ApexRacePhotography FallEpic8
Lois even took some pics...which she finally shared with me (luckily for y'all she kept my nudes to herself this time...). So, more pics saves you enduring bad writing stuffs. Sorta...
Anyways...Jaimie, NewfieSteve, and I had gone to Hardwood to preride the course a week or so ahead of the race. The first 2 or 3 kilometers was a long gradual climb...but we figured that last bit of snow fence climb could be a bit of pain by lap 6, 8, or 10....and it was. And the few technical bits (those rock garden/mounds) were easily rideable and the arounds were long enough to make for a reasonable time penalty. Then the last half of the course was almost all fast, twisty, but flowy descent. As I mentioned last post, quite possibly the fastest, funnest 8 Hour course ever...especially for a solo.
I was lucky enough to have Lois be my pit crew...and lucky that she likes to arrive early and get set up...just as I do. Good friends eventually arrived to help with pit set ups...
Or at least watch to makes sure it was all done right....
I made time to get my pre-race meal in....
Champorado...pre-race meal of champions...and me.
Sorry about the old horse eye pose in this pic...
But, better than my duck face...
Anyways I headed out for a bit of a warmup, (perfect MTB weather on this day!!) then made my way to the paddock....again too late, and again near the back....I really need to learn this lesson.
Then we were off....and I spent the first two laps picking through traffic....trying to move up...
Then near the end of the second lap, having just passed through the solo pit area...I dropped my chain. WTF?? That never happens! Struggling with a clutched rear derailleur it took me a couple of moments to get the chain back, and I carried on. However, 6 more times throughout the day, I would drop my chain. Not sure what the problem is, but it will be getting checked out...
Eventually traffic thinned out, and I did my best to make up time...but this was a very well attended event...and there were plenty of us on course. Also, for such a fun course, I came up on a surprisingly large number of crashes.
And it was great to see the Apex photographers on course....they always do such a great job of making me look like I know what I'm doing out there...
A couple of pics of friends by Apex that I picked off of FaceBonk...
Pinoy "TheSpeed" Ryder
Ken "The Meattrain"
And Lois took some pics from the pit...
NewfieSteve...not trying so hard???
Grant...always trying hard...and keeping up to his dad Seth...
Marting...kicking my arse!
And then....
Swedish Twins
What?? Swedish twins...there's always room for Swedish twins...isn't there??
Kind of like cat coasters...
Right? No??
Ummm....no....wrong Swedish twins...
Anyways...way, way off track...again.
So...this race review thing...by lap 6, or 8, or 9...I don't really remember....the suffering was starting to set in. Enough, to pull in at the pit, to restock food, get a short stretch in, and a vitamin I....and ask Lois how I was placing. I really had no idea...after the poor start, I had made some passes, and had gotten passed, and was sure there were some well ahead.
The suffer face...
"You are in 6th place", Lois answered. Ah, well. I thought I was doing better...was hoping for better. But it was a fast course, and there were some super fast competition I was up against. So I continued on...determined to do my best...and you never know what could happen in a race like this.
Nothing happened.
I remained in 6th...so I made my goal to push for 13 laps.
Finished lap 12 at 7hours26minutes...and I didn't have 33 minute 13th lap in me. I was done.
TerryS took first with 15 laps. More machine than man I think.
GordR second with 14 laps. Followed closely by Martin with 14 laps.
I wasn't even close with my 12.
But a fun course, great racing with friends, no crashes (by me!), just a great day to be on the bike!
Actually I was most impressed by this guy...
RichardBeeeef....completed 12 laps solo singlespeed...then competed in a cyclocross race the next day. Who says UKers can't be tough??
I think he may have cheated though....fueled by 4 months old bottles of perpetuem that had grown a 2cm head of mold on them...(seriously). Not sure what must be in that mold...I may have to try that.
So....that's about it for me for this MTB season, 'cept for maybe the fun race here and there. Until the fatbike season starts. I started out this season great...with a few podiums...then kind of let the last half of the season slip away...
So, for now some fun rides....but mostly get back to work shaping up for next season...I really need to be able to be competitive for a full season next year.
So...let's get at it!! What's up this weekend??
Stay posted!
Felix...amazed by it all!!
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