I arrived at the race around 1:00 PM and while walking to registration I was soaked...to the bone. I took a warmup lap and basically skidded my way around the track including one slid out that left me caked in mud. So that's the way its gonna be huh? Me and the rest of the Plains and Peaks boys were warmed up and ready to go. I rolled to the line for the UCI call up and nearly froze to death waiting for number 58, but eventually we were ready to go. The start was called and immediately the fun began. The guy lined up in front of me missed the pedal and rode the top tube fist into the fence and then bounced back out into traffic. We all stayed upright, but if you watch the video, that's me in 3rd to last as we hit the first turn. Not the best. I think we all skidded through the first lap, but I was moving up. By the second lap, I felt I had made good progress and was smiling through the mud and rain. On the last straight before the start finish, I was humbled. While hammering down that straight the rear wheel just started drifting to the left, then some more and then...high side superman. I must have slid 20 feet. My bike did not come all the way, so i ran back got it, avoided the 5 guys rolling by me, readjusted the bars and started back off. Now my gloves were caked in about 1/2 inch of mud and so were my hoods. I pulled off the gloves before the turn off and chucked them, never to see them again. Frantic now, the last lap, for me at least, was filled with crashes and skid outs. I managed to get ahead of a couple guys, but not my best show. 66th was not what I had in mind.
Day 2 was completely different. Someone noted that it was if we got on a plane and flew to another state. From
slop on Day 1 to buff, smooth and fast single track on day 2 the course changed. I rode up with Krughoff and we got everything done and found ourselves 20 min before the race with nothing to do. Allen even changed out his water bottle cage bolts so that they matched his bike. Today's call up was even more brutal, 68. However, Spencer was 70 and i made a plan to follow him to the front. It was a good plan. Spencer flew up the outside and cranked past 15 guys. I was nearly on him and was rapidly going upfront. On a fast down hill, I took an iffy line to hear my teammate Jesse behind me commenting on my crappy corner. I was pumped. His callup was in the 40's and he starts well. This was the fitness I had been looking for. Then as quickly as it came it went. I took a corner wide and was in the tape. Not only in the tape, but a plastic stake was in the bike. I had to take some time to get it sorted and looked up to find that I was in last. Dead last. Time to get to work. I rode hard and got to mike Friedberg's wheel and Will Iaia was right there. That was the good news, the bad was that was all I had to get there. I dropped my chain at the top of the run up and they were Gone Daddy Gone. I battled well though and got to 60th. Not a great spot, but a good effort.One of the main reasons I write this blog is for my ability to be retrospective about racing. This weekend was great for that. I remembered why I race...its fun. Even when I am getting smoked by some of the best in the world, its fun to be out there. Furthermore, the point is to give your best. Sometimes my best isn't all that good, but when it is my best, I'm happy. Sunday was my best. Technically I am still not that good and the real gap for me is in skills, but for me, it is about racing happy and racing hard and when we do that, there is noting more to ask for.
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