Summit Crit
After coaching the morning workout for the RACE kids I went home for a little nap before heading over to the race start to help Breeze schlep some bars. I must admit I was little help and I spent most of the time yelling gap times at the Apex athletes like Cari Higgins, Connor Simmons, Tietzel, Jessie and Mac. I warmed up during a tough looking pro 1-2 race and headed out on the course. Now there is nothing like seeing a good bike handler like Jessie being driven to the hospital to shake your confidence a little bit, but that is what greeted me as I warmed up. Jessie had gotten tied up with a barrier while in the winning break and was tore up.
Our race started with what has become the customary smoking fast pace. Despite everyone's best effort, even mine and CJ Gauss', no breaks could get away for long. Former US National Pro Champ Eddy Gragus got away for a bit, but we eventually reeled him in. The downhill was just too fast for gaps to form. With about 8 to go I covered an attack from a Mix1 and Westside rider and found myself nearly empty. As I drifted back in the field I was praying I could recover before the sprint. I did...barely. With 3 to go I moved up and got to Schmatz's wheel. Somewhere on the second to last lap I got pinched a bit and found myself out of line trying to move up on the last downhill of the race. As the sprint wound up I was moving well and although I couldn't contend for the win. Schmatz took the win. I took 7th. In the money.
The MorgulWith her family in town Breeze and I got to bed pretty late on Saturday and rolled out of bed on Sunday morning to head over for her race at 9. I played my roll as race bitch and had her ready to go and then rode to the top of the Wall to cheer for her. She had a great day and took 13th. I wheeled it back to the start line where we packed her up and she headed out to sample Breeze Bars at Creek Fest. I warmed up a bit and mainly tried not to think about the damage that Saturday had done to the legs. We rolled out on time and started up the Wall for the first time. Many of the guys said that last year had been pretty moderate until the end, not this year. One of the mix 1 guys was at the front immediately and several guys were off the group before we had even started lap 1. The rest of that lap and the next were at a torrid pace. I chucked my bottle before the neutral feed and watched in horror as the rider in front of me knocked down every bottle he tried to grab leaving no opportunities for me. After a couple of not nice things said I settled in and hoped it wouldn't hurt me...it did. After the Wall it was obvious that we were catching the pro 1-2 field. Hartman saw it and accelerated around them. There were quite a few guys hanging on for grim death at this point and that move ended them. We were down to 25 guys and we had almost 3 full laps to go. As we hit the Wall the 3rd time I did get a bottle but by now the cramping had started. I knew that there was to be no standing up the Wall that this time. I saw Jeff ask the moto if we had the whole road and hung my head a bit. I knew what was coming and as the grade kicked up, Jeff dove left and hit it. I was done and hung on to the back desperately. I made the top in the pack, but Jeff and Esposti were gone up the road with a couple more, who they then dropped.
The penultimate time up the climb nearly ended me, but I chased back on with Dahl and a couple others. I was done. The cramping was bad enough now that I was not asking if I could get up to the finish quickly, it was can I get to the finish. Seriously. I slipped off the back on the Hump and rode my tempo to the base of the wall. There was one guy in front of me that I managed to reel in, but even with 100 meters to go I was hoping I could stay on the bike.
I rode into 20th after a hard, hard day. Not bad for a 183 pound guy with 5 trips up the Wall. Or at least, i'll take it.
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