Two Speeds. All Out, or Broke Ass.
by Travis on October 16th, 2007
Doing 52 miles in the White Mountains, wasn’t my plan last weekend. My Brother spent the previous week sick with strep throat so I figured if I did it, at least I would own him. When we were lining up Clint asked me what my strategy was for this race, I just looked at him blankly. You would think after 7 years of riding, and racing with me, my Brother of all people would know what was coming. Of course I went balls to the walls at the start, what else would I do, about 8 of us including Clint pacelined it for about 5 miles in the wind.
Just before the single track I blew up. So began my own race. Between fits of cramping, and swearing to god I would never do another 50 mile race, I started to feel ok in the climbs; and suffered in the rock gardens. I must have swaped places with five guys riding around me a dozen times, them passing me on climbs, and in rocks; me passing them in the deccents.
At about 20 miles out two guys latched onto me not pulling in the wind, and trying to just ride me in. So about 6 miles out I feigned the “Dying Rider†routine, and those guys took off like I had on ass less chaps, a bullwhip, and a gimp ball in my mouth. So I let them feel the full force of the wind and, kept them about 50-60 yards in front of me. I waited till they took their last look back at me, acting as pathetic and ragged as possible, they saw what they wanted.
When they turned back around I was about 300 yards from the finish, and I made my move. Somehow my legs found traction, and I was up to 26 mph into the wind. By that time I caught them I was moving faster than a sailor for a mustache ride, and passed them with about 75 yards to go. There was nothing they could do and I rolled in for 6th place. Clint was sitting there in his pants and t-shirt, I thought he DNF’d. When he told me he got first I was super stoked we had such a good showing for such little training. Clint beat me down by 20 minutes using his telekinetic trail sensing powers.
Loading ...
Nice! Maybe the ass-less chaps could be a race tactic in itself.
Yip thats me, only on a bike.