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Iron Hill Enduro Race:
 
Pretty spectacular day. Weather was awesome, course was dry as I have ever seen it, and the racing was great. Riding through the Tent city at the Finish of Iron hill is a pretty spectacular and unique feeling. The crowd gets so loud, I can get goose bumps thinking about people screaming as we rode through there.

Totally awesome.

Potter learned to open the cooler and help himself to a cool drink.

So without any proper warm up or anything, and because it’s an endurance race, I shot off the front of the start. Someone asked me why I started so fast, to which I responded, “you gotta dance with the lady you bring to the dance. That’s the lady I brought, so I’m dancing.” I really wanted to get to the first long decent with a clear path in front of me (fuzzy’s for the locals). My teammate Meatball would bridge up to me just before Fuzzy’s and I’d usher him to the front just as the descent started…


After climbing up the third of three climbs on the lap, I found myself in a very comfortable and friendly group riding 5,6,7 overall  with Benny da jeweler, and Travis Sapsford. We could see 2,3,4 about 15 seconds ahead of us, and we were settling in for a nice pace. I was feeling good..


Benny came around the front of our happy little group as we headed for slime hill.


For some unknown reason Benny, then he pile drove himself into slime hill and slid down it. It was an ugly, ugly crash and he looked bad.


Travis and I stopped with him. I stayed with him while Travis ran off to get a course marshall. We maybe lost 15 minutes.  Ben was coherent, but I was worried he might go into shock, so we stayed with him.

If presented with the same situation, we’d do it again. I know Ben would do it for us as well.

Benny ended up in a sling for the rest of the day and a jacked up shoulder. Get well soon buddy.

Now, coming into this thing, I had hoped for a top 10 ride. I figured if I didn’t totally blow myself up that would be achievable . A top 5 would be a stretch goal. After spotting the competition so much time, it was pretty clear neither was going to happen.


I will admit to you there is a freedom knowing that you will not be a factor for the podium. The game changes from trying to be tactical and outsmart your competition, to a personal effort of, well how many people can I catch. How much ground can I get back. I gotta tell you, I like to chase carrots. And that’s what Travis and I did for the Next 5 laps as we rode a team time trial to the end.

white shoe covers gave me a clear aero advantage today.

We worked together, chatted each other up, talked smack and generally had a great race. We both felt good, and drove through the course at what I felt was a relentless pace. I kept saying it’s a long race, keep moving forward.  We can catch one more guy...

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As we finished up the final lap, we caught up to Garvey, who had 4 flats on this day. I was thinking this was gonna end up a 3 up sprint between friends, and two guys I really like to train with. Jeff caught his pedal on a rock, and it gave Travis and I just a little gap.


As we came into the finishing loop, the amazing tent city at Ironhill, Travis and I pulled alongside each other. We had worked very hard, and would finish Six laps of seven miles in 4:11. We pulled along aside each other and shook hands. We were gonna sprint this out, like two teammates at the end of a long break in the tour or something . I let Travis lead out, thinking I could come around him on tent row, and out kick him at the line. We sped through the tents and I moved up on the left to make my move. I stood to sprint, and so did Travis, he shut the door, and rode in to finish one spot ahead of me.

Garvey was nipping at my wheel as we crossed the line.


A pretty tremendous finish, to an outstanding day.


Last night as I lay in bed with a sore back, sore legs and a slight dehydration headache, I lamented for a second that we almost made that 7th lap. That would have put us in the top 10. We came up just 11 minutes short… Then I smiled, because 1. I’m not so sure I could have done a 7th lap, and 2. it was really an amazing race, and I  had a ridiculous amount of fun. I fell asleep shortly thereafter and slept like a baby.

Blake and Travis wait for the hoards of sport riders to come through.

It’s been 5 years since I last raced at Ironhill, it won’t be another 5 years.


respect
fatmarc