So Wednesday afternoon I finally convinced Jose to come out to race( we should also soon have Matt Messenger joining us as well!!). We met downtown around 5ish hoping to leave in time to allow Jose to race the 6:00pm beginner's race. We realized, after battling downtown traffic, that it was 5:30 and there was no way we would make it to South Seatac park before 6:00. So Jose decided to race in the sport catergory. We both got a chance to get a warm-up lap in before our race start. The course was extremely short, flat, and fast. It was more like a cyclocross course than a XC MTB course but the promoter Wick said he did this so people could conserve before the big race, Seatac Shuffle, on Sunday. Since the course was so fast, about 8 to 11 minute laps depending on your fitness level, the sports were doing 6 laps plus the half start lap. I decided to run gears for this race and I had my bike setup in a 1x9 gear configuration with a 32 tooth chainring up front and an 11-34 9speed cassette in the rear. I am SOOOOOoooo glad I decided to go back to gears for the time being!! I also had made up my mind to take this race super easy and to not start out like a rocket but hang back and just RIDE.
I started slowly about mid pack and Jose soon was in the rear on his new Redline Monocog Flite 29er singlespeed running a 32x20 and fully rigid!!! Jose said he got about 5 laps before he was passed by the experts and pulled from the race. He said he had the most fun he had ever had on a bike while racing during that race. It was also Jose's first ever true mountain bike race!!! He said he even passed a few other sport racers and did not finish DFL!!! Mean while I battled it out after realizing I felt strong and that my lungs and legs were not going to exploded from lactic acid build up!! I was actually doing quite well till I endoed (once again mom my leg is superbly ok and my bike suffered no damage as well!!) on my second to last lap and lost not only 3 or 4 placings but my momentum as well. I still finished very strong with 6 and a half laps and roughly 10:30 to 11 minute laps!! We hung out for a few minutes after the race while I frantically search for my wallet!! I found it in Jose's car where I had changed into my riding clothes!! I do plan on racing the Sport men 30-39 race on Sunday at 1:30pm where Wick said he was planning a 4 to 5 mile plus course and the sports are doing 3+ laps.
I am also planning on racing the 24 hours Round the Clock race in Spokane over Memorial day weekend solo. The whole family is going with to hang out with Eric Ewing and help support me as I race!! I still need to come up with the registration fee so I will have a few bike parts going up for sale very soon!! I will also be able to take part in the 50 mile Test of Endurance MTB race in OR on June 10th as well now that I am not in the fire recruit class anymore.
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2 comments:
Hey brandon nice blog... I was the guy with the red ritchey singlespeed blacksheep ti fork, i talked to you before the start of the race....
I was right behind you when you had that spectacular crash, glad to see you were ok at the time you were riding really strong. I'll be at Seatac sunday racing the sport 40-49 class should be fun....... good luck Julian.
Thanks Julian,
I was trying my best to keep up with you and not tell myself this guys is on a SINGLESPEED why is this so hard. I am just glad you were far enough behind me that you didn't pile into me! I am not sure what happened but I think my front wheel hit a root at the same time I touched the front brake and over I went!! I'll see you Sunday! Brandon
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