PSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

That's what I heard 1\2 way through lap 3. Flat tire. Mark and I left out this morning heading over to Lenoir, N.C. for the 4th round NCCX series. HUGE freaking class in the CX4.... 59. Man what a cluster at the start. We did not get 20 yards from the start and a massive pileup. Bikes were screeching ,crunching and making all kinds of un-natural bike sounds on the asphalt shortly after the mass start crash. I did not know what my strategy was since this was the biggest class I have ever ridden in. I just went around the crash in the weeds and rode on. The next cluster..., the run-up, the step section shortly there after. What another cluster. I ran up the side of the steps and passed about 5 that were all jammed up each other's ^&%$*%&$. Before I remounted I pushed through about 3 more and down the hill I went behind Mr.Patterson. We rode on, peeps having all kinds of mechanicals everywhere causing havoc in the course. I started riding hard, too hard. Way above what I'm capable of and being able to sustain. I rode two laps this way then I started to hurt and hurt bad. My legs were screaming at me. I eased up and several riders passed me , one at a time over the course of about the 2nd and a half lap. I wasn't paying attention on the super fast straight in the back section and my back wheel hit a root and hit it hard. I was thinking "I hope I didn't ding my ES's" I rode on then I felt the squishy feeling in the rear. Crap, flatting. I started babying the flat. Mark had caught me now and I was going to try to hang with him but at a sweeping turn my rear end "flat tracked" to the right and I knew I was through. Mark cheered me on but there was nothing I could do. I pushed to the paved section to save my rim then pedaled on in, easy. I rolled up to Dwayne at the barriers and asked where the leader was as so to get lapped so I wouldn't get a DNF. Here he came to lap me, so I eased on over to the finish right behind the 3rd place guy. Cheered on the rest of our class then changed clothes and watched the pros. After checking the results I seen that Mark and I had been both scored wrong. Mark way further back than he finished and I 4th, YES 4TH! Dwayne encouraged me into telling the officials at the finish. I didn't mind, my misplaced position may have messed up the overall at the end of the year and hurt someones overall podium. Those folks seem to have problems scoring. Last weeks race at Hawksnest, they scored a friend of mine that finished way way.....in the back, in 18th position. There was 6 of us from the local MSG series (NTMBA\TCRC) in attendance there today. We hung out after the race and had a great time, I'm really enjoying the CX season this year even though I SUCK at it ....LOL. I have totally lost all the fitness from last year that I had on the bike.
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Later G................................................................