Looking back at 24 hours today, everyone is revelling in how good of a good time it was. For me, it was fun 1 hour intensity training, and a really good team participation/teambuilding event for our company. Lots of guys are all fired up about mountain biking, it seemed to rekindle the kid inside. It didn't feel much like a race to me, other than the first lap, since it doesn't really jazz me up to go blowing by people at twice the speed in the middle of the night when they're just struggling to complete it... I have nothing to prove to them, seems better just to offer encouragement. Courtesy seemed to be the attitude that worked best, although it was a little scarce out there from my perception? Heard a few cranky voices shouting "track" on the bunched up climbs.
Cory Wallace and Lonn Bate had great races, as did Dallas and Gerry. I'm also very impressed with the deadgoat team who did some great times on singlespeeds. Spent a lot of time talking to other deadgoat and other teams who were braving the weather (pretty challenging at times!), although I didn't see them as frequently on the laps...
My physio appointment confirmed what I'd felt... that whole going down at sprint speed then getting footprints on my back in my moments of being trampled then sprinting to make up places for 600m with an awkward gait to keep my right shoe on (note to self for next year, no boa system quick release buckes on the start lap shoes) wasn't the hottest thing for my back... minor progress setback it seems. I like how the physio is going though, I've never liked superficial "treatments" much... and this certainly isn't superficial. Feels very helpful.
Having said that, I'm pumped for the le mans start next year if we do a corp team again, I think based on how it was starting out I could have been higher up in the run... might have to work on beating those old personal best 400m times now that I've built up the engine for a few years! I'm not being bashful, next time it's front row, and someone else prove you're faster by passing me in the open, none of this elbows up crap. I won't take up an ounce of anyone else's space with my elbows in a few strides ahead of the bulk of the normal curve.
My only other pet peeve about that race stemmed from having our tent site right next to the feed zone. The solo riders either knew how to feed on a bike, or were just tired enough that they were moving slow enough for a reasonable feed. Many of the team participants in my mind had it pretty mixed up. If you're on a team, doing 1 hour laps, you don't need a feed. You can eat and drink before in appropriate quantity to last 60 minutes of exercise. ie. you don't need to come blasting through the flat, paved feedzone, showboating how you can pedal a mountain bike 35kph because your legs are fresh, while trying to take a paper cup of water from a volunteer, meanwhile splashing half of it on the volunteer and half on the ground... not to mention those who then actually said or gestured as if there was a problem with the feed system or the skill of the volunteers. Mental note - if Bakke volunteers for feed zone duty, keep sticks away otherwise I'd be jamming a few in the spokes of the clueless. What you're proving by doing this is that a) you're inconsiderate, and b) you haven't taken the time to carry one tiny waterbottle for your one lap. Gimme a break, save the volunteers efforts for someone who really needs it. Carry a bottle if you need that sip through your 1 hour lap, or slow down to a reasonable speed. Just my 2 cents.
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