I wanted to win this one. It was a small race but that didn’t matter to me. I needed to break my streak of four 2nds. I am tired of 2nd.
It was so cold I warmed up for an hour and still didn’t really warm up.
We did a parade lap and I was 5th wheel into the woods. Justin, Floyd, Darrien, Mark, Me. Justin and Floyd opened up a gap and I was a little worried since a couple of dudes could definitely roll on up and out if they worked together.
When singletrack dumped out onto the gravel I moved up and Justin was waving me by. I found out later guy had his hip reconfigured not long ago. Floyd was still hitting it hard though. I caught him at the top of the double track hill and rode his wheel for minute then came around after the horse gate turnaround.
Started going pretty hard once we got back into Red Bug. I wanted to get a gap so I could just flow the singletrack then hit the climbs hard. I think I had maybe 10 seconds at the end of the 1st lap.
Kept the pace fast enough to hold the gap in the singletrack then jumped on it when I hit the doubletrack. That’s pretty much what I did from there on. Kept the mo flowing smooth and efficient where I could. I was riding Tallahassee’s Worst Singletrack really slow cause it sucks and I didn’t want to waste my energy on sucky singletrack. heheh. It was good recovery. Floyd was riding the singletrack pretty hard I think cause sometimes it seemed like he might be creepin’ on me.
I drank a 180 when I finished and it tasted good but a few minutes later I was shivering uncontrollably. Duh.
The Bikechain.com KHS fueled by 180 was runnin’ good sunday. I ended up keeping the floodgate off on the fork the whole time and kept it on on the shock. I turned it off on the shock on the 4th lap coming though the second section of Red Bug but it felt kinda mushy so I turned it back on. I’m having trouble getting the thought out of my head that the hardtail is faster. Not sure what to do about that.
I stole that picture from Cliff Leonard.
Next year I think we assign someone to a camcorder and give Terry a mic so he can just walk around and talk to people. Interviews and what not. Then edit it down to all the golden bits. That would be funny.
You nailed it. Small race or not – you put 8 minutes on me – and you KNOW I am fast….
Good blow by blow, I’ve wondered what goes on up front, pretty much the same as where I am, just faster. I tried to keep my flow on those damn roots and step it up in the open areas too. I guess it worked. I didn’t get passed after the first lap, passed a few on the second lap and stayed even on the third. I can’t wait for the next race, it’s May 24th I think.