Racing LAST Year

The last part of 2011 was a blur. A blur with some ups and downs all around - mainly the racing as the ups. AS previously written the Leadville race opened a new perspective of racing to me. I came out of that with a lot of confidence. The rest of the year it didn't reall matter where I raced - I just wanted to race what I wanted to race without any regard to points or finish placing. The whole year I had been dialing into a pace that could get me through a 100+ mile race. After Leadville I felt like I could let loose and just race how I wanted- and I lined up 11 times after that...and each time I put in some more "appropriate efforts" for the length of race I was in (see also leg burning and lung searing).

Couple highlights:

Sawtooth Challenge, Grand Marais: This was a nice, low pressure race but super fun!! This is the first time in awhile (several years...too long!!) that I stayed in a tent while at a race event. And Grand Marais, MN in August??...what a place to do it! I fell asleep and woke up to the sounds of Lake Superior waves, sea gulls, and spinning freewheels?? Didn't know untl then that the family in the campsite next to mine were also there for the race- coming down from Thunder Bay.

The race started with a neutral roll out from Artist's Point- the pier downtown- through the town and up into the Pincushion Mountains where the race officially was under way. We went uphill for a mile or so before the singletrack turned into curvy ski trail and went up some more. It was here that the laps began- 3 for my group. Up the skirail then a screaming fast, and VERY rough long descent to where more singletrack came. This singletrack is why I love riding anything up north- it was RAW. Ungroomed..but fast- depending on how quickly your elbows and knees could react to the gnarly, rocky, log riddled, off-camber into hairpin before steep power climb. I loved this course. Had a great race result too as I pushed my myself much harder than before, knowing that this was going to be a race around 2hrs.

Chequamegon 40, Cable, WI: I didn't quite have my race plan nailed down for this one. I had a similar situation when I was at Leadville...starting in the very back. Of the ~1900 racers there at the start, I was literally lined up in about 1,850th. I heard the word "GO!" but didn't move for at least 5 minutes...and at that point it was verrrrry slllooowwww through the town until I got out on the highway leading to the ski trail. Lots of time lost at the beginning but I was feeling good and was passing riders 10 to 20 at a time for quite awhile...no joke. I have to say it was fun doing that- being as I knew I wouldn't have the result I really wanted I decided to turn it into a "see how many I can pass before the end" race...basically, a 40 mile time trial.

There was one hardpack track through the grass of the ski trail- I got none of it as I never could find a pace group- riding in the grass takes a ton of extra work! TJ and I layed out a plan to keep it

easy until Fire Tower Hill (~half way through) where the rest of the race was much hillier than the first half. I was on a great pace and did all I could but in the end the best I got was past about 1500 of the other riders- still not bad for a 2hr 45min race! The way I felt during and after though has me itching to get another crack at this race...and I will have my bike on the line WAY early. The guys on the front row were there at 5:30am...3 1/2 hours before start.

From here some of the highlights include my first take on cyclocross racing...next post...