It is a full suspension bike but it weighs in around 30 pounds. It fits me fine and I able to pre-ride the course on it the Saturday before the race. I have no issues with the bike during the ride so I feel as though I am good to go.
For the pre-ride I met up with Al, John and Mike. We started on the trail not too long after the Xterra race awards was over with. The course was clear but the weather wasn't so much. The forecast had threatened rain and we knew it was on its way. About halfway through the ride the skies opened up and the bottom fell out. And it fell out hard, with lightening too! There was nothing that we could do but keep on riding. No where to hide. The rain didn't last too long and we actually finished in the dry.
Later on that night, after we all got cleaned up, we met in Athens for the Twilight Crit race. We first went to eat at the local Carabbas. The crit was exciting as always and we really enjoyed it. Until the rains returned, that is. Luckily I anticipated the rain and brought my umbrella with me. As did many other folks. It didn't slow down the racers though. They kept on going, and they were probably faster in the rain than I am on the dry pavement.
Fun was had by all, but i now had to go back to the park and attempt to sleep in the storm. The forecast had predicted severe thunderstorms which had me little concerned. But by the time I got back to the camp site, it had all but quit. I quickly changed clothes and went to bed. There were actually a couple other campers there too.
The morning comes bright and early on race day as Dave and Terri Berger crank it up around 7am for pre-registration. At least they are playing some good music over the loud speakers. I lay around for a while, then slowly decide to go ahead and get up. My race doesn't start til 9:30, so I am in no rush.
So the time has finally come a we are all staged at the starting line. I am hoping to get a great start and to be able to hold off the other guys. Not thinking about the "other" bike that I am riding. When the gun sounds, I can't seem to get the bike rolling. It just doesn't want to go. I am in about 4th place off of the line, but I am struggling. This is not a good sign, especially from the start of the race.
The course is 10.5 miles and I am having a hard time keeping pace. I have no idea why it is so difficult. About halfway through I crash twice in the back 40 and am really starting to get pissed off by now. The first half of the course seems to be a lot of up hill trail, but the second half seems to be a lot down hill trail, except for the very end where there is the bill hill climb.
I am now thinking that I can maybe catch up to the leaders some since I am on the easier section of the trail. I have no idea how far ahead they are of me, so at the next road crossing I ask the volunteer. He says that they are only about a minute ahead, so I really start to push it hard. I almost crash a few times on slippery roots, but I don't.
I never am able to catch the leaders and I end up finishing in 4th place. I am very disappointed in my performance. I seemed to be in a struggle the entire race. I never fell into a groove. But that's the way it goes sometimes. 4th place isn't bad, but it puts me back into 2nd place in the series by one point.
Click the link for race RESULTS
No comments:
Post a Comment