Final Spring Race

X-Bar, Eldorado......one of the more technical trails we race. It is a great finishing venue as it comes down to sheer skills and endurance. Lots of stairstep decents and sharp swithbacks at the beginning......with some good climbs/stairsteps at the end. The temps are usually up there by this time as was the case this year. We had to do 2, 9.5 mile loops in a pretty good heat.

Got off to a good start in the front 3 pack. Made one move as we rounded the last corner heading to the singletrack.....this put me in 2nd. The guy in front and I had a pretty good lead and tapped our brakes getting ready to hit the first set of drops in the singletrack. The only guy close comes barreling by and cuts in up front.....we both back off because we know this guy........he can't handle the technical stuff and we do not want to be right behind him when he goes down. Sure enough, he bobbles real bad and almost goes down but saves it and comes to a stop going down the second tech area. We have room, and fly by him on his right......now we pick it up a notch.....trying to put distance between us and the rest.

I am not running at 100%, having worked hard all week.....so I lose a little ground on first. I see my friend Guy not far behind.....he's trying to make up time.....so I focus and dig a little deeper for a little more speed. Guy's hanging tight about 50-60 yards back but not getting any closer. We are now close to 5 miles into the first lap and hit some good technical stuff......I hit it with all I have. As I come out of it and hit a level area......I do not see Guy. Some climbs, more stairsteps......then a long fireroad.......I am going all out now......have lost all sight of Guy. Make the last climb out to the feed zone and grab a water......start heading for lap 2....no sight of the racer in 1st.

Pass a lot of racers the first lap, and start to encounter more the second. Passing here is tricky, lots of places and ways to get hurt......but I'm good at it....and feel like I'm in good shape. The heat is starting to be an issue........muscles are sore and I bobble a couple of climbs.....going down once. (hit my elbow hard) Pass a lot of guys on the side with cramps.....some with flats and other mechanicals. I might be hurting.....but my ride is preforming like a true champ.....LOL. I top the last climb and see the finish......go all out here.....got to look good going across the line.....LOL.

Well, I finish in second.........and that gets me 3rd for the whole series. The guy behind me in 3rd grabs overall 2nd......I needed him to finish 6th for this race for me to have gotten overall 2nd.

Both the 1st and 2nd series finishers have 5 top 5's and will be catted up to Expert. I have 5 top 5's, but one doesn't count because there were less than 10 racers at the start. So, I could race Sport class next year..........but I'll move to Expert anyway.

Looks like I'll have to step up my training to compete next year........Ok, I mean start training....LOL. This year I just rode when I could and went to races.....not much of a training routine.......LOL.