Bikes and Beer...

Matt and I made the trek over to Nelson County on Saturday to have a beer or two at Devils Backbone Brewery. Before we bellied up to our pints, we built up a thirst by racing the Devils Backbone Challenge. It was a beautiful day to drink beer and race mountain bikes, high 70s and fluffy clouds in the blue sky. We had fun. You can tell by my smile.... And the beer tasted wonderful...

It really doesn't get better than riding bikes with your friends and then sitting in the sun to enjoy a few of Rev. Oliver's handcrafted beers.

IF Racing had a good day with Kyle in 7th and myself riding to 11th.

Fun Stuff.

XTERRA season has begun...

My XTERRA season has begun. A week after the debacle that was Duathlon Nationals, I traveled to North Carolina for the XTERRA Uwharrie race. This event was my first XTERRA 2 years ago, and I didn't have fond memories of this course. Time heals all wounds.

I lined up for the start alongside another IF Racer, Steve Gisselman. Steve's a helluva athlete and if I can keep him in my sights then I know I'm having a great race. He was pimping his new IF Deluxe 29'r, damn that's a pretty bike. 29'r hmmm, there may be something to it.

The swim was a two lapper, nothing much to say about it, other than I made it out of the water. I felt good in the water, but mid pack as usual.

The bike course was also a two lapper after a short gravel road section to the trailhead. The trails are still equestrian dominated and it shows. After last weekend's race I had decided to leave enough in the tank on the bike. I didn't want a repeat of last weekend's bike 'blow-up'. I burped my front tire early in the race and stopped soon after to top off the air pressure as the front end was loosing control from the squishiness. Soon after this Steve came around me and it was a Team IF train through the woods. Steve took off on the second lap leaving me to pick off the fish by myself. We got to T2 at the same time and I made it out a few seconds before him. I wished him well as he disappeared ahead of me on the run.

My stomach cramped at the beginning of the run and I labored to just shuffle along. Another racer came by me and I ran with him for a while, then WHAM I'm sliding pete rose style across the trail. I fell in the same spot 2 years ago, damn that hurt. After picking gravel out of my hands, I watched my running companion leave me behind. Soon another runner dropped me. "Okay the stomach cramps can stop now." And soon after the first drink station the cramping did stop. Feeling better than I had, I ratcheted up the pace and soon caught and passed one of the earlier passers. I upped it a bit more and finished strong, the way I should.

I finished 10th overall and 1st in the 35-39 age group. Steve had a great race, finishing in 7th and 1st in the 30-34 age group. Two top Tens and two age group wins for IF Racing. Nice.

Have bad memories?

Make better ones...