Chapter 5
Fueled, as only those who have aced two Special tests can be, Step Smack returns to their power event. Mountain Biking. Six miles to go, and weve seen them. The course should be wide open and begging to be tamed. My body is feeling strange from all of this activity, but good, especially now.
Up until this point I am wondering how this race is going to end for me. With the run over, I know I will at least cross the finish line. We ease through the staging area, over the bridge and onto the dirt. With a little singletrack before the first climb, the team discussion is of how nice the riding should be with the masses, and we were right. Quick into the first climb, we nibble off the only people in front of us, before a quick drop. Passing is much easier now, no jockeying for lanes with uncongested double track.
I think it was on this climb that I pass the girl from team 101. Running is her strong event. On your left just doesnt get used as much this lap but when it does, it feels good. Every pass now is savored, every one is well earned. Kyle and Jim are both riding strong. Hell, we were having light conversation at race pace.
I know that it is impossible to ride in a loop, and have it be uphill the whole way, but that is how this course seemed. The descents were usually wide open double track or road shoulders, so you dont get to enjoy them very much. One thing you can say for them, though, they are fast. Step Smack gets to the drop that leads to my greatest error on the first lap, the dreaded hard right. With hindsight comes knowledge. I nail the turn. Now we are into the single track.
The georgian floodplain forest is dark, cool, moist, and devoid of newbies. Step Smack is finally riding this section of trail. It was stop and go the first time with all of the bottlenecks. It is time to enjoy it. The turns in this trail were well suited to mountain biking. Speed was to be had by all, all who are capable, that is. If the sensation of your rear tire sliding well out of line with your front tire bothers you, this is not the trail for you. Keeping an eye open for those sliding roots can be tricky. When I identify one and power out of the slide, I feel a great sense of victory. When I dont identify one and power into the ground, I feel a great sense of pain. I fall, I wont lie, but I am up quick and ready to go. It is all good. 242, we should ride this trail for fun someday was said along the way.
I am really looking forward to something. A log. A rideable log I was forced to walk last time around. As we approach, I can see a couple of people walking it. I quickly voiced my intentions to Kyle and Jim, IM RIDING IT! I dont know what anybody else did. I am focused. I get my front on top of it just fine, a little roll over the backside. Kick up the back tire. Ive done so many logs like it. Smooth. Did I say smooth. Smooth was the texture of the mud on my face after I flubbed the maneuver. It was a valiant effort. I got up quickly, a little ashamed, people saw me do it after all. As I rode away I stated, I may not have ridden it, but it is rideable all agreed, even somebody who didnt have 242 on his shirt.
The woods end shortly after the log and open up into the final climb. This one is on pavement, it seems kind of long at this point and it has a false summit. The climbing is done in silent, except for occasional confirmations that we are still together. Shuffling my hands to the outside of my handlebars helps with the exertion. At the top of the hill, we turn onto a power line for the final push into the staging area.
As we are finishing on a descent, I see a friend screaming on the side of the trail, and then my wife. I wave and smile to let her know I am ok, and then push for the transition area. I havent seen her since 4:30 this morning, and I have been pushing hard for about 3 hours and 20 minutes. I am happy.
Into the transition area for shoe change number four, back into running shoes. We are not done with this little race just yet. Step Smack knows that we have at least one special test left, The Wall. We decide that riding shoes would be of no assistance, justifying the waste of time. Dashing from the transition area, a marshall directs us to our next stop, half way between us and the wall. Another marshall hands Jim a sheet with instructions. Jim reads them aloud, but I dont get much of it. We are directed to a spot between two trees with a cable suspended about 11 feet overhead. I dont know what to do I clearly and concisely inform 242. I have learned about team communication today. We pick you up, you remove a carrabiner, We drop you, Pick up Jim, He replaces the biner is the response. Clear and concise. The Wall is in our sights, and we can hear the announcer calling play by play of other teams attempts at 13 feet of vertical. We perform the task at hand flawlessly. Down a small hill to the wall.
Let me explain the rules of the wall. Each team must get one teammate over the wall without any assistance, mechanical or human. Once teammate number one is on the catwalk on the other side of the wall, the team is given a sufficient length of rope. The remaining team members may then scale the wall by whatever means available, even with assistance from other teams. We dont need no stinking other teams.
We have put some thought into this and have come up with a plan. Kyle and Jim cup there hands and give me two solid steps. I stand in their hands, lean against the wall and they lift. When they get their hands to about shoulder high, I have my fingers near the top of the wall. A couple of more inches and I grab the lip of the wall. I hoist myself over the top pretty gracefully.
Our plan was to have Kyle then put his back to the wall and become a flight of stairs for Jim. Once off the knee and once off the shoulder. As I stand up to the wall from the platform, Jim is in my face. I help him over the wall. Kyle tosses the rope up to us. I anchor the rope until Kyle gets near the top. 200 pounds doesnt come over a wall easily. Jim has Kyles arms, so I grab some of his shorts and pull. That did it, over he comes, elbowing me in the chin. It was a beautiful thing. I know, Ive seen the video. Down the Cargo nets, easy does it.
A short sprint to the waters edge and Step Smack is over the finish line. Cheered on by friends and family. I just keep running, straight into the lake. I wasnt the only one. Quite a big crowd in there cooling off. I have been thinking about this swim all day.
All in all I had great time. Racing with Kyle and Jim was good experience and I cant wait to do it again. Our official time is 3:25:13, placing 35th out of 99.
