W@W June 20, 2007

The local MTB race season got underway on Wednesday at Wakefield Park in Annadale. It was quite beautiful day, with perfect weather and a reasonably cool temp for this time of year with low humidity :). I have stepped up to the Sport class this year, so there's some pretty fast guys in this class, as compared to the Beginner class which I raced last season. My pre-race plan was to get out to a good start, and try to ride pretty smooth for the first half of lap #1. I also had targeted a 20 minute per lap time, which I thought would bring me in mid pack @ one hour for total ride time. I was doing great and on track for achieving my goal. On lap #1, I came in just under 20 minutes when I crossed the timing table. As lap #2 started, the racers were now pretty spread out, so I was able to hammer a little harder on this lap in the sections I had to just cruise along with the traffic on the first lap. At this point, things were going pretty good. I crossed the timing line on lap #2 at roughly 40 minutes, but I don't remember looking down at my watch, with a few guys from the team cheering me. These guys had already completed the early race, and were enjoying nice cold ODBC brews! I start the third and final lap and I'm mentally preparing to let it hang out. There a few guys that are within sight and I’m focused on pulling them in, and passing, before the finish. About half-way through the last lap, my front tire begins to wash out in the turns. I hear the dreaded sound of air coming out of my tire. Damn!!! I pull off the trail to change the tube. I didn't put the tire levers in my jersey, and of course struggled in the panic to get the tire off the rim. After about 7 minutes I get everything back together and I start rolling again. I just want to finish up and get to the beverages that are awaiting my arrival! I let a few on the Expert guys around me on the way in. My stopwatch, which I stopped while changing the tube, reads 1:01 as I cross the line. I think my total time was ~1:08. I finished 35 out of 60 racers. I think I might have been near the top 20 sans the flat. I'm still awaiting the final times to be posted on Potomac Velo's website.