Yesterday we took off early to a town on the south west called Yauco in order for the Little DeViL (aka Pepe) to participate on the "3ra. Olimpiada Deportiva Recreativa de Yauco", we crossed paths with many mountainbikers on our way and they gave us signals trying to tell us that we passed our destination. They were wrong because we were going to Yauco first and then to Guayama for the MTB National Championships.
Before starting the race the DRD Cicling League champions that attended this race were presented. Pepe finished 2nd overall in track and road on that league.
9-10 y/o race. Pepe was on his new '07 Trek 1600.
Pepe finshed 3rd and we had to leave before the award ceremony in order to make it to the mtb race.
We finally made it to Guayama, got organized, set camp and as soon as the UCI and national classed finshed the kids league got into action. The trail was nice, it had singletrack, an offcamber downhill and a nasty climb; the recipe for fun.
He fnished 3rd.
Then my turn came, I'm participating on the open single speed class. Today the national ss champion will be crowned. Some of the guys didn's showed up for different reasons making the field really small.
Off we go, the championship was going to be decided between Jimmy and Luciano; Jimmy took off and quickly dissapeared from everyone else leaving the figth to the rest of us.
By the first corner almost all passed me with the exeption of my buddy Jay. This time I was feeling better and my start showed it, I went second on the start but the better more advanced riders passed me real quick.
I also wanted to try something new this time, I rode with Pepe's Ipod. I put some heavy metal, goth and operatic metal and it really worked. The music took my usual mental strugle away and I kept focused on giving it all.
When I made it to a water reservoir the torture started, the heat was extreme and my speed went away along with my breath. Little by little I continued and started to catch up racers from the beginer and woman sport classed, that motivated me a bit to continue the fight.
The music kept me mentally in shape but my body was wanting to quit, passed the feeding zone and catched another beginer racer and I said to my self "damm I can do this!".
Continued on a section with a lot of wind then some more single track and make it to the big climb. I saw another beginer struggling up the climb and I just dismounted and started to push the bike uphill. I passed him on the crest and went off to the downhill section before him. After that my legs felt like spagetti but I made it to the finish line.
I was almost dead but I made it. Made the podium with a 5th place finish.
Jimmy won the national championship in his class (Masters) and single speed, he earned a championship belt and will proudly defend it next season.
Next stop, the 24 Hours of Florida; single speed off course.
Before starting the race the DRD Cicling League champions that attended this race were presented. Pepe finished 2nd overall in track and road on that league.
9-10 y/o race. Pepe was on his new '07 Trek 1600.
Pepe finshed 3rd and we had to leave before the award ceremony in order to make it to the mtb race.
We finally made it to Guayama, got organized, set camp and as soon as the UCI and national classed finshed the kids league got into action. The trail was nice, it had singletrack, an offcamber downhill and a nasty climb; the recipe for fun.
He fnished 3rd.
Then my turn came, I'm participating on the open single speed class. Today the national ss champion will be crowned. Some of the guys didn's showed up for different reasons making the field really small.
Off we go, the championship was going to be decided between Jimmy and Luciano; Jimmy took off and quickly dissapeared from everyone else leaving the figth to the rest of us.
By the first corner almost all passed me with the exeption of my buddy Jay. This time I was feeling better and my start showed it, I went second on the start but the better more advanced riders passed me real quick.
I also wanted to try something new this time, I rode with Pepe's Ipod. I put some heavy metal, goth and operatic metal and it really worked. The music took my usual mental strugle away and I kept focused on giving it all.
When I made it to a water reservoir the torture started, the heat was extreme and my speed went away along with my breath. Little by little I continued and started to catch up racers from the beginer and woman sport classed, that motivated me a bit to continue the fight.
The music kept me mentally in shape but my body was wanting to quit, passed the feeding zone and catched another beginer racer and I said to my self "damm I can do this!".
Continued on a section with a lot of wind then some more single track and make it to the big climb. I saw another beginer struggling up the climb and I just dismounted and started to push the bike uphill. I passed him on the crest and went off to the downhill section before him. After that my legs felt like spagetti but I made it to the finish line.
I was almost dead but I made it. Made the podium with a 5th place finish.
Jimmy won the national championship in his class (Masters) and single speed, he earned a championship belt and will proudly defend it next season.
Next stop, the 24 Hours of Florida; single speed off course.