[douglas]

I usually take a rest day after a race but I decided I need more saddle time, so I ignored the t-storm warnings and decided to ride, ended up doing my longest after work ride

50 miles, mostly flat ...17.5 mph avg / 130 HR avg

 

[douglas]

and Sunday's race report:

Hunter mountain (catskills) #2 of a 3 race series

prerode the course Friday - I hear complaints about XC courses being too lame, not the case at Hunter. The climb included a section named "world cup climb" which included a tech section I didnt even attempt - and I didnt see any sport rider make it, some brand new singletrack on the top that was really nice (bridges, lots of rocks, pretty tight)...my one compalint was some of the downhill was on fireroads,the rest was grass singletrack and 2 of their freeride trails- "nasty" and "the chute", when riding those I thought I was racing DH at Plattekill

course

there was no rain during my race but they stopped the pros/experts early due to t-storms coming in, ended up pouring there right after they finished

there was 27 freakin 30-39 sport guys!!!! 2nd largest field I have ever been in


I normally have a good start, this time 2 dudes got ahead of me..........and there was about seven 20-30 feet back for maybe 1 1/3 laps....somewhere on lap#2(maybe on the tough tech. climb) I moved into 2nd. Pretty much the whole race, when I had a chance to look back some - someone was there. I had to pass a bunch of 19-29 yeras old (they started 2 min's before us old farts) - somebody later told me he was impressed by some of my moves passing riders, and that I pulled away from him doing so. neaky:
In the single track a dude caught me, for a long time I thought he wasn't in my group but he actually was. Once in a while I could see the leader.......dumb me, I told the guy that was on my wheel we were 2nd/3rd. I did drop him on the DH, but he caught up & then passed me on the climb, so now 1 & 2 were 20 feet up, they pulled away some on the rest of the climb.
I rode real crappy in the singletrack - all those rocks were now all loose - I was happy to not be on a hard tail, but I had no flow.....I decided to go for it on the DH, and on one fast section there was a water bar, I hit that way too fast & I was airborne, the trail turned underneath me - I landed in 4ft tall grass, 10 feet down from the trail - I was really surprised I managed to not get passed........finished my lap and ended up in 3rd

I found out later:
The guy that won is 30, and runs marathons
The 2nd place guy is "Nevada Dave"..........real cool dude who biked 4800 miles earlier this year, check it:

http://www.greenfishsports.com/index.asp?PageAction=Custom&ID=6

 

[Heidi]

Good to hear the race turnout was big - it seems to be falling off lately. Me? I rode few hours of singletrack

 

[MMcG]

congrats on another podium finish Doug!