Tallahassee is one of my all-time favorite courses to race – mainly because they incorporate the BMX track into each lap – but also because it has some really fun fast flowing singletrack on hardpack clay and it even incorporates some good climbs (a rarity for Florida courses). One of my favorite memories of this course was my first year racing sport class when we first got to ride in the ‘yellow’ wave with the experts and pros. That particular year for some reason there were a bunch of actual PRO’s that showed up – one in particular was Ryan Trebon. I remember I was ‘hammering’ up this one particular climb only to hear “Rider back!” and looked back just in time to see a 6’4”-blue-and-orange blur fly past me. That guy was flying.
Well anyways, FAST FORWARD about 5 years and this year I headed out there to hit up my first XC mtb race of 2009. The only other mtb race I did this year was the 6 Hours of Santos – Solo, which I really didn’t do all that well at, mainly because of lack of actual training for that one. Mainly this year my focus had been on the Half-Ironman in Augusta so the summer was spent training solely for that. The Scott Spark had been hanging up in the garage since February and only got ridden once in July for one hour at Hanna. The one thing about triathlon training is that it really increases your overall level of fitness, but you don’t really ever concentrate on ONE thing. Mainly this summer, my riding consisted of 3-4 times a week with one long ride, sometimes 1 or 2 tempo / group rides, and sometimes just an ez spin. A lot of the tempo/group rides ended with t-runs, so needless to say – I had not been bike-specific training this year. I went into this race just hoping I could hang on to the front group for a lap or two and if I got dropped, I was just hoping to hold position and not get passed after that. Its totally a different feeling when you go into a race without expectation or even having any clue as to how competitive you’re gonna be. Kind of fun actually – almost like being the ‘underdog’ – it’s like you really have nothing to lose. That’s how I felt this past Sunday. I had checked the results from the last couple of races and I knew who the guys were to mark – since its been the same couple of guys on top each race – I was specifically looking for Allison Anjos and Joe Vietro. I knew there were a couple of other guys who were fast but I didn’t know what they looked like, so I just figured I’d keep an eye out for those two. The weather was a bit on the chilly side but I figured once we got going hard in the race we’d warm up pretty quick and I was right.
I had a not so good start – mainly was just in the wrong gear so when they blew the horn – I was slow motion pedaling. I finally got going and the first straight away headed downhill towards a gate which was wide enough for 1 rider at a time. I hit the first trail in around 8th or 9th place and realized that I needed to move up really quick. I could see on the front was Anjos and Vietro and a couple of other guys. I knew that if I sat in for too long on the first climbs I’d get bogged down behind the other guys and would lose touch, so I made a couple of passes and after the creek-crossing (COLD) I was in about 6th place in a line with everybody. I was watching for Anjos to attack because he was in 2nd and once we started climbing – he made his move so I jumped with him. This popped a couple more guys and know there were only four of us – I knew that at the top of the climb – the trail pops into single track for the downhill portion and I wanted to be on a good wheel at that part, so I moved up into third right before the top and now it was Anjos, Vietro, and me. Right where I wanted to be!!!! There were now two guys right behind me also, so I knew I had to be good on the downhill part – because in this class, one slip-up and you lose position really fast. We were flying down this trail – called the ‘Cadillac Trail’ even though it’s totally not smooth and Vietro slid out so I went around him and was now sitting right behind Anjos in second. Came out of this section and hit the next trails which start off flat but have some rooty climbs towards the end. It seemed like Anjos slowed down a good bit which was fine with me. I sat on his wheel and recovered a little bit. At this point now there was about 5-6 of us rolling along. At one downhill section with roots and sand on the bottom – Anjos slid out so I went around him and now I was leading the race – it sounded like some of the other guys got caught up with Anjos so now there was only me and one other guy riding off the front. This year they shortened the lap a little bit due to some construction, so as I’m riding – I keep thinking there should be some climbs coming up, but then all of a sudden we pop out next to the BMX track, which is always at the end of the lap…. SWEET! At this point I’m feeling good, riding with some guy on my wheel – all by