Coming back & turning into a racing carrot?

I literally felt like the carrot on the stick, just pushing with all I had but kinda knew they would catch me soon. I knew it because they had me as a motivation in front of them, I couldn’t see anyone. The mind game you know? ​

I left you with a story from a defeated Malene, who felt a never-ending hangover. So how did the story end? Let me start with telling you about my last World Cup race this season, and then we will return 

​It felt like an electric shock going through my body when my alarm went off at 5.00 on Sunday morning. When the alarm goes off Sunday morning it can either be the time for a long ride or race morning, this Sunday was the second option. I got up, splashed water in my face and started the blood circulation with a few ‘Rocky’ boxing moves (learned by our dedicated Rocky movies fan aka. physio Sebi). Starting to prepare my breakfast and otherwise tried to return to my human form. Finding the appetite this early is difficult, so I have started to mix oats and some Nutella before these 8.30 starts, it’s like the Nutella makes it slip down ‘easily’. The next three hours I prepared myself for the battlefield I was about to enter.

​Off we went. The track in Val di Sole contains 3 steep uphills, grass, hardpack switchbacks and a few rocks. My start was not amazing, I was juuust inside top 10 around the start loop. Kate, Sina and Evie disappeared fast. 
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In front of me, two girls got away, I wasn't able to close the gap so I was suddenly in this weird position. In-between those two in front and with a chasing group of 5 girls not to far behind me. The first two laps I felt like the carrot they could see just in front of them, and they pushed hard to catch me. On lap 3 I couldn’t see the girls in front of me, and they were starting to close that little 10-15 sec carrot and stick gap from behind. I literally felt like the carrot on the stick, just pushing with all I got but kinda knew they would catch me soon. I knew it because they had me as a motivation in front of them, I couldn’t see anyone. The mind game you know? 
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The mind game is one of the main keys in racing. Am I able to push this hard? Am I strong enough? They suffer too. Can I come back? You’re better. All these sentences are running through my mind, and probably everyone, when we’re out there in our own little hurt box. On lap 3 the 5 girls closed the gap and we were all together again. Now the mind really starts working. We started climbing up the first climb on lap 4, I found myself behind 3 of the girls, when I passed my mum and boyfriend standing on the other side of the tape, eager to support me in this tight battle. That made me move. I took the front together with the Spanish girl and we pushed hard up the next climbs. Some of the girls couldn’t keep our wheels, one had a flat down the next hill. That move changed my mind. It sat a fire in me, because of the question, are they stronger? was answered. On the last lap the Spanish girl got a gap of 5 meters and a french girl, Lucie, came back to me. I had her in my wheel going into the last part of the course, but luckily she took the front, and I could hide behind her until the last descent, where I powered my way past her. I finished in 7th position. 

Okay, that was a little more detailed description than I had planned, but I got all excited telling it again. Cause it was a good race for me. Coming back to a healthy training and racing level, after 5  bumpy weeks, felt so good. To continue where I left you on my last post - on my travel to Canada - it didn't quite go the way I wanted it to. The sickness left my body on Friday, two days before race day. Or Friday was at least the first day in 2 weeks where I didn’t feel sick during training. So my preparation was horrible. But I went out there and gave it all. I took home the 9th spot, which for was a success on that day. In Europe, the number had might not been that good, but I was happy I kept on pushing also for the overall. I came home super frustrated. Why did it take my body 14 days to get over a cold? It’s my first season riding the whole Worldcup, so my travel days have been many + I got myself a boyfriend who lives in France, which doesn’t give less travelling. I graduated this summer too. Maybe my body was stressed? And this was my body’s way of telling me to think about what I dictate it to do? So I decide not to leave my home for 2,5 weeks (which is a long time in my case!!) and come as late as possible to the World Cup in Val di Sole (the one described above).

And it felt good. The first 5 days I stayed off the bike, letting my system recover 100%. I know it was a good decision, and my preparation for the World Championship has for that reason been really good. Maybe it will be an advantage in the end, I just can’t see it yet. 

All the best 
The carrot