roll: Princess

If you have ever been into our shop, you have either heard, smelled, or worked with Heidi Shilling. It's true, she has been around since the beginning and adds to the heaping dinner helping of personality to the roll: crew. Heidi has been racing and in the shops longer than even Dante can remember! Along with her fire red hair, comes a whiff of excitement, passion, and commitment to the sport and people that surround her. She races in the Expert class, and is a great addition to the COMBO Race Team powered by roll:! Heidi will begin contributing to our women's blog about the experiences she has! Yay!



Contributed by Heidi Shilling:

There has been a storm in my mind for over a year now. Last year I showed up to Mohican mentally and physically unprepared. I did everything wrong before the race including replacing a 9 speed chain with a 10 speed chain. After missing the podium by a few minutes, I promised myself that this year would be different. I have been training smart and steadily improving. My race season so far has gone well. I felt confident but nervous. Anything can happen in a race this long.



I arrived at the hotel the night before to watch my teammates in a full on pre-race frenzy. Last minute bike repairs, tire changes, tube patching, talk of strategy, beer drinking, burping, farting, blah, blah blah, bru ha, ha, testosterone fest. I just put my number plate on and lubed my chain. That's all, I was ready to roll:. Much to my surprise I fell fast asleep that night. I dreamed that I was riding under a waterfall. When I woke up the rain was coming down in sheets. It fell for hours and stopped right before the 7am start.

The race begins, I'm redlining from the start, just short of heart attack. My goal is to beat as many riders as I can into the woods. I hit the trail and get immediately stuck behind a crowd going nowhere fast. The trail is squishy. slick, messy, suck all of your energy MUD. No surprise, this was going to be an epic sufferfest. I weeble I wooble but I don't fall down, except for the steep downhill,I slide sideways down and bust my 2 month old scab open AGAIN! We quickly enter the State Forest and I hear someone yell, "way to go girls". Girls? Who is behind me? It's Bridget Donovan. She chases me all the way to the first aid station. I blow through it. I finally get to my favorite part of the trail. Even wet and slick it still has flow and is super fast. I felt good. I began to pass rider after rider. I felt great. Then came the shocking inner thigh cramps. I could hardly keep the pedals turning. I was worried, this was too early for cramps. Then I came upon the dreaded hike a bike. It seemed like an eternity climbing up that hill. One foot in front of the other, my heart pounding out of my head, death march. Finally at the top, I experience more mud, cramps, and rain. I'm no roadie but I can't wait to hit the road! Down some crazy water bars, raging river crossing, up a suck your shoe off climb and finally road, sweet road! Wait a minute how could I forget? Some of these road climbs are killers. I can't get to Aid Station 2 fast enough.



I finally arrive at that little oasis and see my happy teammate, Jeremy. I think I might have growled at him, Sorry Jeremy! I refueled and hit the trail in less than a minute. It's all a little bit blurry from here. I went back and forth with a group of guys. They would pass me on the road I would pass them on the trail. I hit the Wilderness Trail with a sense of urgency. I know this trail, I have done a few solos on it. I pick off a few more riders. They tell me the leader is just a few minutes ahead! This thought fills my head. I forget about the cramps, rain, mud, and bike that no longer wants to shift. My goal was to bridge the gap, she beat me by 45 minutes last year. Now I'm close...real close! This thought carries me to Aid Station 3.

When I arrive my teammate, Gary, whisks my bike away while I get my water bottle filled and grab a PB&J with my muddy paws. I'm off riding on a bike that is fully functioning!!! I'm sore and tired but down right giddy bursting at the seams with happiness. Thirteen miles to go, more climbs, cramps, rain, mud, raging stream crossing and long stretches of road. Pedal dammit, this is it! I hit the last 6 miles with a renewed sense of energy. Not in my body, but in my mind. The thunder rolls across the sky, I laugh! The sky opens up and dumps. I'm in the waterfall of my dream, riding downstream. My brake pads are gone, there is so much mud in my eyes, I can barely see. This is one wild ride. I come off of the trail into the campground. This is it! I blow through the last water crossing, it covers most of my bike. Somehow I make it through. Just a little more! Hello Finish! Hello pint glass!!! Oh, Happy Day!

All in all, an Epic race, just so happens to be one of my best! Second Place ! My Teammates did well too. Jake got 3rd in the 100k singlespeed. Jon almost beat his time from last year despite the conditions. Trent tore it up and finished with a fast time. Greg, Jeff, and Tom endured the elements and finished strong. Pat and Jayson rode their hearts out and last but not least Jeremy finished 100 miles on a rigid singlespeed! Go COMBO Race Team! Red Dragons!!!