Fueled, as only those who have aced two Special tests can be, Step Smack returns to their power event. Mountain Biking. Six miles to go, and weve seen them. The course should be wide open and begging to be tamed. My body is feeling strange from all of this activity, but good, especially now.
Up until this point I am wondering how this race is going to end for me. With the run over, I know I will at least cross the finish line. We ease through the staging area, over the bridge and onto the dirt. With a little singletrack before the first climb, the team discussion is of how nice the riding should be with the masses, and we were right. Quick into the first climb, we nibble off the only people in front of us, before a quick drop. Passing is much easier now, no jockeying for lanes with uncongested double track.
I think it was on this climb that I pass the girl from team 101. Running is her strong event. On your left just doesnt get used as much this lap but when it does, it feels good. Every pass now is savored, every one is well earned. Kyle and Jim are both riding strong. Hell, we were having light conversation at race pace.
I know that it is impossible to ride in a loop, and have it be uphill the whole way, but that is how this course seemed. The descents were usually wide open double track or road shoulders, so you dont get to enjoy them very much. One thing you can say for them, though, they are fast. Step Smack gets to the drop that leads to my greatest error on the first lap, the dreaded hard right. With hindsight comes knowledge. I nail the turn. Now we are into the single track.
The georgian floodplain forest is dark, cool, moist, and devoid of newbies. Step Smack is finally riding this section of trail. It was stop and go the first time with all of the bottlenecks. It is time to enjoy it. The turns in this trail were well suited to mountain biking. Speed was to be had by all, all who are capable, that is. If the sensation of your rear tire sliding well out of line with your front tire bothers you, this is not the trail for you. Keeping an eye open for those sliding roots can be tricky. When I identify one and power out of the slide, I feel a great sense of victory. When I dont identify one and power into the ground, I feel a great sense of pain. I fall, I wont lie, but I am up quick and ready to go. It is all good. 242, we should ride this trail for fun someday was said along the way.
I am really looking forward to something. A log. A rideable log I was forced to walk last time around. As we approach, I can see a couple of people walking it. I quickly voiced my intentions to Kyle and Jim, IM RIDING IT! I dont know what anybody else did. I am focused. I get my front on top of it just fine, a little roll over the backside. Kick up the back tire. Ive done so many logs like it. Smooth. Did I say smooth. Smooth was the texture of the mud on my face after I flubbed the maneuver. It was a valiant effort. I got up quickly, a little ashamed, people saw me do it after all. As I rode away I stated, I may not have ridden it, but it is rideable all agreed, even somebody who didnt have 242 on his shirt.
The woods end shortly after the log and open up into the final climb. This one is on pavement, it seems kind of long at this point and it has a false summit. The climbing is done in silent, except for occasional confirmations that we are still together. Shuffling my hands to the outside of my handlebars helps with the exertion. At the top of the hill, we turn onto a power line for the final push into the staging area.
As we are finishing on a descent, I see a friend screaming on the side of the trail, and then my wife. I wave and smile to let her know I am ok, and then push for the transition area. I havent seen her since 4:30 this morning, and I have been pushing hard for about 3 hours and 20 minutes. I am happy.
Into the transition area for shoe change number four, back into running shoes. We are not done with this little race just yet. Step Smack knows that we have at least one special test left, The Wall. We decide that riding shoes would be of no assistance, justifying the waste of time. Dashing from the transition area, a marshall directs us to our next stop, half way between us and the wall. Another marshall hands Jim a sheet with instructions. Jim reads them aloud, but I dont get much of it. We are directed to a spot between two trees with a cable suspended about 11 feet overhead. I dont know what to do I clearly and concisely inform 242. I have learned about team communication today. We pick you up, you remove a carrabiner, We drop you, Pick up Jim, He replaces the biner is the response. Clear and concise. The Wall is in our sights, and we can hear the announcer calling play by play of other teams attempts at 13 feet of vertical. We perform the task at hand flawlessly. Down a small hill to the wall.
Let me explain the rules of the wall. Each team must get one teammate over the wall without any assistance, mechanical or human. Once teammate number one is on the catwalk on the other side of the wall, the team is given a sufficient length of rope. The remaining team members may then scale the wall by whatever means available, even with assistance from other teams. We dont need no stinking other teams.
We have put some thought into this and have come up with a plan. Kyle and Jim cup there hands and give me two solid steps. I stand in their hands, lean against the wall and they lift. When they get their hands to about shoulder high, I have my fingers near the top of the wall. A couple of more inches and I grab the lip of the wall. I hoist myself over the top pretty gracefully.
Our plan was to have Kyle then put his back to the wall and become a flight of stairs for Jim. Once off the knee and once off the shoulder. As I stand up to the wall from the platform, Jim is in my face. I help him over the wall. Kyle tosses the rope up to us. I anchor the rope until Kyle gets near the top. 200 pounds doesnt come over a wall easily. Jim has Kyles arms, so I grab some of his shorts and pull. That did it, over he comes, elbowing me in the chin. It was a beautiful thing. I know, Ive seen the video. Down the Cargo nets, easy does it.
A short sprint to the waters edge and Step Smack is over the finish line. Cheered on by friends and family. I just keep running, straight into the lake. I wasnt the only one. Quite a big crowd in there cooling off. I have been thinking about this swim all day.
All in all I had great time. Racing with Kyle and Jim was good experience and I cant wait to do it again. Our official time is 3:25:13, placing 35th out of 99.
My favorite part is the following quote: