Finally, the long awaited race report from the Fat Tire Challenge in Sigel Pa last Sunday June 17th is here. As I stated in a previous post the course was nothing short of spectacular as was the weather. We arrived early like we normal do to such events. Meet and talked with Mike White (race director/promoter) to discuss a few course questions, registered and prepared for the days pain. Looking around I saw a few familiar faces from the Pittsburgh area which was pleasing to know there would be some good competition. I unloaded the.......
Fisher Rig Single speed and prepared it for the upcoming "battle" with an arsenal of bike tech gadgets like my new Garmin Edge 305 GPS. This bike hadn't been raced since last season and I could see the blood thirst wit
hin it like a rabid creature. I could hear the faint whisper from my mind saying "open the gates..open the gates I need to go! I was just as excited to be mounting my previous race steed as i was to be riding this new course and my anticipation to get riding was multiplying ten
fold every minute. With only 50 some riders registered the pre race meeting was short & to the point which got us on the line quick. Excellent few kind words wishing us racers a safe fun race and the air horn was sounded! I jumped to the front pulling the peleton of racers up the small grade on the gravel road start. Cresting the hill another rider (using a multi geared bike) pulled up and offered his rear wheel to help me, a quick thanks and then I yelled out a few directions since I was very familiar with the course because of pre-riding yesterday. A nice left into the trails and I was back upfront spinning like a tornado with the 32x19 drive train on the flat open section. Within minutes we where on the descent & picking up speed. Once again I was lucky to have been familiar with the course which helped me lead the group through the single track like a slot car! I was pulling front wheel x ups and accenting the small jumps like a BMX rider all the while getting points from those following as they laughed. By the time the course had us at the lowest elevation and about to start the 2+ mile ascent we had broken from the main pack into a small group of 4. Still pulling up front I warned of the steady climb ahead and tried to set a breaking pace to drop a few from our new group. It worked & by the very top it was only one other and myself, so as we hit the dirt lane he again pulled up front and offered his rear wheel which I took. He and I talked and worked together for the remaining mileage of the first lap trading off positions periodically. Starting into the second lap as it started to downpour which was refreshing, he took the front and remained there until we again reached the same dirt lane. At this point realizing that I was still hanging in with the single speed he made his move to drop me on the open flat section clearly pulling out of site quickly as my legs once again formed a funnel cloud with the surrounding dirt from my ultra high cadence. I just didn't have enough to hang on to him. Never the less I continued on feeling fairly well for the first time in months. maybe it was the bike? We had a great history together and its more than likely my favorite of all in the basement. Anyway i stuck with it and rolled across the line less than 2 1/2 mins behind the leader. This made me happy.
Michelle did the double loop race (expert) and also did well with a second place finish but more importantly she felt good and completed the course faster than some men. All of this will help make the jump to expert a little easier if she so chooses to do so. At least she now knows she's capable of racing the extra mileage.
Seriously put this race on Que for next year... its worth it.
A Big thanks to Fisher 29ers, TO, Bob Myers, Trek of Pgh, Nike Cycling products, Serfas glasses, Bontrager components, Boone Ti, the Heart Center, PA DCNR & the Dept of Forestry and the great state of Pennsylvania for the awesome landscapes & forests!
stork
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