So this year I did manage to show up at 8 am and drink my coffee while watching Mike Tonry pound massive tent stakes into the ground. He's quite good at it. Almost as good as I am at drinking coffee. Everything in its place and all was right with the world.
As race time drew near, I did actually help out by parking cars. It was pretty nice getting a chance to chat to the racers as they pulled in. The weather was absolutely gorgeous and spirits were generally high.
About 30 minutes before go time, I wrapped up and headed over to grab my number and change up. My front brake, a mechanical disc, had been rubbing and driving me nuts. Just an occasional high pitch squeal. The kind that doesn't slow the wheel, but gets in your head and slows the motor. After fumbling with it and attempting to employ a local bike-shop boy hero to no avail, I asked Bill Dakai to look at it. Bill knows bikes. Problem solved. Thanks, Bill!!!
I learned as we were about to start that numbers were down this year. We were 128 racers between the various classes today, but still ended up 14 deep in my Sport Vet II category. As usual, we were the largest group out there.
After a quick pre-race meeting where Brett Russ explained each category's lap schematic, we were over to the staging area. I was able to have some pre-race banter with a bunch of guys I was racing against, including John Robertson and Colin Johannen. I didn't have an opportunity to pre-ride, so John was offering some advice on the new section of the course, which I greedily gobbled up. He then asked when the last time I was on the podium. I thought. And thought some more. All my thinking led me to realize I've never been on an EFTA series race podium. Hmm. That isn't very confidence-inducing. John makes me sad sometimes.
After the Elites and Experts were off, the Sports went out. There were a couple of smaller and shorter in the tooth classes in front of us. I super liked the new staging layout. We queued up in the shade instead of the sun. Since we were waiting about 15 minutes by the time we got off, the shade was super-appreciated.
One of the nice things about the start of the TVR is that the course follows some pretty wide open trail before funneling into the single track. Plenty of room to jockey for position so no need to kill oneself right out of the gate. A group of five or so of us went out in front, including me. Not my style. I usually play catch up, but today felt pretty good. Might have something to do with the inordinate amount of riding I had done on vacation. I had passed by John Robertson on the climb up the double track and took that as a good sign, since he showed me what was what at Stowe at my last race.
By the time we hit the single track, there were only three guys in front of me. Colin, some guy I didn't know and Rich Blair. I was riding well and the course was in remarkable shape. There was a new little section of trail early on that was pretty fun. I was having a little trouble seeing with the sun filtering through the leaves onto unfamiliar terrain, but to no detriment to my race in the end. I followed a couple guys across the second stream crossing on a right side line I'd never seen before and it worked well for me.
Then across North Field and the real climb began. As we climbed up the dirt road, I gained on Rich and eventually passed by him. I was in third! Hallelujah! Part way up the dirt road, a new trail cut into the right. Single track. It was a little soft, but much gentler than the dirt road climb. Plus singletrack trumps dirt road every time. Somewhere in here I passed by a guy with a flat. Wasn't sure who he was, but there was a chance he might have been the guy in my group I didn't recognize. Fingers crossed, I pressed on.
John had warned me that Rich's Achilles' heel was his climbing. So it was no surprise when we hit Sampson's Pebble and started the descent that he caught up with me. I let him by and did my best to hang on to him, with some success. It was in the techy section of the downhill that we came up on the Expert women. The train of guys in front of me got through them together, I think, but I was far enough off the back that I didn't make it. Not too concerned because I knew the trail would open up shortly down at the pond and then have a wide climb back up to the Pebble.
I made it by the Expert women, all of whom were looking strong and headed up the hill of suck back to the Pebble. I had forgotten how many separate climbs there were on the way up. Every time I thought it was over, there was yet another climb in front of me. Just brutal. But I put my nose down and climbed and climbed and climbed. And then I climbed some more.
It was on this hill I got past Rich again. This yo-yo thing was interesting. Back and forth between third and fourth. Unless that other guy with the flat was out of it. Also passed a Vet I here - Joshua Barber, who I've seen out at every EFTA race I remember riding this year. Like Samson, I have the feeling that his strength comes from his hair. Crystal Gayle would be jealous.
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| Ah, Crystal Gayle. |
I finally made it up to the Pebble, soaked in a few encouraging words from the course marshals stationed there - Mike Tonry, Bill Dakai and Charlie Bradley, then headed into the technical stuff.
