Maybe i should start a new blog, Life After Midpack...Death by Bunga???
You know u worked out hard the day before when u don't poop the next day.
I made the drive out to French Creek Saturday, it's a solid 2hrs away but I met up with Tony F, what's his username?, on the turnpike to have company for the drive. We also ended up on the podium together, so we had a lot to talk about on the way home.
We got there by 11ish, plenty of time to bs, kit up and check out some of the course before the 1pm start. I always laugh to myself when I see peeps warming up with a road bike on a trainer for a mtb race.
I must say there was a lot of mtbers at this event, it looked festive seeing the tents lined up near the finish line. More people=more atmosphere.
At the start line it's me, Tony and Jaime, representing Cat 1 SS NJ. There are 4 other dudes I don't know, so I guess they are locals. The bell beeps and we pedal hard up a hill. Less then 10 minutes in we drop the locals and its us NJ guys. Tony puts a gap on me and Jaime that neither of us can answer to. The course is a good mix of climb, tech, downhill and occasional mud. There is one hike a bike section which sucks, but whatev...overall it's a solid 8 mile loop.
As we came around to lap 2 and start up the climb, Jaime passed me. I wanted to stay on his wheel but couldn't, my hr would not recover and I did not have the chase in me. I was hoping to catch him on the downhill afterward but that didn't happen. About a mile before hike a bike I found Tony fiddling with his bike, he dropped his chain and was having problems getting it back on. I tried to put a gap on him and hold down 2nd place. I held onto 2nd for less then 10 minutes when Tony came flying by me on a downhill. Fuck, I'm back in 3rd.
As we came to the hike bike on lap 2 I could see Jaime at the top and Tony chasing him. I thought i would see them at the start of lap 3, but they were gone. I rode the last lap rationalizing to myself that 3rd place is ok. At this point I begin to question my training, rest, nutrition...essentially I turned into Dave Taylor. I realize I don't want to be Dave Taylor, so I begin to think rationally and come to the conclusion that my power is good, but their's is just better...right now.
For fear of losing my 3rd place spot, while I'm having these conversations with myself, I begin to ramp it up where I can. About .5 mile before hike bike I come upon cramping Jaime, I've met him before, I know he is cooked and get by him. To my surprise I find Tony bonking on the climb before hike bike. This is the catalyst that ignites my spark and I go in for the kill. As Tony is hopping off his bike to hike, I run past him. In his delirium he is like Oh, hi, sorry I got in your way. He didn't even known it was me that just snipped him. By the time it syncs in that he is no longer in 1st, I am gone.
Passing Tony and riding in 1st washes away all doubts about my training and I find the energy of 10 Grinches +2. It's amazing how one can perk up when riding for the win. At this point I have a comfortable lead going into the last downhills with only about 3 minutes left to the finish line. I heard riders coming up behind me and in a panic overcooked a turn and washed out. As fast as I went down, I got up just as quick. Some geared guys went around me and was relieved to see no sign of Tony.
Pedalling on the fire road I looked down and saw blood coming from my shin, I did some damage when I hit the deck. It didn't hurt, so I kept the hammer down and crossed the finish line, 1st place Cat 1 SS, which I was elated about.
Post race Tony and I talked about what happened on the drive home. In the course of conversation he tells me he ate nothing other then breakfast that morning. No pre race food, no gels in between laps...nothing. Of course this is a recipe for a classic bonk. 1pm race starts require more attention to pre race calories and during race fueling. I had a plain bagel and Cliff bar about an hour before, this was my lunch. During the race I ate a Gu on start of lap 2 and 3, even though I wasn't hungry. This was a 2+hr race, refueling is important for a race this long.
The result of overcooking that last turn, 7 stitches.
This will probably be the last time Tony makes that mistake and it will likely be the last time I can take advantage of his misfortune.
One last thing, the Mass Series did have some good numbers Saturday(350+) but SS appears to be dead. There was only 7 of us in Cat 1, with only me, Tony and Jaime doing 3 laps, the 4 other dudes didn't even finish the race...wtf. The numbers in Cat 2 SS were not great either. The fact that big bike manufactures no longer make a SS specific bike anymore is a good indication as to where SS is going. Guys like me, Monte and Tony are going to be the last of the bad ass SS generation.
Actually, no...I think the tallboy is like a perfect mix for most people. I love my scalpel but it is a RACE bike, its not the bike i want to take to the sourlands for a play ride.
