Race Report: 2007 PCRS #7

After race number six I was tired. All the racing and training leading up to the 24-hour race (and the race itself) took its toll. Added to all the other adult responsibilities, I was preparing for a huge retaining wall and cement work in the backyard. And a pool in the front yard. And another retaining wall around that. And a pool fence. And more cement work.

If a witch were to concoct a sickness potion, she would throw all those things into a caldron and say a few lines of rhyming nonsense. Poof! "You're sick!" she would cackle as she sped off on her broom.

By the time race number seven rolled around, my cold had devolved into a lung infection. I was on antibiotics and feeling pretty terrible. However, I was in first place in the standings, and as I was juggling all the things in my life, I was a little too obsessed with that racing ball that had a "#1" on it.

Today I had a sore throat and a headache, but I went out and raced anyway with predictable results. Doug ripped off another win, Jerry took second, and I limped around the course to take 8th place. Jerry leapfrogged over me and now had a solid five-point series lead after seven races.

Even though I knew I could bounce back after the infection cleared, I started questioning whether I even wanted to. This all started as a way for Doug and I to train for the Coolest 24, and we accomplished that. Now the weather had turned very hot, and circling around the rough, dusty, boring courses was quickly losing its appeal.

I decided to take a week off to fully recover. Then I simply never went back.

All things considered, I was fine with how it turned out.

Even with missing the last five races I took 6th place out of 62 on the season. A top five would have been nice, but that's what happens when you quit.

Later.

Race Report: 2007 PCRS #6

I came out of the Coolest 24 race feeling a bit run down, and I didn't ride at all Monday or yesterday, so I wasn't expecting a great result from this race. After a couple practice laps, my legs felt OK but not great. The course was longer and harder this week, with some technical terrain and much more climbing, which I welcomed. I told Doug that some new people will rise to the top in this race.

Doug and I both started poorly and had to pick our way through the field. Jerry (517) was flying.



I lost Doug pretty quickly, and I figured I was going to have a bad day.



My legs felt dead.



At the beginning of the second lap a large rock flipped off someone's tire, hitting me in the right shin. It hurt like hell, but it made me forget all about my dead legs. These things happen in racing, and you just have to block it out. I refused to even glance down at my leg to see how it looked.

I kept plugging along, my throat burning from the dust. Towards the end of the second lap I saw my nemesis, Jerry, up ahead of me on a climb. I knew I could get him if I took back a little time on every climb. At his size, regardless of how strong he is, I just didn't think he could out climb me.

So I set about executing my plan, hitting every climb hard, but not too hard.



Slowly but surely I reeled him in. Before a gradual climb towards the end of the race, I rested on a downhill and then gave it full gas going by him. I held my speed all the way over the top and hit the downhill with a big gap on him. He came back a little on a flat section, where he could use his power, but when we hit another steep hill I hit it hard again. That broke him. It was so very sweet. I put about 45 seconds into him by the finish. What made it even sweeter was how he completely ignored me after the race. He was very willing to talk after races when he was beating me, but not today.

I came in fourth while Doug once again took the win. I feel good about my progression in the last three weeks: sixth, fifth and fourth.

My lumpy shin after the race:

I wrestled back first overall from Jerry, again leading him by one point. (Click for a better view.)



With six races down and six to go, I feel good about a podium finish.

Later.

Race Report: 2007 Coolest 24

As promised the year before, the Noble Riders returned to the Coolest 24 in 2007 to defend our crown. Unlike the previous year, there was no debate as to which class we would enter. As defending champions we would be racing in the pro/expert class. My childhood dream of racing as a pro finally happened at 39 years of age.

Craig could not make it this year so we recruited Steve's friend Alan who came down with Steve from Bellingham, Washington. Alan was the perfect replacement and we never missed a beat.

This year we arrived earlier and set up camp at a more relaxed pace.

We again erected Casa Grande, but nobody complained about our opulent lifestyle this year.

Alan would lead off. Here he is looking relaxed and confident.

Thankfully they did away with the Le Mans start.

Alan taking off.

Steve waiting for his run.

Alan and Steve making the exchange.

Alan happy to get one lap in the books.

Steve bringing it home.

The exchange with Doug.

