Sean takes a unexpected 2nd place in the Cat2 field!
Here is his race re-cap:
"The lineup for the race was atypical. The marathoners, including the crazies (single speeders), were first off followed by a mixed field of 19-29 and 30-39 men. I think we had around 11 people on the line between the two fields. Stop me if you have heard this before; I went straight to the back of the field on the uphill grass start. Actually, more like mid field. This first six riders were single file with a short gap back to me with a few riders in tow. I was about two bike lengths back heading into the woods. Try as I might I couldn’t close the gap and it gradually widened; no one behind me tried to pass to bridge up to the leaders.
The course was covered with roots; large roots, small roots, parallel roots, perpendicular roots, angled roots, roots at the apex of turns, ROOTS. There were a decent number of sections that were flowy in the first half of the course. At around the two mile mark the trail pitched upwards for about a half mile through ferns and back into the birch trees. As with airplanes, what goes up must come safely down. There were a few switchbacks on the way down; a yellow river was flowing around one thanks to a marathon rider. A few times a couple of lines forced a decision. My pre-ride certainly helped a in these situations. The biggest injury saver was when a line went smoothly onto a sizeable rock then abruptly turned off the rock due to the large gap to the next rock. The downhill ended with some double track back out to the starting field.
The feed zone was in the field just prior to re-entering the woods. A couple of riders passed me as I headed towards the water. Clearly no one had briefed the neutral support as I almost came to a stop before they held out water. Gulping down as much as I could, I latched onto three riders on the uphill gravel road back into the woods.
The second half (miles 3-7) had more roots and even more fun twisty single track. There was one climb that was not clearable and a bobble on another also had me off my bike. Yet another misleading rock was waiting to toss those who picked the wrong line. This time the rock was easy on and a two foot drop off the back side. I later heard people had gone over the bars here.
My favorite section of the course started with steep descending switchbacks. One rock garden almost got me. With an audience of one watching, hopefully to help anyone who did not make it, I proceeded to; 1, thread the first needle, 2, rip my right (inside) shoe out of my pedal, 3, thread a second needle by half a tire width and 4, ride over another rock I was trying to avoid. This sequence lasted all of a few seconds. The second needle thread was much more of the rock redirecting my wheel to the line. With my foot out my body weight had gone forward and I was a bit spooked for the remaining two smooth switch backs.
Next up was cyclocross practice; sections of false flat straightaways mixed with twisting turns. Sprinting out of each turn to slow down and make the next turn got me excited for this fall. As the trail pitched more steeply upwards the switchbacks returned. On one particularly tight turn I did my best Roy Rogers impression, but could not stick the landing. I had to run up the remaining switchbacks.
Going into my second lap I swapped for a fresh bottle, inhaled a gel and took my lessons learned from the first lap back onto the trail. I was able to have some fun off of some features. On the back half of the lap I forgot my bike did not have pegs and slid my rear wheel alongside a bridge instead of on top. Fortunately the thin sidewalls held. Going even slower into the switchback rock garden with a rider behind me I cleared it without issue. Back to the Roy Rogers turn I repeated my first lap rearing, but this time with my lasso hand I grabbed the birch tree on the inside of the turn and got my front wheel back down.
As part of the entry fee I got a meal ticket and a beer ticket. Fresh off the grill sausage on ciabatta bread with pasta salad and corn salad were great post-race. As for beer choices, there was only one in my book, Heady Topper. I have been in search of this beer for two years: http://www.beeradvocate.com/lists/top/ . The winner of the Cat 2 older women’s race handed me her beer ticket so I got to have the equivalent of a full can; two 8oz pours.
Eventually the Cat 2 results were posted and I was amazed. I finished second, ~23 minutes behind the leader. It turns out we had 5 people in my field with one DNF."
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