Playing 'Racer Girl' at the Kowalski Classic

"A learning experience is one of those things that says: 'You know that thing you just did? Don't do that'" (Douglas Adams). Thankfully The Kowalski Classic was one of those learning experiences where the brain says: "Ouch. Let's do that again!!"

The Kowalski Classic (full) is a 90km single-track heavy MTB race through Kowen Forrest and Sparrow Hill (Spowen) just outside of Queanbeyan, NSW. I was fortunate enough to be given an entry from Karen Lee Foat, who had decided she wouldn't race as she would only just have returned from travelling. Thanks Karen! With hefty cash prizes for podium places, the event attracts a sizeable Elite field of the 'who's who' in the MTBing world in both the male and female categories. Knowing this and also knowing this would also be the last race I would get to do before WEMBO, it was decided that I would step up and play Racer Girl for a day.

Not quite the answer to 'Life, the Universe and Everything',
but close: 5 hours in the red with an exertion-induced endocannabinoid high.

Racer Girl, like every other good, honest and hard-working Superhero has a skin-tight costume: the new Cox-Blackshaw kit arrived this week. Decked out in the most comfortable lycra, Racer Girl at least looked the part.

It turns out that Racer Girl has some super-powers: 

1) Can handle hypoxia: As evidenced by the ability to ride with a gel packet hanging out her mouth for several kilometers. We'll ignore that this is because she's too scared to take her hands off the bars in the single-track.

2) Blind luck: Seen bombing down a straight section of track, catching 'air' before landing nose first into one of the numerous muddy bog puddles collecting on track. Kept it upright.

3) Can freeze time: But only whilst riding uphill. Although some might argue that this is not such a cool super power.

4) Can refer to herself in the third-person. The same people might argue that this is not actually a super-power.

Despite the costume and super-powers, Racer Girl did not pull through to a final victory sprint across the finish-line, wheely-ing whilst slapping high-5s to adoring fans. She did get to ride with some of Australia's top female riders, putting in a solid race effort and have some fun whilst revving into the 'red zone'. An incredible learning experience: to put together all the little physical, technical and mental racing skills that have been picked up over the last couple of months and throw them into the mix in a race like Kowalski.

And I can't wait to race again... 3 weeks to WEMBO. "Don't Panic".