I had no idea what I was getting into. haha
My friend and I decided to ride in the Sport Category this year, despite being in "Beginner" shape. I had started riding last August, but this was my friend's 3rd go around in the SOC. He also rode the Ord almost daily before moving down here a few years ago. So we thought screw it, let's not sandbag and roll Sport. Famous last words.
We practiced by pounding a loop at Whiting, up/down Dreaded from Mustard to Four Corners at least 3 times a week, and did the Whiting/Luge loop once a week.
We pack up the wives, head up to Carmel, where we stayed. Yeah......they were stoked.
Our race runs on Sunday. We head out at around 6:30, get to Seca, park, gear up, register, with about 20 minutes to spare for warming up and finding our starting group. I was in the 30-34 Sport Men's category and my friend was 2 minutes behind in the next age group. He quickly passed me about 4 minutes into the race and was gone with the pack.
Now all I can talk about are the "highlights":
- Some guy on the side of the course laughed at the huge tires on my bike. (2.4" MutanoRaptors) Yeah, well the joke was on him, their flotation on the sand was insane. I maintainted full control of the bike the whole time I was sliding down the beaches.
- Lacey Maxwell passing me in the dead center of the race. I think she started about 45 minutes after me. She passed me and was gone with the pack.
- 15mph tangle with another rider that sent me flying out of my clipless pedals and into the grass right before the end-grind. The other guy was freaking out. We were both hauling down this hill, I couldn't hear his passing call and we ended up flying off the trail. He was worried about me being hurt, my bike, etc. Everything except his time. Cool guy. I assured him I was ok, got up and we pedalled off.
- Getting sandblasted with 30mph crosswinds over Skyline while pounding out that last bit of trail. I'm a 140lb bag of skin and bones pedalling 30lbs of All Mtn Bike in a XC Race............now you want to throw wind at me? My answer was to turn a little bit into it, click the rear deur once more and keep pedalling.
I finished in 2:55. I think if I were the only person on that course, I could have done it a half hour faster. I stopped way to many times to let the experts lap me. Next time I'll hold my ground more and let them just push me off the course if they get too pissy.
Good ridin'!
-Randy