What are the odds?
Went to Riverbrook’s weekly Thurs nite MTB TT’s – great little summer MTB racing series put on by the cycling communities of Seeley, Hayward & Spooner. Some time ago they came up with a “Equalizer” format. Racers are handicapped with different starting times -- the least speedy go first and progressively the faster racers are released in 30sec to 1 minute intervals. When done to perfection, everyone hits the finish line at the same time. But regardless, everyone gets to compete both on an overall as well as handicapped basis.
And there’s no motivation like being forced to catch the slower person in front of you or to avoid being caught from behind.
So, this past Thursday the TT was held at the Hatchery Creek Trailhead in Hayward. Never having done the series before they use the best educated guess of where to start you in the lineup. Lucky me? With Scott Chapin, Jesrin Gaier & Tim Swift having good reputations & past experience I put 4th to last leaving only those vultures to hunt me down. With that kind of motivation it’s easier get a quick start. I left the start line with Tom Gaier & Tim Wilkie. At first I figured with Tom’s familiarity with the trails I could benefit from staying behind him but then I decided I was better off getting the biggest gap I could muster on the open Birkie trails at the start before the course entered the single track. Then let the chips fall where they may after finesse and handling skills in the single track took precedence over for straight up power in the open sections. The strategy paid off as I had gained 15 seconds or more by the time we entered the single track. After busting it wide open, the trails were a relief and my heart rate returned to a more reasonable sustainable pace. All I kept thinking, is I’ve got the gap, just keep it steady and don’t give up too much ground and recover to pound it again when (and if) it opens up again.
Even with my unfamiliarity with the trail, I managed to keep the miscues to a minimum. Taking note to listen for sounds of turning wheels and skidding brakes and glancing out of the corner of my eye on switch backs for any movements on the trail. Ten minutes in still all good, fifteen minutes still clean without any sign of trouble coming.
That’s when the bike gods released their fury – mind you not just on me, as I came off a S corner I got that sloppy feeling in the rear of the bike that can only come from a blown tire that’s rolled off the bead. End of the night for me. So hiking down the trail and counting time for the next racers Tom came through 30 seconds later and another 30 seconds later Scott Chapin with Tim Wilkie now behind him. Tom was out of any CO2 but was kind enough to toss me some bug spray (for which I was grateful on the next half hour walk back to the start/finish). I assumed I’d be seeing Tim Swift any minute and certainly Jesrin – I counted off a minute and then 90 seconds and still no sign of either of them. Only to discover when I finally got to the end that they’d both incurred flats within 20-30 feet of each other. What are the odds 3 of the last 4 riders flatting out on the same night.
So though it was a good hard effort, it didn’t provide the feedback I was hoping to get on how my racing speed is coming along. Though I was feeling pretty good and holding off Chapin felt like a distinct possibility. Next Thursday it’s a toss up, I’ve got league softball and the TT being held at Seeley which is notoriously challenging singletrack to ride a fast speeds. ….. we’ll see, maybe. Especially if I can drag some certain other individuals in the Chequamegon bay area who shall remain nameless unless they don’t start showing & participating in some local races pretty soon.
Regardless, it was a good time as Kate, Hope & Marshall were able to come along and have fun at the park with the other families and riders.
Up next, it’s WORS in Franklin, WI or MNSCS at Spirit Mt in Duluth – with a 4 1/2hr difference in drives times – I think Spirit Mt should be the easy choice. A hard core course that’s great to ride… it’s just racing it successfully is sometimes another story.
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