ourselves. I roll the bmx track and pump a few backsides and jump some of the rhythm section – opening up a full straight-away gap without even trying!! I hit the feedzone but didn’t need a bottle so I slowed down to fully recover and just to check out the 2nd place guy. At this point, the guy rides by me in full attack mode – I jump back on his wheel and we’re rolling through for lap two. Didn’t recognize the guy but he looked strong, so I stuck his wheel and decided to let him set pace. The whole time – I’m thinking I’m in perfect position – off the front, totally comfortable, and not doing the work!!! Solid. We fly up the climbs and I’m feeling really good, but everytime we hit a flat road section, the dude looks back and just attacks hard from the saddle – those were the only times that it got really hard, but I’d just sit on his wheel and let him work. This happens a few more times and I realize that this guy is strong – also, we’re putting time on the two guys behind us. I’d see Anjos and Radd every once in awhile, but each time I realize that there not really gaining on us. At this point, I decide that if this guy is gonna keep attacking and we’re putting time on 3rd & 4th place, then as long as he doesn’t slow down, I’ll sit in and let him work. I wasn’t sure how I was gonna feel on the fourth lap, so I didn’t want to go up front and blow up only to get passed by Anjos and Radd at the end. So this guy motions for me to come through at one point, but its up a climb and I’m drinking from my bottle, he notices that I’m not pulling through and then he throws down a super hard effort…… dumb. So now I know that he’s not hurting, but he wants me to pull him around – this guy is strong just not smart. Its not gonna happen. He starts yelling something in Spanish to me and I just yell back – “Dude, I’m hurtin. I can’t attack right now. Just go.” I wasn’t sure if he wanted me to work for him, but since he was attacking me, I didn’t see the point in pulling through. That wouldn’t have been smart. So I sit back on his wheel and we’re almost through the last lap. He gaps me a little here and there, but he must’ve started fading, because he’d make some stupid little mistakes on his lines and I’d be right back on him. “Somebody’s getting sloppy” – I thought to myself!! Perfect because I was now recovered and feeling pretty good. Weaving in and out of lapped riders, we finally pop out onto the BMX Track and climb up the starting hill – I totally expected this guy to start hauling – but I took off down the first straightaway and I went into BMX mode. By the way, I was 2002 Florida State BMX Champ in 21-21 Expert Class, was ranked 5th nationally in 2001, and got invited to race on the USA Worlds BMX team as an elite amateur that year. It’s been a while, but I still know how to ride a track……… I hit the first straight in full sprint, speed rolled the step-up and got perfect backside, went into each berm in full attack mode with elbows flared and pulled out in full wheelie torque mode!! It was awesome. I hit the little rhythm section and rolled, rolled, jumped, jumped and then looked back and realized I had about a two-straightaway lead – popped through the gate and headed towards the finish line for my first expert win!! Way stoked. It was a perfectly executed race from a tactical standpoint. Maybe I could’ve done some more work but hey, that’s racing!!! I know the 2nd place guy (Ernesto Toledo) was probably pissed that he worked the whole race only to get nipped at the end. Maybe next time, he won’t try to attack the rider that he wants to try to share the work with.
So all in all – a great race for me. Radd ended up having to pull out on the last lap because of a rock that sliced his tire in two spots – if that wouldn’t have happened I totally think he would’ve gotten third place. Karel even had a great race placing either 6th or 7th. He’s a good dude, and getting faster with each race.
Next up, I’m gonna run in the Outback Distance Classic – Half-Marathon. I’d love to go sub 1:30, but mainly just want to beat my time from last year. That’s at the end of November. I might try to throw in another mtb race if I can. It sure is fun racing, when you’re fit.
It was a fun ride -- it's right at 30 miles and everybody is riding a mountain bike with slicks and a couple of guys have bought or built up some hybrid-type bikes with 700c. I think one guy is on a cyclocross bike also. It's definitely a different ride and it goes back through a bunch of neighborhoods - starting in Jax Beach, south and then back through PonteVedra, heads north through Jax Beach into Neptune Beach, then to Atlantic Beach and then retraces back to Jax Beach. 98% of the ride is on back roads. It gets pretty dark so everyone has lights on. A few stretches of the ride are designated 'Sprint Points' but we regroup afterwards and speeds usually average around 14-18mph. It's WAY better than sittin on the trainer, that's for sure.