Steel City Endurance Racing

While this was a great season for many SCE athletes, the season that stands out in most of our minds is that of Stacie “Bulldog” Truszkowski. She literally tore it up on the mountain bike and cross bike, making it fun for her teammates to celebrate her successes. Read her end-of-season report about her path to the State Championship!

Bulldog’s 2011 Cross Season Recap

Signed up for my first mountain bike of the season last week and it made take a look back at how far I’ve come on knobby tires over the last year.

As the road season came to an end last year I took some time off to just ride my bike. I knew the ‘cross season had already started for some people, I just wasn’t ready to start it myself.

The first race of the year for me was kick off cross.  It was the day after my birthday and was really unsure if I’d even be doing the race. I definitely give in to peer pressure when it comes to racing, so I was talked into doing this race and hesitantly signed up before pre-reg closed.  On the way to the race I wasn’t feeling so optimistic due to a later night then I’d hoped for the night before, but I still knew I just had to give my all.  The conditions were muddy and I think it was snowing. The competition was tough:  MJ, Mika and The Swan were all there so I knew this was gonna be a tough race. To my surprise my legs responded well to the conditions and handled the mud pretty well. MJ was breathing down my neck the entire race and made me work probably the hardest of all the races this season! I was able to hold them all off and took my first “W” ever!  I got the win.  What a great feeling it was!  Oh happy day!  My only thoughts after the race, besides just taking in my win was that my month or so off the road bike and just playing on the mountain bike must’ve worked.

After this race there was pretty much a race every weekend. I continued to feel strong and just kept doing what I was doing. Riding mountain bikes on most days, going to ‘cross practice on Tuesdays (thank you, Chris Mayhew) and just having fun with it. As the race season went on and my winning streak continued I liked that I could pre-ride a course and know if it suited me or not. I was enjoying the more technical races as opposed to the flat and fast. Also JR had put in some run ups in the races and was taking advantage of that by trying to get in at least one run during the week on the trails at Frick. All in all, I was just going with my season the way I wanted, just enjoying it no matter the outcome.

I was encouraged more than once to Cat up from a 4 to a 3, but I had my eye on the series and wanted to finish what I started. As it got closer to the end of the season there was talk of me going to States and really finish the season off the right way. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do because I did want to “cat up,” and maybe make a few of the last races as a Cat 3. After some back-and-forth it was decided that I’d head to states with Greta and Rob who had already planned on making the trip. We stayed at Rob’s parents’ house and had our dinner at a local pub in walking distance from the Riddell’s house. I tried to mimic all my day before rituals without trying too hard. I had a beer with dinner and just tried to relax and not be so nervous. It wasn’t working. I would be racing with ladies I never raced before, I didn’t know their strengths or weaknesses. I kept telling myself, as always, that I just had to do my own race.

The next day, we arrived at the race and saw Gerry Pflug who had just pre-ridden the course. To my worst fears he said it was not a course that I would enjoy – flat and fast.  I like a bit more of a technical course and this was not that kinda course.  I got myself together, cheered on Rob for his race and decided it was time to check the course out. As I pre-rode the course I tried to look at course while riding it, looking for the best line and how to take turns and such. We headed to the starting line. Seemed like a pretty good size field as all women lined up together.  We were given our instructions and we were off.  At I start I reminded myself as I do in every race – don’t start too fast, catch your breath then catch the riders. I had a really good start and found myself close to the front of the pack.  That’s not normally how I start my race and almost started to panic. It usually takes me a bit to settle in, so I just tried to keep riding and stayed in this pack that had formed. We immediately saw that there were a few that just took off and I still found myself mid-pack and was okay with that. I got myself around a few ladies who we were playing the cat and mouse game. We were back and forth most of the race. We each had our strengths and weaknesses. I was good on the hills and technical parts and they were good on the flat section – which there were way more of!  I finished the race feeling that I had given it my all and for being in a Cat 3/4 race was pretty happy with how I did! I may not have won the race but I was the first from PA and for that I became the Pennsylvania State Champ!

I totally exceeded my expectations for the year I had in ‘cross.  My only hope is that I can improve in both ‘cross and mountain bike races for this year to come.