sfrey’s blog

First race for the Dorba series.  Made sure to get a good warm up and rode the entire start loop.  Pull up to the line, luckily I registered early enough to get a spot on the front row.  Take off and all is going well miss a turn and start to slide across the trail crossing my rear wheel with another guys front wheel.  Pull out of it and get back in it.  Enter the woods in 5th.  Happy because I am where I need to be.  Toward the end of the start loop I can not keep the pace of the front four guys so going into the first full lap it is me and another guy right on me.  He is on me in the tight stuff but hills, fields, and switchbacks I seem to be able to make a gap.  Cedar Hill does have a shortage of passing opportunities.  I bobble and he whips around me and we collide which was no big deal because I would have done the same and it is part of racing.  Now I am trying to keep this guy in my sights.  We are about 75% done with the first lap.  I reel him into sight in the open areas and switchbacks.  I am feeling pretty good.  On the double track heading toward the finish I get passed by a guy in my class.  He is gone in no time not to be seen again till after the race. Hit the second lap and shortly I have someone on my wheel he is not saying anything so I assume he is the same class.  We ride the second lap that way with him on my wheel.  I am starting to fade on the second lap but keep pushing foward to the finish, I can tell I have slowed down but the guy has not even asked to pass.  I talk to him to try to assess the situation and figure he is probably waiting for the double track at the end to make the pass.  My suspicions were right he passes me, then I spot the guy from the first lap and he passes him also.  Don’t feel so bad now.  I spot a guy ahead and figure give it all you have the end is near and time to blow it all out.  I pass the guy realizing he was in my class and the guy fourth in the woods.  This was a nice suprise since I just lost a spot I gained it back.  Ended up 7th for the race out of 20.  Pleased to get my first strong mid pack finish and top 10.  This has been my best finish for Sport yet.  Will see how things go next week at Palo Duro.  Gonna be sure to warm up and go hard off the line.

I felt fast this race, but twelve others were faster this race.  I was satisified with the results of the race because it was my first solid mid-pack finish.  Also it was the first time I felt competitive in a Sport level race.  I had a good start and entered the woods about ninth which is better than usual for me.  A valuable lesson was learned that I think I lose too much time early in the race being too far back (gotta work on sprinting power).  Dug in for the whole race felt good bike was responding well.  Was nice to do some passing this race and not be passed as much as I have in the past.  Hopefully this is the beginning of moving up in the Sport class.  Will see in two weeks at Palo Duro. 

First race of the season, and not all went well.  We arrive at Camp Eagle (after a much longer drive than expected) 45 minutes after a downpour.  Trail is muddy so the pre-ride is tanked.  Personally not a fan of racing something I have not ridden before.  Sunday morning it is show time, not really feeling it though.  We take off and hit the north side, it was like riding on ice.  I was beginning to wonder who the hell poured astroglide all over the trail it was so slick.  The rocks were terrible and for me there was alot of hike a bike.  I fell a couple of times walking it was so slick.  I want to quit but decide if I have to walk the whole thing I am going to because I do not want a DNF.  Make it to the southside which is not quite as technical make it through there and back to the northside which I was dreading.  Miraclousy the northside was in 1000% better condition the second lap (the experts will never know how lucky they were to not have to deal with first lap condtions).  The northside went well and was the saving grace of the race (made it worth not quitting).  I ended up with 10th out of 18 that started (6 people gave up the ghost and DNF).  The good news is alot of things did not go right but the odds are in my favor of the rest of the race season not having as many issues.

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