Stony Creek TT

This weekend I said my farewell to Robert Linden and the Tailwind circuit in my last race in Michigan for a while and my last Tailwind race probably for a long time.

I had hopes of making it on the podium for my exit, but midway through the race I remembered that endurance sports require a little more planning than a couple weeks in advance to get results. So, it was the usual deal where people pass me and I don't pass anyone back. Christian Tanguy started 3.5 minutes after me and passed me 8 miles in (out of 13). He ended up finishing with the winning time of 46 minutes, 6 minutes up on me.

The course was actually pretty tough with some challenging stream crossings and mud bogs at the end, where I actually dabbed three times, which really frustrated me. I ended up in 10th place out of 12, so I am still not getting DFL, which makes me happy enough.

Here is yet another stolen (but pretty cool) picture from Andrea Tucker:
Kelly broke her winning streak with a second place finish, but she had a great race and actually fared better than I did through the stream crossing near the end. And no bee stings this weekend, so all is well. She is still producing the best results for Team BCB and is improving like crazy.

Even though I didn't win, I was the only racer to track stand during my 30 second countdown on the line, so at least I am able to look cool while being slow. That is, after all, the most important part of bike racing- looking cool.

Big M XC

This past weekend, Kelly, Cory, and I went up to Manistee National Forest to race Big M.

We left around 11 on Saturday and drove the four hours up and over, with a little stop at Taco Bell on the way. Then we set up camp and pre-rode the trail. The trail was a six mile loop of pretty wide open trail. There was really only one technical descent. Since it was pre-ride pace, I didn't really notice the long gradual hill that lasted for about a mile and half halfway through the trail. I would the next day.

After the pre-ride, we walked around the town of Manistee and realized that there really isn't anything to do there. But we had a good dinner followed by good ice cream at House of Flavors. Sleeping on the ground was interesting. I always said I would never want to do that for a race, but it actually worked out really well, and $5 for the night is a pretty good deal.

The race was really, really, really fast. At least it was as long as I was able to hold on to the leaders, which was about 4.5 miles. When I was riding with the choo-choo train, we were cruising at 22-24 on the flats and about 18 up the long gradual hill that was much more noticeable this time. When we got to some steeper climbs and I wasn't able to keep up the crazy pace anymore, I fell off. Within ten seconds, they were out of my sight. That is how fast they were going.

Since I was pushing myself a little harder than I should have been, I blew up and about 5 more guys passed me. I held this position for the rest of the race (with the exception of passing Christian when he was on the side of the trail with a flat tire on the second lap and the subsequent pass-back with a mile left in the race). I ended up 14th out of 17.

Overall, I had a lot of fun, and I am feeling a little faster. With some training this fall at altitude, maybe I can make up for all these low placings with a good finish at Iceman in November.

Kelly fought through a bee sting on her eye in the first couple miles to finish and still beat her 14 y/o competitor. So she is still sitting on top of the Tailwind USAC series in her age/class. She's pretty tough for fighting through it all, a fight which her body objected to afterward, which required Benadryl to fix.

Cory had a large group to go up against in the Expert 19-29 category, where he placed 8th.

Sorry for no pictures.

Stony Creek Marathon XC

Sunday I did one of my favorite races of the year. At least it was one of my favorites before this year. This year I'm not in as good of shape, so it took me 40 minutes longer than last year. Granted the fastest time was also 22 minutes slower, but 40 minutes is about one whole lap of my last year's times.

After fighting myself throughout the whole race, I did finish and actually didn't get last. I was 12 out of 14 finishers and 18 starters. I was on the bike for 4 hours and 54 minutes.

There isn't too much to report, just the same old suffering (perhaps more this year). I had planned, during lap four, that this would actually be a "quitting biking for a while" post (I had the whole post already written up in my head), but obviously I am addicted to hurting myself for hours on end, so that won't be happening.

On a very positive note, Kelly has continued her winning ways, making her 4 for 4 on the season. She toughed out her longest race or ride by 17 miles in good fashion, finishing 42 miles in 4 hours 24 minutes. She was the third place sport woman out of 8. If she keeps this up, she will win a free entry to Iceman this November.

Here is a picture of me appearing to go fast...I love that pictures can never tell what place I'm in.