Although our previous teammates in rotation busted their asses to make sure we both had one last lap, we were in fact racing for nothing except pride and the fight. Perfect.
Chris and I took off at the same time, and he immediately opened a gap on me on the starting climb.
Chris is faster than I am. He is also a better mountainbiker than I am.
As the opening climb tipped up near it's finish it gets a bit steeper, Chris's cadence slowed. I take the opportunity to spin up to him. I latched on to his wheel as we flew down through the woods, and made the turn through the pine forest finishing off the lion's share of climbing that the lap offered.
Chris looks back and knows I am there. I am breathing very hard. I am sure he thinks I'm having a seizure or something.
We descend all the way to the bottom of the course. I think for a second that maybe I should try to get to the front before the river trail. As the field opens up, Chris stands on it, and it's everything I can do to hold it together...
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| notice the aero booties. Saved 5-10 seconds a lap. For sure. |
We make it through the river trail smoothly, passing two super juniors riding with their fathers. On the rooty step up, Chris makes a quick cyclocross dismount and runs up it. I have good momentum, and stick to my plan to ride it, and clean the section. He jokes with me, "you like that cross technique?" I return the comment saying, " yeah , but I rode it, isn't that a little backwards? I mean, I'm the crosser and you're the mountain biker." We laugh.
Coming out of the river trail there is another super junior and father. Chris gets around them cleanly, me not so much. I'm trailing him by ten yards. Fuck, I'm losing him.
"Keep at it.. keep working... claw your way back..." I say to myself. My spirits are lifted as we ride by the C3 pit and my teammates cheer for me.
Chris rides by his teammates, and takes a beer feed. "awesome, I think to myself."
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| this blog is Bad Andy Approved. |
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| Monkey had a good day... |
I lift my cadence, and put my head down. I dig deep. I look up just as the trail head opens up. I have made contact. I'm back on Chris's wheel. Chris's wheel is now my bitch. I'm not letting any gap open up.
He is faster than me, but I'm hanging. I have a puncher's chance. That's all I ask for...
The course twists through two more tight single track sections and I stay glued to the wheel. It's like a weird dance or something as I shadow him through these final sections of trail strewn with logs and twists.
The lap concludes with the single track opening up to double track for about 200 yards, then a hard 90 degree turn left around the barn, on gravel, then maybe 15 yards to the line.
Chris and I dump out on to the double track. I hear the crowd roar. I dive out to the right of Chris trying to get around. He quickly closes the door on me, taking me to the tape. I let up for a second, and counter punch to the left, and slip by him.
For the first time in the lap, I am in front. I roll into the final gravelly corner, I'm going a little too fast I start to slide. "fuck, I'm crashing" as I slide out to the far tape. Chris dives to the inside, as we make the corner and I correct. I start to move to the center and Chris and I get into each other. We are both standing and sprinting. We are still kinda banging into each other...
I see the line, I throw the bike hoping to stretch it out just enough. I think I'm gonna steal this lap. Chris pulls a wheelie, he surges forward as we cross the line. Chris has beaten me by less than half a wheel.
we roll a few yards, I'm pretty destroyed. Chris and I fist bump, and recognize the 16 minutes we just battled through. A battle for absolutely nothing, other than pride. the good fight. Leaving it all out there.
Highlight of the day? Hell, that might be the highlight of my season. I've said it once, and I'll say it again, at the end of the day, it really is all about the fight for me. I love the fight... Thanks Chris...
When I rolled back to our team camp site director Auer asked me, " Did you get it?"
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| motoring Monkey. |
Auer smiled and nodded approvingly. It can be hard to please a tough team director.
That was a freaking awesome day...
Photo Blog:
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| Blake chillin' like Bob Dylan |
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| I heart the Sturdy Girls (Naomi, the Fabulous M and A-Rock) |
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| Breyla-la really diggin' in... |
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| Monkey railing a corner. |
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| Bad Andy loved my cross bike. |
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| Gunnar would catch me at the end of my first lap. |
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| K-Mill looked very professional in his new team kit. He took the rad pictures of me too. |
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| saw this guy on his back with his skirt around his ankles one time too many this weekend. |
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| Mike Kuhn the host of this most awesome race. |
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| Joe and Monkey stay warm between laps. |
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| nice scarf hipster. |
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| fast guys getting ready to start the run. |
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| Downing getting ready to head out, the Chaos at the pit. |
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| Breyla-la and Bill O'keefe finish up the lap. |
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| that's Ms. Harlow if you're nasty! |
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| Jimmy Rocked. |
respect.
fatmarc vanderbacon
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