Two guys that I never beat in 6 hr races were in attendance, so I figured that I'd likely be gunning for 3rd at best....I certainly didn't recognize everybody. Joey Stanley, my longtime racing adversary/buddy graciously loaned me his 2011 Scott Scale Carbon 29er to race, but despite being my first ride on it, I had confidence in having a great race.
The race started at 10 am with the usual mass start. The first 1/2 mile was paved, so it quickly turned into a single file draft which continued for miles on swooping trails. I've often felt the similarity between riding a swoopy mtb trail or a sweeping-switchback-filled road descent and flying the F-16 fighter. The g-forces are obviously much higher in an F-16 and you can swoop going straight up, but the effect is similar. Even non former fighter pilots sense this. From David Muse's blog (he doesn't know me, but I doubt he'd mind) "Yep, flattish trail for a while. I was bound up in traffic but we were fighter-jetting through the woods at incredible speeds. I can't overstate how fun these trails are at race pace, following other fast riders. A hollywood-style fighter jet dogfight is the only worthy analogy. You're just flying, banking hard, climbing and diving and pushing the envelope to hold on to the rider ahead of you. If I ever get to where I can't do it any more, it's the kind of thing I'm going to remember fondly." I raced very well; ate and drank when I should, paced myself, rode efficiently. I knew Josh Fix was way out in front of me (and everybody) and David Sagat passed me on the second lap, but other than that I was passing a lot of riders and in some cases "towing" then on every lap--I guess they thought I was just the right pace because they didn't want to pass. I managed to pass one gal on a husband and wife team on three laps at almost the same spot. One guy I figured was a threat was in a Litespeed BMW kit on a cross (!!) bike. He was just leaving the pits every time I'd roll in. It was not a particularly technical course, but after I followed Shane Schriehart, who was also on a cross bike, bouncing all over the first lap and seeing him crash hard, I couldn't believe anybody could last 6 hrs on a cross bike. Sure enough Litespeed BMW either flatted or crashed (or both) and I passed him for good on my 6th lap. I came in on my 7th lap at 5:17 clock time that gave me 43 minutes to try another lap...or it wouldn't count...so being a realist, I was done. It turns out that James Wiant finished his 7th lap about one minute ahead of me!! This is a frustrating aspect of mtb racing. I always race hard, but over the course of 5 hrs I'm sure I let up/get distracted a little bit--one minute...I think I could have found the energy if I'd known! Forth place for me. Still, I really enjoyed the bike, the course, the scenery and the competitive fun.
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