Monday, October 21, 2013

People Will Remember the '12' NOT the Winner

This weekend was the last MTB race of the 2013 SECCC collegiate season, sadly. Due to the fact the Sheedz likes to make his Brevard XC course the most terrible thing ever I decided to skip out and hit the small grass roots Fall Fear race in Marion, Va. early Saturday morning. The race course was a short jaunt straight up the tiny mountain for just under 10 miles. I managed a 5th place in an hour 4 min despite the number plate I was given below. The winner of our sport class did it in 51 min but is the king daddy of all sandbaggers in our area.... shame! It was a fun race though on the new section of trails at Hungry Mother State Park. As soon as it was over I didn't stay for the podium, sorry guys, and was back on the road to the university to pick up Russ and the trailer before heading to Brevard.

 
After getting to Brevard I was able to watch all of the DS race because they were running waaaaayy behind. The event ended just before dark then we headed into town to get burritos at a local Mexican joint in downtown Brevard.
 
If you haven't tried this new energy drink you should! Rize is awesome! I don't like any of the current energy drinks on the market because they suck but Rize is awesome and they supplied free drinks to everyone all weekend. Thanks Rize! I'm serious..... TRY THIS PRODUCT!!!
 
 
 
 
 
 
STX START...
 
Since I didn't race the XC Saturday I needed to race short track, STX, Sunday. I was just going to start from the back, like normal, and see how or if I could pick any of these kids off in the 20 minutes + 2 laps allotted to us. That was my plan until my buddy Zach, the Milligan College coach, comes down to the start to pump me up. I have a tremendous amount of support from most of the conferences coaches because I'm more than double most of the kids ages I'm racing and it's awesome. Well Zach gets me pumped up, I look down and my garmin heart rate is now showing 129 sitting on the start line. I'm actually thinking I can do this, it's crazy. Next he bets me if I pull the holeshot around the flat start and up the hill to the finish line where the cones are he'll give me $5. I've done more stupid stuff for much less.... anywho I start strategizing (yeah it's a word...my word) and try to figure out who's gonna go out quick so I can follow them out and not get jammed because I'm always on the back row. I pick a Brevard rider and aim it at him. I set my f'n gear deep in the cassette so I wont have to shift much on the sprint. The ref yells 1,2,3 go! I stand up and give it hell. I follow out behind my rabbit, he makes a shifting mistake but I was able to drop to the right and slingshot past him taking the lead into the first turn. Now, two more straights to go to win this bet. I stand and mash the pedals for all I'm worth down the second straight into a left handed dog leg turn that dumps onto a uphill gravel road. I come in hot and slide locking the back wheel up just before I hit gravel then let off the brake preventing me from sliding out in the gravel and it worked. Still in the lead but one more straight to go. I stand again dropping a couple of gears trying to get up this gravel hill to the cones. I remain standing until I cross the cone line then sit down. I WON MY BET WITH ZACH! the crowd is now screaming like crazy at me to keep it up.... I can't - I spent all my energy on that crazy start, pathetic - I know. Peter, the Brevard Asst Coach, is jumping up and down, more excited than I am, screaming at me to keep going at the top of the hill - Peter is awesome. I look back near the tip top and all I see is one lone LMC rider back in 2nd.... really???? The main group is still half way down the road! Wowzers daddio!!!!!  Reality is that I can't hang with these 19/20 yr olds for more than a couple of laps but its really fun trying. So, I head off down into the back section of the course in 2nd and sat up so that I wouldn't ruin any of the other riders chances that could possibly win. It was fun though. After the race so many peeps patted me on the back and were telling me the story that no one would remember who won that race but they would remember my crazy "old man" holeshot. It's sort of like this clip from Tin Cup. "No one will remember who won but they'll remember your 12". I managed to get 4 laps in before getting lapped and pulled to finish off a great Collegiate MTB season for 2013. I'm looking forward to the collegiate CX season that starts in 2 weeks. Collegiate racing and all the folks involved are the best bar none.
 
 
 
During STX Sunday afternoon this dude was hired to provide music for the event. A rolling 4x4 boom box.... sweet!

 
Below you have the 2013 SECCC conference champs... Brevard College. Congrats Sheedz and riders.

 
Coming home was so peaceful. Nice fall colors, no traffic and fall temps made the drive home so pleasant.

 
This weekend it's once again time for MTB Collegiate Nats! I swiped this pic below from the interweb so the date is wrong but it starts this Thursday and lasts through Sunday at Beech Mtn NC.




I was able to get on board as a USAC referee, so stoked. I'm really looking forward to this and the experience I will gain from working with the best USAC refs in the MTB business.

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