Time Warp

Well this past weekend was snotcycle, and our preparation (or lack thereof) began on Thursday night when Matt K and Jessie arrived just after 12:30am.

The following day I ran into work for a quick meeting and took the rest of Friday off. We headed over to The Bike Lane to do some work on Jessie's bikes:
Then we saw a fat squirrel:
Then it was off to preride the race course. We were some of the first few riders through so there was still a lot of fresh snow on the trail which slowed things down a bit. By the next morning everything was packed and smooth. Our prerides usually take 2-3 times the amount of time it take to actually ride a lap. We stop and ride fun features a few times and never miss a photo op:

Race day began in the next morning, when we found out Jessie was not feeling very good so she was gonna sit this one out. Jessie was nice enough to let us take her car, so Matt packed most of the items in my car into hers and we loaded all our bikes onto the roof and rolled out.

Here's Lurana right after she registered and I installed a bottle cage on her bike. It was about 22 degrees at that point:
Here's Matt K when I told him he forgot grabbed everything but the water bottles out of my car:
The race itself:

Matt and I waited for the race to start outside the timing tent next to a fire, trying to stay warm. Once Race Director, Rob picked up his bull horn we headed over and grabbed a spot in the back and took off with the group. The race started a little slowere than most XC races because of the ice in the field.

Lap one:

Matt and I rode the first two miles together. I got hung up on a technical section and had to let the group we were riding in go by. That was the last time I saw Matt K. till after the race. The first lap was real smooth hard packed snow and I managed to pass a few guys. I was feeling pretty good at this point despite not having any water. 7.6 miles down.

Lap Two:

Soon after coming through the transition area, I passed a guy on a green Niner. My new nemesis stayed with me about half way around the course. Now I'm really starting to miss water. I did not bring any food to eat during the race either, so I knew I had to be careful and not burn too many matches to early or I'd have nothing left. Normally I would have had a gel coming through the transition area.

By the second lap, the amount of riders that had come through pushed quite a bit of snow out of the corners, leaving some bare ice. Midway through the lap on a descent I hit a patch of ice and did a complete 180 but managed to stay upright. So here I am facing up the hill I just came down and Green Niner comes right by. I gathered myself up and followed through the rest of the course. I was OK but that close call was a match burnt, I may have well as crashed. In the spin I tensed up all my muscles, lost all momentum, and a bit of confidence. The rest of the lap went OK. 15.2 miles down.

Lap 3:

By my third time around, I knew I was probably going to hit the wall. By this time in the morning the fields were pretty muddy. Coming through the transition area I chased down Green Niner. He stayed with me in the woods, until I saw him dab on a technical section. If I've learned anything yet, this means attack. I grabbed a handful of gears and dropped the hammer. I looked back a mile later and he wasn't in site. I dropped him, there goes another match.

By the second half of the lap I was in rough shape, My legs were on the verge of cramping and my throat was dry. I was slowly slipping into the pain cave. I know the course pretty well and I knew I had about two miles left when I came up on Vince riding his single speed. This part of the course winds through the trees allowing you to catch a glimpse of the field of riders behind you, I saw green pants, and I was close to empty, I rode the course out with Vince (from TBL) and 100 yards before the transition area I here a bike behind me. There goes Green Niner right past me. I shifted and stood on the pedals... ahh cramps in the legs...nothing left to sprint...let him have it.

And that my friends is the difference between 38th place and 39th. I had a good time though, If I had food and water I think I could have snagged a few places down, but what can ya do. The field was about 60 riders (not all of em finished though).