2nd place
Last race of the 2005 CT Points Series. I was determined to do well.
It was a short 5mile loop in and around the Brialee campground in northeast CT. We had to do 4 laps (20miles) and the pros had to do 5 laps (25miles). During my warmup I rode the first mile or so of the course and realized how rooty it was. As a result I let out some air pressure in my tires and front & rear shocks. I was racing my geared bike this time.
We roll up the start line and at first there were only 3 of us. After a few more minutes 3 more came and we had 6 people in the Expert 19-29 y/o class. The semi-pro / pro class went 2minutes ahead of us. Then us, then 30-39 and then 40+ and then the women (all Expert class).
I had a shitty start falling into last place as we flew across the parkinglot into the woods. After the first two turns the guy infront of me took the good line through a turn and I was stuck with the shitty line and smacked my shoulder on a tree. Shortly thereafter the trail came out onto one of the campsite roads for a few hundred feet. Here I put the hammer down to pass as many people as I could before we tucked back into the singletrack in the woods. I moved up to 4th place and was hanging on 3rd place's wheel desperately trying to pass but had no room to. Finally an opening and I took off to clinch 3rd place halfway through lap one.
Now the game was to haul ass and open up a gap while closing the gap of the two infront of me. I did this through the completion(sp?) of lap 2. I could see 2nd place every now and then 'cause the trail wound back up on itself at times. Nowhere could I see 1st. That told me I was around a minute or so behind 2nd. Partway through lap 3 one of the 30-39 y/os passed me and said no one was anywhere close to being behind me. My knees were getting a bit sore but I tried my best to muscle through it.
Lap 4 showed its signs. My pace slowed down a little bit but I still was able to hold on and had it in me that I wasn't going to catch 2nd place and was going to hold 3rd. 3rd is great because I have yet to finish 3rd in the Expert class (started this season in this class).
Finished the race within 2 minutes behind the guy in front of me. I then went off and pedaled a cooldown with him around the campsite. He went on to tell me that first place flatted on lap 2 and dropped out of the race which bumped all of us up on position. Said that 1st place was an easy 5minutes ahead of him.
Not bad! 2nd place finish. I'm pretty stoked. Won some cash.
Got Ringwood NJ this weekend. I finished 4th there last month and am hoping for a podium finish.
It was a short 5mile loop in and around the Brialee campground in northeast CT. We had to do 4 laps (20miles) and the pros had to do 5 laps (25miles). During my warmup I rode the first mile or so of the course and realized how rooty it was. As a result I let out some air pressure in my tires and front & rear shocks. I was racing my geared bike this time.
We roll up the start line and at first there were only 3 of us. After a few more minutes 3 more came and we had 6 people in the Expert 19-29 y/o class. The semi-pro / pro class went 2minutes ahead of us. Then us, then 30-39 and then 40+ and then the women (all Expert class).
I had a shitty start falling into last place as we flew across the parkinglot into the woods. After the first two turns the guy infront of me took the good line through a turn and I was stuck with the shitty line and smacked my shoulder on a tree. Shortly thereafter the trail came out onto one of the campsite roads for a few hundred feet. Here I put the hammer down to pass as many people as I could before we tucked back into the singletrack in the woods. I moved up to 4th place and was hanging on 3rd place's wheel desperately trying to pass but had no room to. Finally an opening and I took off to clinch 3rd place halfway through lap one.
Now the game was to haul ass and open up a gap while closing the gap of the two infront of me. I did this through the completion(sp?) of lap 2. I could see 2nd place every now and then 'cause the trail wound back up on itself at times. Nowhere could I see 1st. That told me I was around a minute or so behind 2nd. Partway through lap 3 one of the 30-39 y/os passed me and said no one was anywhere close to being behind me. My knees were getting a bit sore but I tried my best to muscle through it.
Lap 4 showed its signs. My pace slowed down a little bit but I still was able to hold on and had it in me that I wasn't going to catch 2nd place and was going to hold 3rd. 3rd is great because I have yet to finish 3rd in the Expert class (started this season in this class).
Finished the race within 2 minutes behind the guy in front of me. I then went off and pedaled a cooldown with him around the campsite. He went on to tell me that first place flatted on lap 2 and dropped out of the race which bumped all of us up on position. Said that 1st place was an easy 5minutes ahead of him.
Not bad! 2nd place finish. I'm pretty stoked. Won some cash.
Got Ringwood NJ this weekend. I finished 4th there last month and am hoping for a podium finish.
posted by dougyfresh at 7:41 PM
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