OVCX-#12 - Promotion Cross- Kentucky State Championships

More mountain bike Less cross.


Lots and lots up ups and 180 degree turns with a down and another 180 degree turn and an up. No place on the course to really recover. The flat sections were false flats, and into a major headwind. single barriers at the bottom of a super steep hill, then a top flat with another steep hill 180 turn into another banked 180 degree turn up another false flat.
 
Some say, it was the worst venue or race layout from a spectator standpoint.

This did not effect me, I was affected by my fitness and taking some time off the bike. Either not my kind of cross course or just didn't have the complete deep-fitness in the tank (entirely) to give it the berries and stay with the leaders for the entire race. I hung on to them for almost three laps I think, then one by one, guys starting coming around me, even down to the last lap, I bumbled a turn at the end of the baseball field fence and lost a few seconds, guys were still chasing the bullseye on my back. Odd thing with three laps to go, I ride through the finish and see still three laps to go. I was a little worried with the 'true' three laps to go I would come through again and still see three laps.

Gers, Bivin and Collier were long gone and about 30/45 seconds in front and impossible to drag back. I kept looking for them around the turns and trying to push and push and push to gain some ground back. I was picking off open three riders and battling it out with some of the 45+ guys.

I heard Ray yelling at me in the last few twisty turns to "go go go" there were guys on my wheel, one guy with 2k wheels, biffed it in the single track along the fence, and so I new I had a few opportunities to let it fly and go as hard as I could to keep who ever was on my wheel in the last few turns away. I made the last turn off the grass and onto the pavement as smooth and wide as I could but shifted too many times into too hard of a gear and wasn't spinning enough. It was a hard fought finish with Nathan Mirus (nice guy and fast fast dude this year) It was close, but the officials gave it to me? they had cameras....but I am not so sure, Nathan was right there at the line.

 Highlight of my weekend, with the BWE, was hanging out with my cousins that live in Lexington about 15 minutes from the race course. Sherry has a great family. We all went out for some pre-race dinner Saturday night to catch up and hang out. Lizzie and Grayson both got a big kick out of sitting on my bike and ringing cowbells provided by BWE.
Apparently the next day, both kids asked about bike racing...thanks for taking time out of your busy weekend to visit Sherry!