Ok, I can talk about it now...

St. Cloud. I don't know what it is. I love the course! It should really be one of my stronger races- especially with the sweet new singletrack for the Comp/Expert class. Its very tight, twisty, gnarly, rocky, and kinda slow in that section so balance and smooth was key. I really could've used the shorter travel (80mm) fork to steepen the head tube angle for quicker, more precise steering. Its amazing what 20mm can do to handling characteristics in these situations. Also, a preride, that I didn't get in, was definitely in order. It took me about half a lap to figure that out. On Saturday, I showed up later than I wanted, so I was little flustered in getting ready. I found out during my warm-up that my rear tire had a small tear (not a pinhole) leak so the Stan's would not seal it- had to convert the rear back to a tube just before the race. Ended up starting in the back. My head was just not in it, but figured I'd give it a go and just race and see what happens.

I was about mid pack or so through the prologue lap, not feeling a lot of power in the legs but started to at least find a groove once I got into the singletrack. Three or four of us got held up by a rider that was not so comfortable through the trees and the riders ahead gapped us pretty good. Finally made the comment that I'm going to pass no matter what coming up, and he pulled to the side and let us by. I was flying through the singletrack pushing hard to catch the next group, but, then caught another slower rider just before we entered the new technical stuff. Patience started growing thin. I spotted a wide left hand switchback coming up with about a foot and half tall rock the across the track to ride over- he went inside and I went to the outside to at least show him I wanted to pass. Well, the outside landing off that rock had a hole that my front tire landed in and I crashed pretty hard over the bars very awkwardly. Luckily I didn't take anyone else out. But that hurt. And that was it. I didn't break any bones, but, I took that as my warning that today was not my day and limped off the course before I did. I felt a badly twisted ankle, I still have three black and blue bruises the size of softballs or baseballs on my left foot, shin and quad, and just this morning (4 days later) can finally almost make a fist with all fingers in my left hand.

Sat at the team tent with ice on my leg and hand for the rest of the race and cheered when I could for my teamates and others as they raced by. I was dissapointed. Second DNF this year.

Needless to say I did not feel up to trying my first Cyclocross race on Sunday. Which, for those of you that don't know about Cyclocross, requires lots of jumping off your bike in motion, throwing it over your shoulder, and running over obstacles/up staircases/etc. Yeah, wasn't gonna work for me that day!

Right now, it looks like my next and last mountain bike race in '08 will be in Sheboygan, WI for the last WORS race on Oct 12th.