Cheq 40, First place?

Back up in Cable for what is the world championships of mountain biking for some people.  Me?  I enjoy the weekend, but the race is not exactly my style.  That is alright.  With almost no hard riding in the last several months I figured if I was going to be slower I might as well have more fun with it on the fat bike.  So out came the 907 after a several month hibernation.

This year there are corrals, and I found my place at the back of corral 1.  The controlled leadout was uneventful, then we turned onto Hwy 77 were the ATV opens it up and the speed goes nuts.  Right as I took that first pedal stroke to speed up the Big Fat Larrys the drive train locked up and I found myself at the side of the rode trying to salvage a badly bent and cracked chain guide for my single ring in front.  After a few minutes of getting it so it didn't rub too bad I found myself in the back 100 riders.  Wow, that was wild.

I set out hard on the 2 miles of pavement looking at a wall of riders everywhere.  Weaving through little gaps I passed hundreds of riders before hitting the grass.  Rosie's field had the typical 2 lines of riders and then me off to the side in the tall grass passing riders in 10's and 20's.  The birkie trail was worse as the course was now narrower.  There is the fast line, then the mowed part, then were I spent a lot of time; the uncut grass on the side.  Again, gobs of riders were a blur to me as I TT'd my way to a better placing. 

The legs felt great, soon the lungs were acting up.  I am an idiot as I have to remember at some point to use my inhaler.  I dropped the pace some to let the lungs open and I found myself still passing lots of riders.  It felt like I was playing with trick candles because I would pass a huge amount of riders only to turn a corner and see a plethora more (Would you say they are a plethora of pinatas?).  By the time I hit Hwy 00 I figured I must have been over the 1,000 riders passed marked and I was really starting to feel it.  I would see The Legend soon after and that gave me motivation to keep away from a fellow fat rider for a bit.  Then I went into a more conservative mode, but still managed to get those big wheels up fire tower in the 32 with no dabs.

I ended up in 388th place, my worse finish ever but possibly my most impressive race (best was 26th).  By far, this was the most cooked my body has ever been after racing the 40.  I hear the I was fastest fat bike out there on my 907.  I am not sure what to think of that fact.  The wife completed her goal of sub 4 hours which was awesome.  She is a runner and does just the one race a year.



Sunday brought the Cable Crit Cross, a short course with barriers and a solidly steep punchy climb.  A 2 lap TT decided if you were in the finals or the consolation race.  I managed to hit the earth pretty hard in a crash in the TT and found myself just out of the finals. I was able to win the consolation 4 lap round without going deep into what reserves I had, and then managed to beg my way into the finals were I finished midpack of 12 or so riders.  Mind you, this was all on my fatbike still.  I was happy considering my lack of racing lately.

Today the body is sore from the crash.  I was still picking sand out of my ears and nose last night from kissing the earth as well.  Fun times.  This weekend the wife and I look to obtain the title of coed champs at the Treadman Duathlon.