manions

Friday we set up the course in 90d temps. It was hot and uncomfortable.  While I was mowing mr. stitches I actually cut both my shins and sort of ruined my race weekend.

The next day it was pouring down rain.  I glued my tubulars on thursday aired them up to 70, and threw my bike in the pit saturday, never checking tire pressure, or even if my bike was going to work.

I was going to ride the hydraulic sram red 11 bike with xg tires front and rear.  2 reasons for this.  The back tire wasn't bald, and the front had a 36t instead of a 40t.


I got a descent start, but on the 3rd turn I grabbed my left brake hard and forgot that I was riding a bike different from the bike I had been riding the last 3 weeks. I went down quick and from there it was just a muddy scramble of a mess.

After 2 laps I got on my pit bike, 70psi with a slick rear tire didn't go that well but good enough, until my wolf tooth narrow/wide ring didn't keep my chain on it after it was covered with 9lbs of mud.


I finished the race, somewhere around 8th place.  Luckily I didn't lose the 2 awesome pork sandwiches I ate an hour prior.



Sunday was better.  I dropped 35 psi from my tires.  Started in the back row.  Ate too much before my race again.  But kept my bike from getting broke.


Much more of a fitness course, more dry, more heat in the air, I just didn't have the power. I felt heavy on my bike both days.  Just fat and slow.  I tried to go fast, but it made my chest hurt... just not in race shape yet. Again somewhere around 8th place.