
I was fairly well prepared for the race, but giving all of the factors pulling at my training time I could always be better prepared.
Post-race meal was sandwiches choice of Turkey, chicken, ham, chips, beer, soda, etc. Very good food and drink a nice event nicely put on. I can highly recommend this event. It is staged at what appears to be a working beef farm and lumber mill. The drive to the venue is a full 2.5 hours from my home in Richmond. Normally my drive cutoff is 2 hours but I made an exception. This is a challenging and fun race I can highly recommend it as well as the route itself if you are looking for a training ride.
-Roxanne Bombardier