I made a decent run through the rocks, but was passed again pretty quickly by Rich Blair. We were awash in a sea of Novice riders, who had cut out the descent to and climb back out of the pond. Most were great about moving as I approached, but not all, despite Brett's pre-race instructions. This is pretty much akin to putting a pace car in front of us. I quickly found myself riding Rich's wheel as we worked to gain passage by these riders. Rich was blunter than I would have been as we came up to a few riders, but his bluntness was nothing short of effective. Rich blundered once and I got by yet again.
As we came to the rocky power line crossing, I was trying to ride across the top of the rocks, but a couple of others were walking it and walking up the only real line across. I tried to pass on a non-line, but it wasn't meant to be.
After the power line there is a bunch of great single track with a smattering of tech sections and a couple short hills. I got caught up behind a Landry's guy and riders were piling up behind me through the singletrack at one point. I think it was Rich behind who was yelling at the Landry's guy to make way. He didn't for a long time though. I eventually got by and opened a gap.
That gap was short-lived though. Within five minutes or so, I heard a rider coming on me. I was pretty sure it must be Rich. I pulled over to let him by and it was Rich, but he was still behind the Landry's guy. I let them both by and Rich then passed the Landry's guy. That was the last I saw of Rich. I knew he was ahead, as well as Colin. Unsure of the other guy.
I eventually came out to the water and followed it back to the start/finish area. Still feeling pretty good, but definitely knew I had a tough lap under my belt with eight miles left to go.
I passed through the start/finish and headed back out. This time I had to climb to the Pebble, but would skip the descent down to the pond and the climb back up. That was some consolation. As I crossed the streams and came out into the field, the marshals there - Russ Stearns, Pat Royer and Mike LaPlante - let me know I was coming up on Jim Nydam, a fellow Bum racing the Expert 50+ category. That gave me something to shoot for.
Just as I was coming off the dirt road onto the singletrack, I caught a glimpse of Jim. I was gunning for him, but the incline and spongy conditions on the new singletrack were eating my lunch. Every time I would get close, Jim would pull away. As I came up to the Pebble, I still hadn't caught him.
Because Jim was a glutton for punishment and signed up for the Expert race, he had to go back down to the pond. I happily turned away from the pond trail and headed into the technical single track. Right on Beaupre's tail. John had just done his second climb out of the pond and was still in front of me. And he came to the race recovering from a pretty serious injury. That just goes to further prove my theory that John Beaupre is not a human being. Maybe an android or alien or something. Or maybe he's one of those hologram people. Not quite sure yet. I'll keep you all posted.
I hung onto John for a few minutes, but he opened up a gap that I could do absolutely nothing about. Nothing. Really. I was soon passed by another Expert racer. I'd just like to say how nice it was to get passed by this guy. I believe his exact words were, "How you doing? Could I get by when you have a chance?" Absolutely, friendly biker.
After being passed by that racer, I entered the land of solo riding. I really like the point of the race when I can ride alone and do my own thing. I am more comfortable and usually ride better. I was feeling good that I couldn't see anyone behind. I was holding my 3rd or 4th place position.
I did eventually come up on the Landry's rider and got by him, never to see him again. I was riding cleanly and well when I came to the power line crossing. This time there was a guy walking it again and I gave it a go again. I held the line and the hike-a-biker scooched. I cleared the whole thing and was stoked.
I finished the race worried I would hear someone coming up on me, but no one ever did. The fear of it, though, made me ride it out pretty hard.
After I crossed the finish line, I checked the results screen. THIRD PLACE!!!! My first ever EFTA series podium. I was beyond elated. Rich Blair had finished 58 seconds in front of me. Colin finished 4:49 in front of me. Glad to hear he's pushing to move up to Expert next year. He's been on fire. John Robertson ended up taking fourth, just 1:16 back. All in all a great race.
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| I earned a pallet position! |
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| A major award. |
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| Matt Chandler takes 3rd in Expert Vet I. |
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| Beaupre takes the silver. |
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| Alby and Modig take 4th and 5th, respectively. |
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| Potter wins and Liz Allen takes 3rd. She's so pissed, she's decided to stick her stomach out in protest. |
- Max Beaupre wins the Junior Novice race over Scott Johannen by three seconds. That's right, three seconds!
- Jim Nydam takes 8th in the Expert 50+ race.
- John Miranda takes 1st in the Sport 50+ race, beating my time by nearly four minutes.
- Don Greenwood takes 3rd under the nom de plume Jack Meough in the Clydesdale race. On a fat bike.
- German Rob Schultz raced, but I think took the longer course when he should have taken the shorter. Not sure of his finish.
One more race left in the series. The All Out in Moody Park has been rescheduled to the end of September. Looking forward to it.
Thanks for reading.
