Tuesday, June 13, 2017

Best Race in a While

SERC make up and GSC #4 (?).  Acworth Ga., short track (ST)Saturday pm with the cross country (XC) Sunday am.

Racing two weekends in a row, you'd think it would get old, but I found myself looking forward to this past weekend.  It was a family affair again, I'm so glad The Kid still enjoys going with the old people.  We left Beautiful Downtown Havana early so we could stop by Atlanta Cycling to cash in our $150.00 worth of gift cards, prizes from our (so far) successful series.  We arrived at the venue in time to make a practice lap of the XC course and a lap of the ST.  The XC trail was tight and bumpy, lots of roots with a couple of rock features to keep you on your toes.  The ST was mostly two track with a section of tight single track thrown in.  Both pretty fun.

Short Track


The yellow wave went off first in the ST.  The Kid had a good ride with first in his class.  I lined up with the rest of the white wave.  Some kids and younger girls were lined up on the front row, I have no idea why.  I led the wave until the single track where I let a couple go by me.  My class competition was way behind me.  I had a great race with the 50+ base guys, out sprinting one of them for 4 overall.  ST's are fun.  I won my class and put another point up on my rival (DD).  No rain was forecast for Sunday, which is a first time in the last two races.

Chili's

Dinner was at our regular race restaurant, Chili's.   We haven't had a bad meal at one yet.  Beer was cold, chips were salty.  I just don't know why people take babies and small children into the bar section of a restaurant.  Of course they surround my table.

Race Day

The Kid went off at 9:30.  He got a good start and was running in the top 3 on the first lap.  He cramped on the last lap but still managed to get 3rd in a field sprint of 5.  IMHO a respectable result in the 19-39 cat 2.  He didn't seem pleased but I don't think he has much to complain about.  I'm super proud of his commitment to racing bikes, I just want him to ENJOY THE PROCESS.


The 60+ class went off at 11:30.  We had 7 lined up, which meant there were a couple of new faces.  I got the holeshot and led going into the woods with one of the new guys rubbing my back wheel on every corner.  I offered to let him by but he declined, it was then I figured out he was a local and knew the trail very well.  After we pulled away from the rest he confirmed it.  I let him by when I pulled over and faked having trouble getting my bottle out.  Once he was in the front the pace slowed enough I could rest.  In the open field at the start/finish I was able to draft him, I stayed on his wheel until we hit the long open straight to the finish.  I coughed loudly to cover my downshift, stood up, and out sprinted him.  What a feeling.  You would have thought I'd won a national.  Damn I was pumped.


Anyhoo, DD finished 5th I think.  I'm not sure what this does to the points in SERC.  I needed 6 to tie him.  We'll see.  In the GSC this should give me the series, provided I finish Helen.  We got $80 worth of gift cards to Atlanta Cycling, so guess where we stopped on the way home.



I can't believe the two series are almost over.  From racing Macon in the snow to burning up in Atlanta it's been an experience.  I really thought I'd have trouble doing well, even in the base class.  I've worked hard trying to get my fitness back after THE CRASH and it's starting to pay off.   I've enjoyed every event and even grown to like the traveling (maybe not the trip home on Sunday).  Not having to do the extra lap in the sport class makes a difference on Monday.  Base class is fun!


I go into the last round in Helen one point down on DD in the SERC series and in the lead in the GSC.  There's another ST on Saturday before the XC on Sunday.  I have a pretty good shot at winning both.  

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