Roslyn Rush MTB race

So at the beginning of the week I asked my husband if he would mind going to Roslyn, WA and letting me race. As you all know we both race Mountain bikes in the Open/Pro fields so many times we are flipping a coin for who gets to race. I have been working full time and just haven't been able to race much this year, so I resorted to begging him to let me race. He agreed and Saturday morning we packed up the 3 kiddos and headed out. We first made a stop in Wenatchee to see Kris's Dad and Step Mom, we camped in their back yard cause the kids had been begging to camp. It wasn't too bad, Oliver my 2 year old was so excited he couldn't settle down at all. It was after 9pm before they were asleep (they usually go to bed around 7:30-8:000. Adrienne stole my blankets so from 1:30 on I was chilled. We survived and even plan on camping again this next weekend. Once packed up we hit the road and drove to Roslyn. I was a little nervous, it had been awhile since I had raced and I really haven't put in any sort of intensity training so I didn't know what to expect. Roslyn is a very small mountain town, Dante's Peak was actually filmed there. I think that might be the only thing that it is known for. Anyways I signed myself up and got ready to race. I chose to ride the Ibis tranny cause I had heard there was quite a bit of climbing so I thought I might like it better. Well I hadn't changed anything out on it and by the time my husband offered to switch out cranks so I might have some climbing gears, it was 10 min to go time. There were only a few girls racing, but they were fast. So we got a good start, I knew I wanted to start out somewhat reserved because there were 3 laps and I didn't pre ride and had no idea of what I was getting into. I started a good pace, but the first mile was a steep one, it was all I could do to keep the gear going that I had. So I rode past the girls and lead it out. Natalie, who is a friend of mine from Spokane, stuck to my wheel. Once you get on top, it is just rolling, still a lot of tough little climbs. Then a sweet descent with sweeping fun singletrack that then turns into some sandy techy switchbacks. We were hauling, passing a few men along the way. It then has a second shorter loop to it that was rolling also, it was tough though, this section I was wishing I had my Mojo SLR or a 29er. It was rutted and bumping, there was a meadow that was just brutal. It was all I could do to try and keep some sort of speed through this section. I had let Natalie lead for a little on the second lap and she pulled away in this section. I didn't see her again that lap. I headed out for lap number 2 and my family was on the climb cheering me on. It was awesome, Noah running behind me, Adrienne screaming something I couldn't understand, and Oliver saying Go Mama!! Brought a smile to my heart and kept me pushing on. I wasn't sure how long the legs would last pushing such a hard gear, cause I really hadn't put in any sort of race intensity in over a month. I let my head get to me a little. We got towards the end of that lap and I saw the girl that was in 3rd, I gave myself a little pep talk. I knew I was going to be alright and needed to put a move on. So I hammered the next lap. I had no Idea where Natalie was, but I was going for it. I saw the family again in the woods excited to grab a bottle (it was hot). The kids were hot too and well they drank my feed. They were still an inspiration and I just kept climbing. It really hurt this time, there were a few pitches I wasn't sure I was going to make, but I did. My husband said something about Natalie and her husband Jeff, I had gotten the impression that Natalie had passed her husband, and I was a little shocked. That meant she was flying, so I really had no thought at that point I might catch her. So next mission was to minimize the damage, good thing I kept on it, because I came around a corner on the second half and saw her jersey. I was so excited... race is on!! I poured it on, she saw me coming on the next corner and well.... From then on I couldn't make an inch on her. So I was left with being 20-30 seconds behind. ( My last lap was over a minute faster than the other laps and I made up more than a minute on 1st) The funny thing about me is I can go the same pace for a long time, I would have made it one more lap and probably would have been able to pas her. I wished I had raced more in the past few months so I would have had that intensity. I was so happy though, I had forgotten how much I love to race and compete. It was an awesome course and I will be back next year.