Built Ford Tough MTB series
An Epic Day:
This weekend’s Built Ford Tough race in North Miami, FL was wet and sloppy. Just twenty minutes before the start the overcast skies opened up. This added to the already saturated 11 mile course. I waited the rain out under a pavilion and talked fishing with one the locals. He seemed impressed with our sport, but I don’t think we’ll see him on the starting line any time soon. Due to the complaints of the local riders at past races, race organizer Dave Berger decided to include all the trails Oleta River State Park had to offer. At just over 11 miles the course is very challenging when dry. It can be very fast, but the roots and rocks take there toll on your whole body and mind.
This race is not part of the series I have been participating in, but since I am going to miss next weekend’s race in Belleview due to my solo attempt at the 12 Hours of Markham Park I had to make up a race for the points.
While warming up for the race and dodging the rain, I began to see the first wave finishers coming in. By the looks of things this was going to a tough race. Everyone was dirty and there were not too many smiling faces. I ran into Barb and Clint Perigard cooling down while I was warming up. Clint had just finished 2nd in the 40-49 Beginner class, congrats! Barb decided not to race in this mess and her friend, Jane, had just won her first MTB race in her first attempt. Lucky her, it took me a couple of tries (years) before I won the first time.
Ahhh, the start of a race! The butterflies in your stomach, the nervous routines we all go through, that sudden need to use the restroom one more time. I have been very consistent with all my starts this season. Horrible every time and this time was no different. It was the worse yet. I had stood there just before the starting horn visualizing how I would jump off the line with whirlwind speed and aggression to get the hole shot. Well that didn’t work. My foot slipped off the pedal. Luckily Specialized has very low stand-over height. No hole shot for me, I was dead last. I quickly got going though and followed the group of 9 into the single track.
The group stayed pretty tight for the first mile and I managed 2 quick passes because guys were sliding all over the place in the mud. It was pretty hectic while everyone tried to find their rhythm. The first 3 miles were all single track, but I managed to move to 6th place by the time we hit the only long open section outside of the start/finish area. It is about a ½ mile long. My five competitors were in a pace line a hundred yards ahead of me. I attacked. I was quickly in the group and they were not working together any more. The line fell apart as we hit puddles that stretched across the road. The fastest line was on the outside where the puddles were not so deep, so those of us that could get there benefited. I continued to attack as my heart rate monitor beeped its disapproval. This section ends with a hard left back into the single track. Then I could recover.
After a very short recovery I decided I needed a bigger gap to feel comfortable. At least two or three of the five were still right behind me. The single track was difficult to pull way in. Still I managed to shake all but one of them. That was OK. He would be good motivation to ride hard, but not too much pressure. Then we caught up to the back of the women’s expert group, one of which was not real keen on letting me pass. The trail was very tight and twisty. She was offering me spots to pass, but they were impossible to take due to the near 180 degree turns. I went for a couple and nearly went down. I sat in for minute and hoped the trail would open up. My competitors were catching back up. I was getting very impatient. I went for a pass I should not have and wound up going over the handle bars. The three guys in my class who had caught back up with me rode through. Two of them rode over my bike! I was not a happy camper. I’m glad my mother couldn’t hear what I was saying at that moment.
I jumped back on my bike, well at least tried. My saddle was turned about 40 degrees to the left and my front brake was dragging. I had to stop again. During my last race my seat post had slid down, so just before the race I tightened it real good. In my panic to get going again I feared I would need a tool to get the leverage needed to release it. Luckily it came free. I re-adjusted the saddle and reset my front wheel so the brake would not rub. Just as I was getting back on, two other racers I had passed were coming up the trail toward me. I was back on the bike though and finally moving again.
It took another ten minute before I was really focused on what I was doing again. When I was done blaming everyone else on the course for my bad luck so far I decided to see just how far back I was. I rode as hard as I could sustain. I also concentrated on staying up right. It was not easy. The roots were very slippery, the puddles were deep and the course was some what unfamiliar to me. I did not make it down on Saturday to pre-ride, but I have ridden at Oleta more than a dozen times in the past. When I rode through the start/finish line I had not caught anyone yet. One more lap, 11 miles to go.
I passed some familiar faces that were shouting encouragements at me and gave me an idea of how far out I was. It always helps to hear some one cheering for you. It also helps to know you are only 30 seconds back from the next guy. I really started to push myself. I stood up out of every turn, I tucked down during the open sections, and I looked as far ahead as I could for the fastest line. I caught the guy in front of me. Only two left.
It was five miles from the end when I saw the next guy I needed to pass. He was about 45 second ahead of me. I tell this by seeing him on a part of the trail that was ahead of me and then guessing the time it took me to get to the same spot. With only about a mile and half left I finally caught and passed him. The last mile of single track, known as “Davies”, was a twisty rock garden. It had actually improved since that last time I rode it, but it was still not pleasant. I was able to get a couple of seconds between myself and the guy behind me through this section. Then my first and only drive train issue of the day happened. It was just a brief moment of chain suck, when the chain “sticks” to the chain ring and then locks against the frame. It was not a big deal, it came right out, but I was so worried that I would be passed again. Luckily that did not happen.
I came out the woods in the open start/finish area. It was a half mile loop, maybe a little less. I did not see anyone else to pass. I was still too worried about gaining some time on the guy behind me to be disappointed. I have lost a sprint to him before and did not want to have that happen again. As I came through the finish line I got a couple congratulations on winning, but I corrected them.
I went and grabbed some food and water and headed over to the Intercostal for a dip to get cleaned up. Then I headed back to my truck for a while to recover. When the announcement that the results had been posted I immediately headed back to the start/finish to check how far back I was. It must have been at least a minute if I didn’t see anyone when I came out of the woods.
Not so. I had won. There was my name at the top of the list. 18 seconds ahead of second place.
It turns out the last guy I thought I had to pass, bonked and DNFed. Then it started to rain again. I had my brief moment of sunshine in an otherwise dreary day.
That’s racing folks…
Eddie O