April 22, 2008 - Root 66 Race Series #2: Winsted Woods

Root 66 Race Series #2: Winsted Woods

The title of this race should have been: pick your lines carefully!When I have started to race again this year, I chose the mottoof "race smarter, not harder" to get me through the season. This wasa race where this was going to be especially true. The course was afour mile lap of challenging climbing and technical descending thatNew England mountain biking is known for. Before the start of therace, I had a chance to ride a little of the course and I immediatelyrealized this was a course where I would need to keep my wits aboutme and not loose my focus, or pay w/ my front teeth if I did. It wasone of those courses where you have to not only keep tract of therocks or roots right in front your wheel but also of how the terrainwould twist and divide ten feet ahead so you could pick the rightline.We had 3 laps in sports which was going to be a challenge. Not beinga contender for the top 10 finish, when the gun went off, Istarted "roady style", nice and easy, letting the pack race up thefirst technical climb. I knew this was going to be a race ofattrition. Half way through the first lap, I was already wonderinghow I was going to be able to complete 2 more laps: my whole body wasaching from either climbing or being out of the saddle whiledescending. The only way to recover I told my self would be to slowdown on the climbs and find a sustainable pace, and then just bombthe downhill sections. This ended up working and I was able tofinish the race in 22nd place out of 28 :-PBoth Mike and I made it out in one piece! I went over the bars onlytwice w/out getting hurt. At one point during the last lap I passeda guy who went over the bars so hard in a rock garden, I though hehad snapped his bike in half. He did get up (slowly) and was able tofinish. The weather ended up being perfect again and the twistyrooty rocky descends were a blast. I would say this is most likelymy favorite race out of the whole root 66 race series.Farmington is next sunday. This is a very fast and twisty course.People even show up w/ their cross bike (though they never win as itis just a little easier w/ a mtb bike). If you have been thinkingabout getting your mtb bike dirty, this is the race. Usually a hugeroady turnout. I'll have one more space in my car if anyone wants aride...