Camp Hilbert MTB #2 2008

Camp Hilbert MTB #2
Singlespeed
Oilville, VA
May 10, 2008

After the previous night's very long Cure concert, I figured I'd be worthless, tired, dedhydrated, and slow. After last weekend's races, I wasn't even motivated to do it. But I'd signed up, so I went, anyway. I wanted the race to be cancelled due to the wet weather we've been having. It wasn't, however, and so I was off to the race, having gotten home from Fairfax at 2:30am and having slept for about 6 hours.

I wasn't prepared for the race, as I normally am at least a day in advance. I got up, ate breakfast, washed my bike, threw together everything I thought I'd need (water bottles, clothes, gloves, helmet...) and took note of the fact that my extra tube and tire inflator were on my geared bike, and I'd need them. I also took note of my shoes lying in the floor of my bedroom. I got the seat bag containing the tube and inflator, finished up the packing, and got on the road, still unmotivated to go.

Once at the venue, I got my number and chatted with a few people, and got back to the car to get ready. I got the bike down and put my number on, went to the restroom, and still had plenty of time to get everything together.

I started getting ready with about an hour to spare, and put my shorts on first. The second thing I put on is usually my shoes. But before I even looked in the car, I realised that I had seen them on the bedroom floor, mentally noted that I needed to get them, but still left them there.

It wasn't meant to be. I took my shorts off, and put my jeans back on.

I did wander around for a few minutes lamenting my misfortune, and asking a few women I know who may have a shoe as small as mine, but I wasn't able to find anything that worked. Then I told my friend from work, Tom B, who'd just finished up his solid race performance in the Sport class about my dilemma. His 11 year old son had attempted to race, but with the conditions hadn't been able to finish the race- this was my saving grace (even though I really didn't want to be saved at this point). Parker wears a 7.5, and has the same Crank Brothers Eggbeater cleats I needed!

So... with my new-found shoes and about 40 minutes to spare, I got dressed and started riding around trying to warm up.

We all went to the start area, and I tried to get a warmup and stretch as much as possible. I was starting to get nervous, though, and that was a sign of the anxiety that I always get when I expect to race well.

The horn blew, and our race was on. Instead of leading out the start like I did back in March, I let someone else set the pace, with best-friend/nemesis Ethan in second. The front rider told Ethan and I to go ahead- but Ethan didn't, and we had a comfortable pace going into the woods.

100 yards into the woods, though, Mr Race Leader wiped out spectacularly on a rather tight section, splaying himself out across the narrow trail. Ethan and I went through pretty quickly, though, and Ethan started driving the pace with me on his wheel. We were riding 1-2, and 3rd place wasn't right behind me.

About 2 miles into the race, I looked back and told Ethan we had a pretty good gap- I couldn't see anyone behind me. He kept driving a good pace for the next 4 miles. I don't know what kind of gap we had at the end of the first lap, but it seemed pretty big.

When we got to the end of the first lap, Ethan was still riding really well, and since he seemed to be sitting down on a lot of the milder climbs that I was having to stand up and power up, he seemed a little fresher at the steep gravel climb to the finish/lap line. It was here I started losing ground and started to feel the effort wearing on me.

I rode the next 2 laps at a good pace, trying to recover on each descent and flat section, and just turn the pedals on the climbs. Each subsequent climb was wearing me down, but I knew making short work of them would be better than dragging myself up, or worse- walking.

I passed a lot of riders in other classes, and kept my speed pretty consistent the rest of the race. I lost about a minute on the last lap, but still maintained my second place at the finish.

1:32 for 18 miles in less-than-optimal conditions for 2nd by about 1:40 to Ethan. If you're going to give a race away, it should be to your best friend, right? I'm kidding about giving the race away. Ethan rode a great race.