Steve after getting that first lap in.

Doug bringing it home.

At this point it was time for me to take my lap. I felt OK but not great. I lacked any power and this surprised me. After all, at that point I was leading the 40-49 Sport class in the Prairie City Race Series and feeling very strong.

Even after missing the first two races, Doug (7th) was rocketing up the standings.

Me out on the course.

Bringing it home.

In the first round we turned in laps of 50, 45, 48 and 49 minutes. This was about 15 seconds faster than the previous year, which was a great start for the defending champs. Alan's 50 minutes was not indicative of his speed. He had to deal with first lap traffic.

My next turn came around and off I went for my second lap. I turned a 51 minute lap and just wasn't feeling like myself.

Doug after his second lap.

After I finished my second lap. Bask in the beauty that is my outfit. I can't believe I went out in public with that kit.

Again, I just wasn't feeling right. I simply couldn't comprehend why the sluggishness persisted. I was flying on Wednesday nights. But within a couple days I would understand: I was simply getting sick.

I raced the next Wednesday sick, gutted out a fourth place to maintain my lead in the series, and in the process took the illness up a notch. I ended up with a lung infection and ten days of antibiotics. My dream of winning a series dashed yet again.

***

After our second round, we were at the top of the leader board, just like last year. At this point, we started getting serious and the cameras were put away until morning.

When my turn came around again, it was decided I would take the first set of double night laps. This was the same strategy we used in 2006 and it seemed to work well. I turned laps of 1:03 and 1:04. I still sucked riding in the dark, and I was the slowest on our team, but I was still a little faster than last year.

Morning came and we were still leading the race, but our lead was slim. We had to keep grinding. I got the first full morning lap. It's always cool to be racing as the sun comes up. It really does give you a burst of energy.

Unfortunately I turned a pedestrian 59 minute lap on my fifth time around.

Doug and Steve getting ready for more laps while Alan was on course.

Alan bringing it home.

When my time came around again, I improved to 57 minutes for my sixth and final lap. Still shitty, but better. Thankfully my teammates were taking up the slack.

Knowing my race was over, I changed clothes and started my PR campaign. I always take time to take pictures with the fans, especially the ones who bring me an iced coffee.

Steve ripped through his last lap with a time of 49 minutes. He finished with a little over 50 minutes remaining in the race, so we opted not to send Doug out. It would have been a Herculean effort to turn a sub 50 lap. Our 26 laps would have to do. Now we had to wait to see if anyone else completed a 27th lap.

 Doug and Steve walking back after Steve's last lap.

Walking back to camp. I just thought this photo reminded me of a film promo shot.

Goofing off while we waited for the race to end.

When high noon struck, we were declared the winners. Another team also completed 26 laps, but it was after our 23:09 finishing time.

We successfully defended our title.

I assumed we would do this again. However, in January of the next year I broke my wrist and that, along with other individual circumstances, ended our championship run. There would be no three-peat for the Noble Riders.

Over the years I was lucky enough to notch a few wins here and there, but the two 24-hour wins with a team were very special.

Later.

Race Report: 2007 PCRS #5

This one hurt. It's getting very serious out there, and I am surprised how competitive everyone is. I assumed the Wednesday night series would be more laid back than a weekend race, but it's quite the opposite—we all want to win.

Realistically, there is only one guy who can win the overall, and that is Doug. He is on another level than the rest of us. If not for missing the first two races, the series lead would be his. This bodes well for our 24-hour team race in three days, but not for my hopes of an overall win in this series.

Today Doug simply rode away right from the start. I didn't even attempt to go with him. Up front he battled it out with another guy for the win:



Farther back I was in a group of three battling for third.



On the last lap, on a long climb into a strong headwind, Jerry and another guy got a gap on me. Again, Jerry's power is freakish.

I gave it everything I had to close the gap, but no dice. Even channeling Johnny Cash with my all-black outfit didn't seem to help.



I ended up fifth right behind Jerry in fourth. We are now tied for first with 96 points.

I completely turned myself inside out in the race. We were all hitting it pretty hard. In previous races there was some coasting down the hills, or sitting up to drink, but not yesterday. It was redline from start to finish. It hurt the worst of the five races so far. By far.

Later.