NORBA @ Cape...Etc

This was a good race, the first I have done in a while. I began the race feeling about 80%. The Drag race start really took it out of me, but I kept the pace going. A missed turn put me back to 6th place, and took me about a lap to catch up to 3rd. By the time I started the third lap, I was worked, unable to sustain the high end power. I lost my aggression when Scott P. passed me, and from there on all I cared about was a DNF. That would bruise my confidence more than a bad race. Scott and I traded places a few times in the race, he was rocking a SS in the sport race. Christopher had a bad fork, so bar rowed my bike. Congrats to him for manning up and performing well in his first expert race. Bold move man. The course really caught me off guard. The reports coming in explained it as similar to SIUE, with some (2) climbs. The amount of climbing was pretty brutal. 2 big climbs, with several smaller steeper sections, that had me out of the saddle and in the top of the cassette by the last two laps. Throw in some technical bike handling, and some skinny bermed corner, and you have a tough course. Its the type of course that you really enjoy racing. The locals really had the course dialed.

Probably will take a few weeks off of racing and riding for that matter. My legs are tired, and the motivation is slipping. That is the biggest thing I have going for me, it is what keeps me out of a negative mood. The spread on my HR for the race was out of its normal range 168 avg, and 187 max. it is usually within 10 beats for the performance. Some rest has been recommended, and should be the ticket to get me back in the right frame of mind. I just need to find something to do to keep me busy.

Both days this weekend had me up at 4:30am. Saturday I was the pit boss for Zach and Keeven. They showed up with their A game in KC for RIM. This was a good scene. I enjoyed chatting with team segual, and watching Mesa dominate the 6 hour race. Zach took 3rd overall, Keeven took First overall, on a SS. I got a chance to ride the RIM course. The middle section was brutal. I was familiar with the rest of the course, parts of it were used in the two previous xc races this summer. I went back for more of that flowy stuff. The rim job trail was pretty technical. I cannot imagine riding 7 laps on that stuff. Zach and Matt made it through and still had enough positive energy for the ride home. I slep straight through in the back seat of the war wagon.