Make that two! I won the Cat. 1 30-39 age group at the TBF Racing MTB Madness in Granite Bay. The field look strong as I made the line up. It was hard to tell who was in my group or not, but I all I could tell was that there were a lot of strong guys.
I actually finished 9th overall if you factor in the Pros, and all expert age groups put together. I was about a minute off from my time last year, granted I didn't do two back-to-back races.
I felt ok at the start. I knew I didn't have the same pop in my legs like yesterday. I guess I burnt quite a few matches at CCCX. I got out for a quick warm up lap to test out my legs. I definitely felt fatigued, but I wasn't about to give in before it even starts.
On the first lap I was up in the mix at the front. I let the pros go by and jockey for position, gauging my own category and making sure I got into the zone. By the first climb I knew I was in trouble. My heart rate was hovering around threshold, barely touching the red. That was a clear indication that my body wasn't fully recovered, and that I'd have to pull out my long game if I had any chance of winning. I backed off on the power and started to spin more.
I slowly grew my advantage with each lap, gauging my effort with each pedal stroke. As long as I don't hammer I can sustain a pretty good effort. I caught up with a small group and started to work with them. Eventually the group fell apart leaving myself and one other racer trading efforts for most of the race.
I'm pretty proud of myself for pulling out another win after having raced less than 24 hours ago. Stage racing is something I've always wanted to try, and after this weekend I feel pretty confident I have the fitness to do one.
My wife was out on course for support as well as photographing the race. She took a ton of great pics.
Equipment
- 2014 Specialized Epic Expert World Cup (Size: Medium)
- Front Tire: Specialized Fast Trak Control 29x2.0"
Rear Tire: Specialized Renegade Control 29x1.95"