Go till you blow!

Photo credit:Bob the Picture Guy



Mohican State Forest trail...nothing in the Midwest can compare to it's quality. So despite my waning form I just couldn't resist racing there yesterday. They sent the young Pro/Experts off first then about a minute later us old guys took off. It was a bit of road before the trail so I got into 2nd place to draft some. In about 2 miles me and the eventual winner(Don't know his name, but he had dreadlocks) started catching some young guys. this went on for about 5 miles until dreadlock boy got away from me on a climb. I settled into a decent pace with Luke Spisak and a few others.
These younger guys would gap me on the climbs and then I would catch them on the downhills and then have to slow down. This makes no sense since I'm small and riding a 26 hardtail, but I will chalk it up to experience I suppose. I even passed one of them on the outside of a hairpin, nearly going over the edge. This is the kind of maneuver that I would only risk in a race, which is why racing is some of the most fun riding you can experience. There is no thought of crashing or serious bodily injury. Only pure adrenaline courses my veins. I got to witness a sweet crash as one guy fell off a wood bridge at about 25 mph right in front of me.










I was sitting third at mile post 21 when the legs blew. I cramped up hard and was waiting for the broom wagon. I got passed twice in the next 3 miles and ended up 5th. I sometimes think that I should start out slower and pace myself better. But if I am going to race, then I am going for a win, not just to survive. All or nothing is the way I like it.












On a lighter note, The Chief raced in my class with virtually no fitness at all. He finished, but when he did he WAS finished. It was poetic justice watching him laying on the ground and writhing in pain.