my hardcore training program in action...
Okay, I’m clearly no George Hincapie. For one I don’t wear all that much gold, and frankly, I’m guessing he hasn’t spent any time on a single speed mountain bike recently. It might be borderline blasphemous to compare myself to him, but I will anyway. Each spring I watch my favorite of the spring classics hoping that my man Big George will break through and win the race that I know he wants more than any. Each year with horror I watch as he puts in good ride after good ride, and has come up just short. Big George rides his ass off, and has nothing to be ashamed of, but still Paris Roubaix eludes him. As I watched Tom Boonen take the sprint last spring, I thought about my own personal albatross. The Fairhill Classic.
Fairhill is one of the year’s best races every year, usually 24-28 miles of single track, one loop. The race is usually attended by the toughest and fastest in the region. It has always been one of my goals to win this one. I live in Fairhill; I ride my bike there 4 days a week. I know the trails, I know the hills, I ride very well here. It suits my strengths. Despite these facts the best result I have ever mustered was a 4th. Twice I have had excellent looks at a win, only to come up a little shy:
1999
Senior Sport 19-29.
I get a great start, and by half way have taken the lead. The race was 24 miles; it was going to be close to a 2:30 hour race, not my specialty. Still with 2 miles to go, I lead, and I faced one long hard climb back to the fairgrounds and the finish. As the climb started, my legs felt weak. I was tired, I had hit the wall. About halfway up the climb, just when the steep stuff started I heard the voice. Jay Jay called out ,”fatmarc… I’m coming for you…” Jay Jay is one of our areas toughest riders, a friend, and a sonofabitch on this day. At the time he was a dominating sport racer. I spun the granny as Jay crushed the big ring and passed me. Mentally I was crushed, less than 2 miles from the finish and I crumbled… After Jay passed 2 others got by me, as I struggled to finish the race… I finished 4th…
2004
Elite Single Speed
I was not the strongest rider in the field, but still I missed a huge opportunity. I got off in the break with Keith G (bobby’s boy) and Nick (bad, bad man). Keith and I were riding together down the yellow trail, a trail I have ridden 1000 times, and I hooked my bar end on a tree and stacked. Keith was now clear and my front wheel had a wobble to it. In stead of undoing the brake, I choose to ride with the rubbing brake, wasting precious energy. (STUPID)
Still, this was my home turf and I clawed my way back into the race. Keith took the lead, and rolled on. At the half way point, I saw Nick. He was 20 yards in front of me; I got excited and began to close in on him. Through the rocky creek bed that I had ridden a 1000x, I raced recklessly and of course I pinch flatted. (STUPID).
Unbeknownst to me at the time, Keith snapped a pedal, and was over taken late by Nick. Who would go on to earn a very deserved win. Me, I fumbled the tire change, and lost 10 minutes trying to get my Co2 to work. It was a nightmare for me. I worked impatiently as Topher, Tim D, Matty (run forest) all passed me. In the end an unfortunate flat on the final climb for Tim D, allowed me to steal 5th in the final 2 miles. I was disappointed in myself, not so much for not winning, as for making so many mental mistakes. You just can’t do that if you expect to race well. More painful was the realization that I really felt I was going to overtake Nick, the eventual winner, not sour grapes, but I know it is not likely I’ll get another look at a fairhill win like that….
And so this weekend, I come into fairhill riding well, maybe not as well as Fort James might lead you to believe but I feel good. I know the course, my weight is where I want it needs to be, I am excited for the opportunity race fairhill again, to take another swing at what is for me is one of the big ones… Sunday morning, I’ll wake up, eat a waffle, get dressed ride over the fairgrounds, and take another shot at the fairhill classic…
Tuesday Night Titans:
We saw the return of Swamp Ass Conditions today as Todd (the maestro), Slick Rick, Biddle (ty domi of cross), Fuzzy, Jay Jay and I rolled out for another edition of the TNT. Rough group. Fuzzy and I tted over to the church to meet the group from the ticking tomb. The pace was tough, as Todd had obviously seen too much of the tour today and attacked hill after hill in middle run. Slick Rick simply ripped our legs off. On the steepest climb of the day he opened up a gap on the group the was 40 yards in less than 10 seconds. No one could respond. We finally jumped over to White Clay were the pace seemed to let up just a little. Down shock and awe I started to get chills, and backed off the pace. Fuzzy was kind enough to roll back to the cars with me, got just under 2 hours in. It was fun, and hard. Mad Props to Slick Rick…
Respect
fatmarc
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