Yeah, so I suck. You read about my Day 1 escapades.
Well… after some retooling, I came back to Day 2, looking for some fun in the Master’s B’s. I spied Brad Ross and heckled him telling him my sole goal would be to beat him.
Lap 1: 7th place
Lap 2: 18th
Lap 3: 22nd
Lap 4: 22nd
Lap 5: 16th
Lap 6: 15th
Lap 7: 15th
Lap 8: 19th
Yo yo! What the heck happened?
Lap 1 was awesome- I was feeling good and sitting exactly where I wanted to be. There was a group of us that was opening up a gap on the field. Lap 2 came around and I was still in excellent position until a tricky (not really) couple curves where I hit the dirt. Looking back, it was my own fault for touching the front brake. I immediately popped up and started riding. I start pedaling. Wow. This is easy. Yet… I’m not moving anywhere. Chain is off. Crap. I start messing with the chain. Poof, there goes my advantage. (Hence the decision to change to a single chain ring in the front). I get back on and start riding and 11 guys have already passed me. I start chasing the groupo- hard. I look down and my right leg is hamburgered. YEAH. That’s what CCX is about.
Coming out of the singletrack and after the tight 180 I keep pushing it. Unfortunately, I hit the deck again on the same hamburgered leg. Dammit. At this point, frustration sets in and I’m tempted to toss the bike. But I hop up and consider calling it. But… who comes up to heckle me? Brad Ross. “You aren’t going to quit are you?” Pondering my ego and the potential humiliation I decided what the heck and hopped on BR’s wheel. I wheel suck for another lap until Brad says, “I’m spent.”
Feeling better I decide to see how many guys I can chase down. So… I start going faster and catching guys- which is a great feeling. “Go K-Man! Go Pony!” Heck yeah. I’m coming up to the last half of the lap when the rider immediately in front of me, Jeff McCormick goes over the handle bars and goes face first into the dirt. OMG. I hop off the bike and immediately check on him.
He’s stunned- he can’t talk. I tell him lay still. Don’t move. There’s blood. Another rider stops to check. We both move the bikes of the trail. Soon enough one of the volunteers with a radio comes by. We start talking to Jeff and he starts coming around. He’s ok. Phew.
Jeff in the med tent
Suddenly, Brad Ross appears on the trail. Knowing that Jeff is ok and in good hands I exclaim loudly “Dangit! I can’t let Brad Ross beat me!!!!” So I hop on the bike and start chasing him down. Soon enough we’re on the pavement and I’m hanging on the wheel. I accelerate to pass him and then Brad begins accelerating! Whoa! So I pop on his wheel and follow him around to the finishing straight where I pip him on the line.
I learned a lot of things:
K-Man can actually run up hills. “Little steps” is my new mantra.
I learned which lines to take by following Brad around.
Practice is a good thing.
So… we’ll see how things go on Saturday and Sunday!
Jeff McC wrote,
I didn’t know until I read this that you were the first one to pick me up after my patented face first dismount. Apparently I was out of it for longer than I remember and have more people to than than I did the day of the race. For all those who helped me out (and especially those that sacrificed a few places in the race) I owe you many thanks and frosty beverages of your choice. Look for me at future races. I am now very easy to recognize.
Link | September 25th, 2008 at 9:26 am