So I made the decision to drive down Saturday night and sleep in my car.  I arrived at about midnight to some of the craziest wind I'd ever seen.  Maybe it wasn't that bad, but laying there in the back of my car, it sounded pretty bad.  I got up around 6:15 and went and got my registration packet.  When I got back, most everyone was up and Loren and I went and warmed up on the track.  I was feeling better than the past couple of weeks, but still just tired.  Oh well, with the excitement of all the stuff going on around the sea otter, it sort of took my mind off of it.  Loren, Patrick and I went down to the start to go wait our turn to take off in the big cluster.  Knowing that Ty had signed up incorrectly for the 25-29 start, I looked around for him in front of me, but no luck.  He missed his start.  No problem, he made it in time to start with me and Loren and we were off. 

 

The pace was pretty slow on the track, which sort of surprised me.  I was up near the front when I heard some skidding and yelling behind me.  I looked back and there was a pretty close call.  Luckily nobody went down.  We hit the dirt and I was maybe back in 30-40 or 100 or so.  Both Loren and Ty were already out in front of me.  Crap.  I ended up getting stuck behind a line of slower riders on the first section of single track, and there wasn't much I could do to get around.  I was feeling pretty good, so once the trail opened up, I started passing people left and right.  I was really loving my new Fox Fork.  On the the doubletrack/fire road stuff, I was really taking the bad lines and passing people like crazy.  After awhile I started to see Loren in the distance.  I just kept inching closer to him over the next half hour or so.  But after awhile, my legs started to twinge a little bit and on one of the single track climbs, someone bobbled and as soon as my foot hit the ground, my left quad just seized.  I watched about 5 people go by that I had worked really hard to pass.

 

I got back on my bike and spun my legs out on the rest of the hill.  Once it got flat, I popped a few endurolytes and was back on my way.  When I hit the three sisters, I was about 2 inches from Loren's wheel.  I just kept quiet and didn't let him know I was there.  But he kept getting around the slow riders better than I could and sort of left me behind again. 

 

Okay, time for the long climb out.  After a little while, I caught Loren in my sights again and began reeling him in.  Right about at the top, I passed him.  I never looked back, so I wasn't sure if I was making any ground on him.  As soon as we hit the last little single track, he came bombing down passed me and another guy.  He almost took the other guy out, but we both made it around, but no Loren was back in front.  I tried to get around, but he swiftly stuck his elbow out and sorta pushed me back.  Sorta dirty, but hey, I didn't get by.  So as soon as the trail went back up for the last few hundred feet of dirt, I went by him.  Gin was there taking pictures and decided to help Loren out and give him a push.  But I guess that didn't work out so well, as I guess Gin almost pushed him right in to me and Loren had to hit his brakes. 

 

We hit the pavement and we were off.  Just a little bit of downhill on the track and I've got him!  But when I went to throw it up in the big ring, no luck.  It just didn't want to go.  So while I was fidgeting with that, Loren and another guy went buy.  I tried to catch them, but I just didn't' have it.  We crossed the line and Loren puked all over the place.  It was awesome.  True photo finish, except nobody got pictures of him.  We heard this mom yelling at her kid and had to pull him away as Loren just leaned over the railing and threw up all over the place.  So, Loren stays one up on me still, but I felt really good.  No excuses yesterday, I worked hard and think I did well.  It was great having the big group together after the race too for all the photos.  Nothing like the post race Moose Drool to ease the pain of mediocrity in the world of sport MTB racing.  See you all out the NVDC this Sunday.

 

Matt

25/98