Weekend Update

So Saturday was the big IntermountainCup finals in the Uintahs. It is funny that we call it the Evanston, Wy race when it is actually in Utah.

I didn't do it last year due to burn out and was really looking forward to it, the race and the awards party afterward are always fun. Lyna and I got there with time to warm up. I realized about halfway there that I forgot to bring the team competion trophy, crap. Ed was ok with it, so it was not too much of an issue.

The start of the race is relatively flat, I led for a while, I hear it was a lead group of 5 of us, 4 of which were Revolution riders. In order to meet my last goal for the year, I needed to come in at least 2 to 3 places ahead of Chad Harris. 1/4 of the way through the first lap, Rich yelled that we had a gap, Pilling was already off the front, so I was feeling good about it. We had already passed all but the 1st 19-29 expert and i was feeling steady. Going up the long fire road climb, i turned around and saw Chad with Rich, I bobbled in the first part of the steep single track and Chad was on my wheel, I bobbled again halfway up and he got around me, a mile or so later Rich got by me, i was super timid on the DH the first lap, Rich was tearing the DH up. Mad Dog Tim caught and passed me efore the dead mans drop section, i got around him on the climb and held him up on the DH. Coming into the feed zone, Chad, Tim and I were all together. On the second time up the fire road climb I was leading the 3 of us, big ringing it in the hopes of putting a gap. CHad got around me on the steep single track again and I convinced my self to man up on the DH. I kept Chad in sight, I was hoping Tim would come back on and we could get in front of Chad, coming into the feed zone again, about 2 miles from the finish we were all together, I put in an attack, bad timing, chad got a few seconds on me on the return route, we started catching lots of lappers, dicing around them, i kept the pressure on, but finished 7 seconds back, Tim lost 1.5 mnutes in that last section. I ended up 4th in the series and 4th in the race. I really enjoy races that are close, a battle to the end.

So the MTB season is mostly over. Time to review the goals, in December 2005 it set them, below is the goal and the result

1. Consistent top 5's in Intermountaincup Races
Did this towards the middle of the season on. Complete
2. Top 3 overall in Intermountaincup
So close, so close
3. An Intermountaincup win, Chad 'The Bull Elk' Wassmer is moving up to Pro, so I may have a chance.
Bordertown Challenge, Win, this is actually the goal i thought would be the hardest to meet. Complete
4. Top 5 at National Championships - this is a crap shoot, cuse you never know who is going o show up, likely some cat 1 roadie whose time would put him in the top 5 of Semi Pro or Pro
2 nationals and 2 top 5 placings as well as 4th oerall in expert 35-39 NMBS standings. Complete
5. At least one 5 to 6 hour ride a week . It is all about the base
Met or beat all my prescribed hours this year. Complete

4 out of 5 is excellent, and being so close to the 5th is not bad. I have 3 more Wednesday night races to do, currently in 3rd place in that series, then it is all about Cyclocross.

Lyna and I will also be doing some weekend Backpacking trips into the Uintas and Wind Rivers soon. Cross training baby.