Just over a week ago I went to Red Wing, MN for a stop on the MN MTB series. This is the first race back since I broke my leg. Last year I was racing in the Cat 2 comp category. Since the leg, I've definitely lost fitness and strength. the leg feels fine, just not that much power in it - with that in mind and taking a "just have fun" approach, I downgraded myself to the cat 2 sport category. It would be a bit slower and let me reacquaint myself to the racing - or as much racing that can happen in the sport category.
90 minute drive to the venue and I was out, registered, and warming up. the course started and finished atop a bluff in the middle of the city. There were some decent climbing sections, but not the whole 500 feet or so of the bluff. The end of the course featured a loose, rocky and very steep climb. It put you in the gutter for sure. I rode it all 3 times, and each time I passed a handful of people walking up it.
My age group was the second wave to go off. initially I was going to sit in and take it comfortably, but as we were riding the grassy lead out, instincts took over and I immediately started jumping people, especially the juniors who were in our wave. I probably settled in about 6 or 7th. We we hit the single track, a lead group of 5 had formed and were slowly riding away. During the time I was content to sit where I was, following some guy at a decent pace. After awhile, I was right on his wheel though. Had he not been there I probably would have been faster. Eventually he went down and I was alone. By this time I was coming up on riders who were in the first wave, so although I was passing people, i didn't know from where. This pretty much continued for pretty much the whole race. I would make a few passes, riders who were in front and riders that I was lapping. I think I maybe got passed by only 1 or 2 people. both of those were from the waves behind me. On the last lap, coming up the hard climb, I could see one person ahead who was walking. Because I was riding, I was gaining on him fast. I passed him at the top, completely out of breath. He was fresh from walking slow and just pedaled away from me. I finished 20 seconds behind him, he was the winner of our age group. So I came in 2nd. 2nd is good, but I only finished 16th out of 100 or so sport riders, about 5 minutes behind the overall winner. So there were some sandbaggers in there, but I'm sandbagging with a Dr.'s note.
I could probably race now and beat about half of the people who beat me as I've been getting stronger every week. I was riding the single track a little timid too and really not letting it go in the corners, too much braking. Next sunday is the firecracker in Eau Claire. I did that race last year in the comp category and did good. top 1/3 overall, middle of my age group. It was a fast race and should be fast again. Still deciding if I'll take the easy way out and race sport or get beat in the comp.
Over the 4th of July weekend, Jane and I went "up north" to camp, kayak and ride around Hayward and Cable, Wisconsin. The riding up there was amazing. It's known for some great single track and over 300 miles of trails. Albeit a lot of those are the Birkie trail, double track, dirt and gravel road, some paved road. But a lot of singletrack regardless. I was only able to do 2 days of riding, but I was pretty amped those 2 days. The first day I rode over 20 miles of the good stuff on a trail called Makwa. It was not difficult by any means, but instead an amazingly fast, roller coaster. Imagine a pump track with banked turns, gradual climbs that you can power over, uninterupted descents, an it's 12.5 miles long. Yes, 12 miles one way single track that you barely have to use your brakes on. There were so many sections that you just got "in the zone" where you're riding in a trance and your bike will literally do whatever you want it to do. You can feel your tires sliding in corners, but you're completely in control, launching off small rollers, landing exactly where you need to for the next turn. There are few trails, or even sections of trail that have these characteristics. This one was 12 miles. It was great near the end - I'm ripping the singletrack, probably better than I've ever ridden a MTB before, blowing by Fred's on the trail left and right. I'd come up behind someone and be out of sight in a matter of 10 seconds.
The next day I rode the rock lake trail. it was posted as an IMBA epic trail. it did not disappoint. I was ready for some technical stuff as the day before was easy rollin. The trail is listed as being difficult but it really wasn't too bad. It had a perfect balance of rocks that you could hop and floss your way through and not loose momentum. Like the day before I was cleaning everything and really getting lost in the trail. One steep technical descent, but nothing you couldn't do on a first pass. Unfortunately time was against me as we had to pack up and head home. So after 1 12 mile lap I had to shut her down. I was buzzing the whole way home from riding that stuff. Haven't had that happen in a long time - MTB is slowing taking over.
