So..lack of training, bit run down, and not as much trail time as I needed before hand. What could possibly go wrong?

After RD Dan giving the usual pre start brief…pay attention, look for the arrows, and have fun. It was go. Let the usual lycra suit racer types hammer off while I aimed to follow my own race plan.

After the first quarter of a lap including the Sand Wall, things were going okay. I felt a little off as I hadn’t spent enough time riding trails during the week. But somewhere between the the half way point and the 3/4 point it got a little off plan. Stopped trying to be smooth and started being, shall we call it rough? And just after passing through the start/finish for lap 2 I needed to do something or I would become frustrated due to the lack of smooth and flow I was having.

So the simplest idea that came to mind was to let the rider behind who was still close catch up and pass. Relax for a bit to regain the smooth and then become the hunter. I knew I could catch him again. So on the Sand Wall I let him go by and eased up a bit to regather myself. After a bit of riding not worrying about being caught I regained my flow and was smooth again. So I began to hunt down the rider I let pass.

In the end, while I caught that rider again, I simply ran out of trail to catch the next guy. I wasn’t ready or willing to sprint to the finish. But in the end it doesn’t matter. I still came second and got a silver cowbell to go with the bronze from the first race of the series.

Unfortunately no podium pics as no one had a camera. But.. followed proper MTB podium etiquette..beer in hand. So now it’s another month and a half till the last race in the series. Hopefully I will do well again but also have my own home brew Ale for post race recovery.