Stan Crane Memorial XC Race

As I prepared my gear Sunday evening for Monday morning Memorial day's race I looked out the window to watch it once again pouring down rain. With the hope in my mind that it would stop sometime during the night and be decent for the race. Not so lucky was I.

I climbed out of bed to the sound of rain hitting the bedroom window got semi-race dressed and headed out the door. Check-in started at 7:45am for a 9am start. Little did I know from not being a Intermountain Cup Racing Twitter fan that the race was delayed a hour. Never the less I get to the Start/Finish and get checked-in. It continues to rain on and off as I wait for the race to start.

Finally 10am rolls around and we all start lining up for the start. Roughly at 10:15am my heat starts. There are 13 in the heat. We start off with a short climb and then into some low flat swampy single track. Head back around the start area and under the road to some slow muddy climbing. About 7 miles in hit a hard, steep, sandy switch back only to be forced to a little hike a bike. Within the next mile we hit some wide fireroad mostly downhill with a little flat here and there. Finally start dropping into the last downhill part that is now rutted about 3-6 inches from other riders and the rain from the last two days. The last part of the race is the same low flat swampy single track that we started with.

Finished 10th out 13th. Not the proudest, but I feel that I am happy to be racing and able to finish. Season is still early, so pushing for a top 5 finish.

Thankful for my Gargoyles "Veil" as it wasn't sunny enough to be wearing my "Rovers", but perfect for the "Veils" and they did their job keeping the mud and rain out of my eyes.

First Race of 2011

So as I am currently 2 weeks away from the first race for me of 2011 I think maybe, just maybe finally the winter in Utah is about over and riding everyday will soon be here. Well my first race of 2011 is a straight mountain bike race in Hurricane, Utah. Only my second mountain bike only race ever, but the first of at least 10 to come here in 2011.

I need to throw a shout out to Gargoyles Eyewear for providing me with the best eyewear in the country to train and race with. Rovers are the best for training and racing with the flip up option. Great for trails that have shade and straight sun light.

I will try to make a new post at least weekly to keep all informed of the season.

April 2, 2011 Race.