OMBC - The Wilds - Mountain Bike Race - May 15, 2010

IF I only had one of these before my race, I might have manged to make it through the entire second lap at full gas.


This was a tough first race as an Expert for 2010. I decided it was time to step up and stop sandbagging in the top 5 of the Sport. I haven't won a race in a few years in sport, but have been consistently finishing well and getting money. I don't want to be associated with that behavior, so I lined up with the big boys and fast women.

I Had a great start, on the road and into the woods, there was some of the craziest single track at the beginning of a mountain bike race I have ever seen. I am just glad I didn't get to pre-ride the entire thing, I am not sure i would have done the race. From a scale of 1-10 I would give this place a 9 for hardness factor. There was no room to loose focus, no room for taking big big risks. It was a turn the motor on to 55 and keep it going at 55 type of course.

Funny part was I had no idea we were going to race on parts or most of the AEP ReCreation lands trail, that I helped design, locate, build and maintain for the early years of the trail with COMBO. I actually helped run a few races at the AEP trail, that were also the Official Ohio Single-Speed Championships. So, cool to see some of the sections we thought were so amazing, in a race.

Jon, Tim and Chris were on hand from the Team, with Julie there to do a few bottle hand ups to Jon and I. She was a pro and passed off the bottle to me as I had the empty one in my mouth waiting to roll up that hill for the transition to my third lap (pic).

Dave from B1 and I sat on the wheel of a guy from Cleveland and basically burnt him out pushing from the back. He even said at one point, "you guys are going to sit on my wheel, push me, then pass". I didn't have the heart to admit that was my plan. But, the guy rode really well for 2 laps but faded hard near the beginning of the third one I think. Good rider.

Dave and I paced each other, chatting along the way, complaining about the super steep hills and sections of roots, rocks and trees. Dave was on a 29 aluminum hard tail and I could just hear him getting beat to a pulp by that frame of his. I waited and waited on the last lap, mentally for him to come around me, thinking, he's going to come around me and just smoke me to the finish...We came upon some other racers near the end of our last lap on a difficult log over, but managed to get around them quickly and on to the last fun section of trail for the off camber, steep uphill turn to the finish line. I kept waiting for Dave to come around, I put the hammer down about 2 miles out, but ran out of gas about 1000 meters before the finish, gave it the berries to keep Dave from passing me at the finish. It was a great race, I was happy to have a few guys to keep me motivated and pace. 

Dave is a great guy and certainly can get it done on his mountain bike.

I just missed being in the money by one place, and finished 5th, but still a great result. According to Bruce P from COBC, he said he saw me behind him at a few points - Bruce is fast and a respected mountain biker, road and cyclocross guy by this writer.

Tim looking PRO

Jon giving it 150% on his last lap