I am 3rdiest......MOM opener Bavington TT

So lets start with some simple math.

I won money today, actually the first time I have ever won money MTB racing.

2 Jackson's I am a rich!

but since I paid 20 to enter I only really won this.

I then went to Mad Mex to consume

and this

which left me with this

long story sort you cant get rich racing bikes, especially when you like limey alcoholic drinks as much as I do.

ok on to the Bavington TT

Month of Mud(MOM) is how I got started bike racing in 2006. I remember the first time I ever did this TT it took me 56 minutes to complete it. So 43:34 this year wasnt so bad.

So signing up in the morning I notice how many people are there. 192 to be exact. second biggest MOM ever. I go get my number and I am 220, meaning there is already 20 people in SS. There would end up being 28 people in SS. I am almost sure that is the biggest SS class ever at MOM. 

I see lots of old and new faces. Justin is surprised to see me on a wagon wheeler. I am surprised by just how many fast people are there. My goal was a good placing going in to the race. Seeing all of the fast guys on lighter bikes has me hoping for just a top ten. Aaron S run expert....why I dont know. So new goal is to beat my last year's time of 42:59. I am actually thinking that there is no way I am going to be top ten in the field. 

so preride/warm up done. down a Gu take on water, let out water.  Spin down the road to try to not enter the course cold.

Line up, my friable attempt at a track stand works and shoot up the first hill. The first section of singletrack feels ok besides the fact that I am buried with in a couple minutes seemingly not recovering. I am trying to control my breathing, but it just is not happening. I love anaerobic! eh not. at least I am going faster than a turtle down the trail and despite the hurt can keep going.

cross the first road you can see me trying my best to not lose my lungs. Hey look my shirt is actually zipped up. photo by Benjamin Stephens

now we are in the meat of the singletrack at bavington. for those of you that dont know, Bavington has some really twisty fun singletrack. Its not technical from a normal stand point but is technical when you start trying to go as fast as possible down it. its tight and require you to be on your game to find your flow. I love this course cause I loove turns and basically its a couple hundred different turns that I now have memorized down in 8 miles. For those of you that dont know Bavington has about 40 miles of awesome trail when its not all over grown.

In this section I am doing well, I pass a couple guys dont make any mistakes and overall my go slower and smooth strategy is at least making it so I am not hitting my handlebars off everything. I even make the climbs going pretty fast. My only real mistake is slowing down to get my jersey unzipped just so everyone can see how hairy my chest is.

cross the road still doing well, heart rate still pegged but its not slowing me down much. TT hurts so much more than enduro races. catch some more people. I was expecting to have been caught be Jay Blews or Darin Shriver, but they havent caught me yet and they havent come. Hit my favorite turn of the whole course(a  left hander at like 15 mpher up a hill), cruise though to "the Drop" and at the drop I finally get my heart rate down.

The Drop

This makes me laugh

cross the road up till the second last section of singletrack and now I can really start to hammer on the straights. everything is still smooth. Untill the dreaded hairpin left handed cliff side that goes straight up hill. damn it dab. It would be my only mistake the whole race though and Ill take it. Flow though this section. out to the road....

Hike a bike next, I pass 2 guys on the hike a bike huffing and puffing like a mad man. Very much like Carson passed me last year. Flow though the last section, love the couple quick rollercoaster type up and downs. Hit the finish. 

told you I had a hairy chest...dont worry girl if thats not your thing it can all be gone as well.

Finish i look and feel like death for what is sure a bad place. 

bad news 

I didnt beat my last years time. 43:34 this year 42:59 last year. I am thinking 29ers might be slower at bavington.

good news

Noone caught me and only Evan and Justin beat me in Class. I stayed ahead of alot of people who I thought for sure would catch me. So far 3rd is my best finish in an expert category. I am actually quite stoked on it. Results

more good news not that bavington is known for flats but the new Hutchison Toro tubeless ready was awesome. Rolled well, gripped better in turns than the ignitors, was easy to grip while pedaling, and most importantly DID NOT FLAT. Its good enough for absalon I guess its good enough for me. ran it at 24 psi.

So thats all, looking to try to do well again at Brady's Run for round 2. I also might be going to the Pyclocross race on Saturday at Kent State. For sure doing Brady's Run though, hoping to see another huge field of one speeders out there.