The 3rd year in a row for this great race up in
Steamboat Springs. I was racing
domestique for a few of the CAT 3 guys this season. The race is a time trial the first day, a 80
mile road race the 2nd, and a crit the last day. The TT went well I place fairly good in the
CAT3 35+ group, we had a nice team bar-b-q after as well. The family was there as well to explore
steamboat, go to the hot springs and bike around town. We had a nice house rented with a few groups
of folks doing the stage race as well as an all female xterra race. There were 4 dogs which made it great fun for
the kids at the house. Sunday was the
road race and I was in charge of keeping any groups in check off the
front. Once one did go I headed up with
them and did not work, but stayed away through 50 miles and to the last major
climb. I fell off on the climb and was
caught by others and tried to ride the way down but lost him too. Pushed through the finish hard and kept a
decent placing. The crit the next day
went very well and we got some of our riders in the top 5. Overall the job was done, and raced with a
lot of future teammates for next season.
Saturday, October 25, 2014
8/24/2014 – Xterra Buffalo Creek
This was my first Xterra race last year and the course was so
much fun I decided to come back. This
year the lake actually had water in it, last year it was drained very low due
to farm irrigation. I was first out of
the water by quite a bit in this race, but as usual I was passed early in the
bike and it kept coming the whole course.
I think I had a decent bike for me but was nothing for the fast MTB
guys. The run I was only passed by one
guy and I ran with him much of the race.
I ended up in 13th I think a little further back than last year.
8/9/2014 – Leadville 100 MTB
The day has come that I was working for this summer with all
the Xterra races and qualifying in the Silver Rush 50. I stayed in a house with a few other guys,
Greg was racing and he and I had done Rollins pass the weekend prior as a last
training ride. Glenn and Chris were our
crew for the race. There were also a few
others to join in the fun from Greg’s training group. I had never ridden even one mile of the
course, but this year was recon anyway.
Greg and I got set, registered and took an easy ride the evening before. There was a lot to prepare for in a 9 hr 100
mile MTB ride, lots of food, drink, powerbar products, rain clothes, cold
weather clothes, plus mechanical items for the bikes. We all woke early and did
some final prep, then headed over to start.
I was in the 3rd corral for the start, a little back, bit not
that far at all. Glen and Chris were
headed to Twin Lakes the 2nd and 3rd aid station on the
course. The start was pretty cool, but I
knew we were going to get hot once it was started. The first 5 miles or so were downhill and got
very cold, but once we headed up hill we warmed up quick. I was planning to take it easy pretty much the
entire first 50 miles, which I did a little too well. Coming down powerline took my eyes of the
line for a split second and hit a large rock in the trail with the rear wheel
and pinched pretty hard. It did not feel
flat so I continued to ride. Once on the
road and dirt sections at around mile 25 I could feel the bike getting
squirrely on me, I rode up to Greg and told him I had a flat and I was going to
try and get to the 1st aid station.
I am not sure what I expected him to say or do, but he was like well
okay. At about mile 28 I knew I was not
going to make it and risked ruining the tire and not even finishing the
race. I stopped by the side of the road
and changed the tube quickly and took a piss.
I had lost a few groups to ride with going slow nursing this tire, I
should of just stopped earlier and fixed it.
I was way behind now. Coming into
the first aid station I did not have any spare tube, but stayed the plan, got
my food and drink and headed out to aid number two without a spare tube. Made it to the twin lakes aid station to
begin the climb up Columbine to 12,200 or so.
Glenn and Chris were there and lubed my chain while finishing up pumping
up my rear tire. I got my spare tube ate
a P&J sandwich and headed up. The climb
was long and brutal, cold up top and the leaders were blasting down at us as
well. I could not decent as I really
wanted too due to the groups of people coming up and the groups I was caught in
on the way down. I made a quick stop
again at twin lakes got food and drink.
By this time I was behind but I still felt really good, so it was go
time I had to neg split this race now.
It was a head wind most of the way back until back in the forest, and I
did not have many folks to ride with, so it was tough going. But once in the forest I started to notice
the carnage from many folks who did not eat or drink enough through the
race. Looking at the clock now I thought
I could still make my sub 9 hour goal. I
passed a ton of folks the last 20 miles of the race and pushed hard all through
the finish. While I did come up 5
minutes short at 9:05, I am pretty sure next year I could beat that by almost
an hour. The finish line of this race is
a very special place as I was beat and almost fell over after putting in a last
minute push. I was very proud oh myself
and Greg finishing right after. What a
great experience, I will be back.
7/25 – Xterra Aspen
What a course!
Technical, flyover, dirtbike track, wood features all over. I drove to Aspen the day prior and rode the
course in the late afternoon it was awesome, very very technical. There were a few races who were talking about
pulling out due to the course. It was on
private property just outside Aspen, a very nice ski lake that you could be a
member of, dirtbike course, and tons of biking trails. The Xterra course when through all of this,
including running up the hills on the dirtbike course. I camped the night under the peak of Mt
Sopris, it was cool but beautiful. I
woke early and got things setup at the race.
This race was going to be super fun, the swim I was out of the water
first, and only a few folks passed me on the bike. The 6 mile bike loop too about 40 mintes, we
went through twice, there were a few minor crashes but in general went
well. The run no one passed me and it
was just as technical through the woods and over the dirtbike track. I ended the day in 4th, I will be
back at this race next year for sure.
7/19 – Xterra Beaver Creek – US Championship
Beaver Creek has been hosting the national championship race
for the last 4 years, this was the biggest Xterra of the 4 I am doing this season
with many of the fast Xterra pros. The
whole family decided to come up for this one.
We camped the night before overlooking Beaver Creek, from the north
west. Race start was late and included a
trip to the T2 area to drop shoes, as T1 was by the lake. There was more guys at this race than I had
anticipated, should be a fun race. The
swim went well I came out of the water first, with two others right
behind. As we headed up the first 5 miles
and 2k’ of climbing, I lost the lead quick to some fast bikers. Loosing even more time on the descents. Once into the run I even had a few females in
front of me. The run was of course up
the mt which made things rather difficult.
It was a tough course, but with beautiful views and trails. At the end of the day I fell back all the way
to 14th in the pro field, but had fun.
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