Do The Rock

I was stoked to finally get on the trails and kick off the Midwest MTB season. Adam at the shop had recently changed my bike position and I've been feeling much more 1) powerful and 2) comfortable on my Alma. This is something I've had difficulty with in the past on my old Epic. My Orbea was also setup with a new front rim thanks to a last minute build by Matt.

Race Day: I was ready to race but I tried to stay relaxed. Unfortunately I was too relaxed which cost both Ted and me valuable starting line real estate and we were stuck near the back. I should have learned from my Chicross experience to sit on the start line for 15 minutes (note to self, look for LeMans start races)

Anyway, the director sends us of and Ted and I are trying to work our way up before entering the single-track, with little luck, and we’re still somewhere near the back 1/2 of the field. There were a few switchbacks and log crossings before we hit the first bog and the race blew apart. It was chaos with people slipping, sliding and falling in the muck.

Less than three miles into the race and I have lost any idea about where I sit overall. Do I sit up and soft pedal like a roadie because I lost my warm, sweet, nurturing draft or hope of an overall win? No, I turn it into a 2 person battle between the rider immediately ahead of me and myself. This is why I love MTBing and that was all that mattered for the ensuing laps. How much suffering can you take to bridge to the next rider?

My bike handling got a bit better with each lap I was slowly working my way through the field. By the end of the 2nd lap Ted had caught back up to me and we were able to work together. We both tried to help each other and push that pace when the other was lagging. It kept us honest for the final lap and we finished the race in succession. I think we went 16, 17 or something close. A good place to set the bar for the season.

I learned some valuable thinks to build on and I had a great time at the race. We’ve got a great group of guys and this should be a fun year. Next up: Dirt Sweat and Gears Solo 12 hour