O-Cup #1 Mansfield

A couple days late, but with 4 exams sandwiched in 6 days I haven't had much time for anything. After studying Saturday, then writting an exam from 2-5, then rushing to get a chain for tonights World Cup to make it to work for 5:30, getting everything ready was left to Sunday morning. Good thing I race at 1:30 now because it was tight. We (me and pap) made it to the course just before 1 and I got signed in and peeled a layer off. Warmed up for a bit solo, then with Morka, then solo again, I got in the starting pen at the very pack. So here's a vid of the start to explain part of how the beginning of my race went. Yeah, that's me, third last.

The pace wasn't very high at all but I always tend to breathe uncontollably at the start no matter how fast it is. Weird, it's not the nerves, maybe a shitty warm up technique? Or I am just brutal at starts, I'll find out in a few races. The first lap went by very quick even fealing as shitty as I was, I started to feel better on the opening climb the second time around but once back in the trails I was just fealing tired and I had lost count of the amount of crashes. I was riding with Jeff Moote when the front Elite guys came by, that was cool to see. The third time up the climb I felt awesome, this is where my race started. A couple stupid moves, but nothing major, started picking guys off and was making very good use of the big ring.

The last time up the climb I pinned in and started fealing very good. My fourth lap was my fastest lap (besides the shortened first one) and I started picking off more and more guys, I dropped my chain for the third or fourth time on one of the steep climbs, but a little on-the-go fix and remount combination ment that I didn't loose much ground at all.

I had no idea where I was, I was hoping top 10, but that didn't end up being the case. Ended up 17th out of 30. Not too bad for my first expert race, hopefully get in the top 10 at Albion and start making my way up to the podium by August.

There was no time for socializing afterwards because I was getting some sort of energy exchange/mind clearing. Pretty cool stuff, did it work? Not sure, I was able to breathe better afterwards but that could have been caused simply by the rest and the fact that I was no longer inhaling second-hand dust. Who knows? Let's just leave it at that.

Just like any race, some good things learned. I'm defenitely going to get in a much longer warm up by arriving at last 2 hours early to have some time to chill and get on the trainer for 30min before spinning around and doing some tempo/sprints. Handlebars Spring Mountain Bike Classic this weekend with Chown, he's doing it on his cross bike, should be a quick race.

Props to Etzl for his podium in Cadet ex, De Cal for a strong ride for his first time in Elite, Derek M. just missing a podium, and Jeff K. cracking the top 10 in masters. Sorry if I missed anyone, I'm studying for my philosophy exam so my brain is a little fuzzy.