SERC #3 Spartanburg Carly's Race Report

We arrived to blustery conditions Saturday.  A necessary evil; it helped to dry out the trails, but made for a miserable pre-ride for Carly.  20-25 mph winds + freshly mown stobby field + loose gravely climb = MAJOR frowny face for the kiddo.  After Gainesville's sweet single track kid's course, this course was lame according to Carly.  Unfortunately, this venue was just not suited to using any of the single track for the kid's course.  So after a couple laps and a mother/daughter "fuss-fest," Grandmom Sandy came to her rescue and I went off to pre-ride my course.

We made up that evening with a home-cooked meal heated up in the Hampton Inn microwave.  Topped the evening off with a good game of Yahtzee.  Sunday morning came early, but Carly was in good spirits again.  We rode a lap before the race and I do believe I saw a tiny bit of a game face on Carly.

5 lined up in Carly's race.  I did not see the start as I went up to the top of the 50 yard gravel double track climb to cheer everyone up a pretty steep hill for the young 'uns.  Mom said that Carly got a good start.  Imagine trying to hop on a 60 pound bike with flat pedals in a soft field and get it up to speed.  Well, that is equivalent to Carly and her 25 pound bike.  But she did awesome!

At the top of the climb.

She was second to the top of the hill, with me wildly cheering her on.  And no, I did not embarrass her, she said.  She actually enjoyed her Mom rooting for her.  As she turned around the last pylon and headed back down, I could hear her clicking down her gears.  Good for her, as in the Gainesville race, she never shifted.

The second time up the hill, I think she was in the pain cave, but pushed through it and then hammered back down the hill.  I followed behind her, at a distance that was pre-determined by her before the race.  As she turned the corner and headed up a slightly off-camber hill toward the finish, a boy tried to pass her and "bumbled."  I immediately had deja vu (see Gainesville race report), but fortunately Carly held her line and the boy hit the barrier.  Only his pride was hurt, especially after seeing Carly pull away from him.

Carly finished second, got a cool medal, nice T-shirt, and some nice schwag.  I will have to teach her to smile when standing on the podium.

We will have to work on podium etiquette and save the stare-down for the start.

I think the bug is beginning to bite!