Jamie ripping the course.
Sunday was the XC Mountain Bike race. I had long awaited this event! I knew that most of my riding pals would be racing and I was even more psyched that my Wife and Son would be there cheering me on!
I raced the usual Single Speed class. We started off the line 2 minutes behind the Experts. The course started with a series of pavement to dirt single track jaunts, then down a paved road for a ½ mile and finally into the woods on the dusty, technical and rock covered single track. I had a great start considering all the pavement (which can be slow going with only one gear). I was trucking it pretty good and went into the woods in about third position in my class. I was ripping through the trails and feeling great. My knees did not bother me one bit, even after all of the worrying! Knowing that the 8-pins section was coming up, I was able to pass a handful of riders and get in there, without what would be a potential road block. I knew that the 8-pins section was so technical that riders would crash, walk or just go way too slow. I love this section and planned to blaze it on my bike, no walking for me...that would make me feel like a real looser. I made it about ¼ of the way into 8-pins when I lost my chain. I tried to put it back on and keep riding three times. It kept falling back off. I finally realized that I had somehow bent my front chain ring!!! F%&K!!! This is the second chain ring I have taco’d in two weeks! This time it was my White Industries (last time it was a Surly). I laid my bike down and grabbed the nearest rock, then proceeded to beat the ring until it was straight enough to hold the chain and I was back riding. I would guess that 25 riders passed me during that time. Bummer!
I knew there was no hopes for a podium finish now but I was NOT going to get another DNF, so I decided that I would just do as planned and keep riding hard and pick-off as many riders as I could and finish the race. I was feeling solid and riding well when I decided to grab my water bottle for a refresher and it was gone. I guess during my ghetto bike repair I had lost my only water bottle! Bummer again; I was thirsty, but still determined to keep cranking along! Thankfully when I passed My cheering section (Dave, Racer, Timbo, Kelly and Seamus), Kelly had an extra water bottle and she handed it to me and I kept on riding and was so thankful she was able to hook me up! I did at some point along the way find my missing water bottle on the trail, so I grabbed it as I passed and was good to go.
Still feeling solid on my last lap, still passing riders and most of all having a great time, I popped-out onto the final climb to the finish and sprinted to the line. I was feeling great and ready for another lap! I had a great race and if I had not had the mechanical on my first lap, would have made the podium! I don’t care so much about that though, so all was good and off to the ‘free sponsor beer’ cooler I went! I placed 6th and by the looks of the lap times, I was way behind after that first lap but made up a little time on the second! It was great to have Kelly and Seamus there cheering me on and awaiting my finish at the line. It’s cool to be able to hug your kid when you finish a race and feel the love. He was cheering me on the whole time! Thanks Bubs!
Cowtown Posse in disguise!
Results are HERE
Hope to see you all out at the Swope Trails soon, be it riding OR building! -Burnsey
3 comments:
good work dude! pretty sure i bent my white indy chainring too this weekend. i thought we rode SS because it was simple? oh well...
Yeah, I just ordered the new and improved White Ind. version with the 'integrated bash-ring'...Looks like it might last a little longer (err, I hope!)
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