7/11/09
Jose’s Recap:
Tribble Mill is a fairly new trail and new to the racing crowd. I had never been there until race day but the organizer’s email said it was FAST, some climbing with some downhills – talk about stating the obvious. My China trip put a damper on my ramp up for this race but I knew that was coming. I got back last Saturday and raced this Saturday so had one week to get the legs used to pedaling again.
Race day was perfect – dry and in the low 80’s at the start.
The horn blows and off we go. As usual the team guys (who will only do a lap or 2 stint) sprint ahead and everyone else follows. Well there are also the REALLY REALLY fast solo guys who sprint but I am not one of those.
We settle into a good pace heading into the first major climb allowing everyone to spread out and find their place. All is good, just a little crowding to start but the people doing the crowding usually realize that and start letting people by - or they blow up and have no choice.
After one lap I realize they just about designed this trail for me. The climbs were not outrageous with gradients and lengths similar to hills on Benning. The downhills were fast and sometimes twisty and tight which suits me better than straight down. Their tight singletrack was great for making up time as many people slow down in tight stuff. I was excited about this trail now.
As the laps go by I still feel good in the legs but the arms are taking a beating. This was not a trail to loosen your grip on the bars for long so it really worked my arms. This causes weakness which causes mistakes which causes wrecks which causes pain! Thankfully I managed to avoid the one big bang I saw coming, not sure how but I did. I was coming downhill fast to a right turn just in front of a large Pine tree, throw in a sandy bottom at the turn for good measure. I knew it was there as I had been by several times though this time I came in a little “hot”. My bike started skidding into the turn trying to get around but kept going straight for the tree. When I got to the point where I could just about spot the termites on the bark, my bike headed sideways for the tree, I squinted and braced for impact. This was going to HURT!
Not sure how, but something must have clipped the tires enough to stop skidding because I opened my eyes to find myself rolling past the tree. I can honestly say I have never been so certain of a crash coming on and it not happen. Someone was watching over me. In those milliseconds I had already pictured my face completely scarred up from the tree bashing I was going to take. And trust me, hitting a tree hurts a lot more that hitting the ground – you usually slide on the dirt.
Well I survived that one and thankfully the rest of the race was less exciting. I hooked up with a “expert” racer and we rode together for 2 laps uneventfully. We broke off for the last lap or so. Came in to the finish a few seconds ahead of him and he introduces me to another racer he rode with the last lap. He tells me this guy is in my category but I am not sure how many laps he did.
Results came in and I ended up in 2nd place. Yes, only 11 seconds ahead of the guy I just met a few minutes before. I’ve said before, that’s the tricky part about racing these 6hr things. You race as hard as you can and hope for the best result because you just never know who is ahead or behind you.
So another good day, raced 5hrs 11mins, 56 miles, no wrecks. In first place for the series right now with one to go. Not sure I can hang on but I will sure try…in October.
See ya out there.
