Sweet Sufferfest at Caballo Compana: Primera Valida Nacional

Caballo Campana: below are the photos, and here are some words about the experience... one word to describe the 2 hours of 4 laps is ¨sufrimento,¨ or suffering. It was not until the third lap that I reminded myself to look up and over to my right at the top of a set of switchbacks. There was an amazing view of towering green mountains speckled with cottages and farms, with the Hosteria Caballo Campana littered with ants of people below. The scent of surrounding Eucalyptus was a constant reminder of the beauty that I was fortunate enough to be existing and riding in. I feel, at least right now, that I cannot explain in words the test that this race posed; it was a mental and spiritual test more than anything, as many races can be. I knew the physical would follow that endurance of the mental and the spiritual, I knew the body would continue if the mind and heart told it to. And so they went, my mind, soul, and body, up steeps, around swtichbacks, over bridges and cobblestone, and down butt-way-over-the-back descents. On several levels, the race, indefinitely, was hard. I am glad to have done it. It was about the climb (Ana and I heard this cheesey Mily Sirus song twice on the radio the day before the comp, and it fit perfectly, talking about the journey and the climb, how there are always going to be bigger mountains to go up; Miley Sirus, I know, and on the radio nonetheless, but it was what I needed to hear) and I am stronger because of it.


Christina, Alexandra, and me after the race, of course.

Anisa placing the medal around my neck. Thanks, Ana.

Anisa sporting my jeans and a stylin´ Campmor jacket. She just got a mountain bike, perhaps she can join the team.

Los chicos guapos. All these dudes, much like our team back home, are so supportive. Just a real warm and welcoming crew that reminds me of my bike family back in the states. Mountain bikers are, on a whole, pretty awesome people anywhere you go.

Anisa and her prima, Daniella; they make a great cheering section and took most of the photos you will find in this post. Every lap they were hiding in a different spot, waiting to cheer and snap some candids. Thanks, bonitas.

Post-race combination of sock tan and dirt line.

Post-race stretching.

Post-race chocolate milk (Cola Cao), so good.

Yolanda and Galo Tamayo, Galo´s parents. They are life-savers, hand-feeding you grapes, banana pieces, and cups of water with each lap. They invited me out to lunch after the comp. They ended up not going, but I went with their Galo, their son, and a group of others for, hands down, the best and cheapest Indian food I have ever had. Yogurt de Mora (Mulberry), for a drink, was heaven.

I am not sure which climb this was, as they never seemed to end.

Descendiing into more dusty switchbacks.

Ok, so here is one of those occasions where Ana and Daniella were waiting on a corner, hidden in the woods; I wanted to skid the turn for them, which I did, and yelled ¨skid¨ as I did. This photo is the result of the occurence of those events. There were so many steep corners to skid into and then pop out, I could not seem to get enough of them.

This is THE climb, the one that I wanted to push through and ride at least once in the race. Well, it did not happen, and although I did not want to show a photo of me walking, it is what happened (each lap) and I would like to show all of the truth, not just what looks good. Yes, there were people who rode it, and yes, they rode it quickly.

Making my way up the long, steep climb... before getting off the bike. Makes me cringe. I even tried to run, but that just made me feel as though I were moving backwards.

Still on one of the major climbs, and still on the bike.

More climbing. I love it.

Sick! Just like at the USGP this year, minus the mud, they had a sweet flyover. This one had a ramp on both sides and was constructed out of Eucalyptus logs and chicken wire, as opposed to plywood and fake grass. Both were a good time.

This is Christina, the one who always gets second here. She is 18 and has been riding since she was 14; she is also a sweet girl who actually talks to me. At the two races I have gone to there have been only 3 or 4 of us, and she takes the time to talk to me and tell me about her sister, who also races. Christina will be headed to Costa Rica for the Pan-American Championships this month, I wish her well.

A nice, short but steep, climb to warm up on.