gainesville 6 hr rumble: 1st

This past Saturday the 13th annual Gainesville college 6 hour mountain bike rumble took place.Previous years I never really took much interest in doing this race.Long drive,end of the season burnout and lack of funds where all contributing factors in my decision.Last year ,however, I made the drive up there to try and sell some raffle tickets and decided right then and there that this year I would do the race.Local,grassroots and tons of fun.On top of all that the proceeds went to charity.Sweet.

I had originally planned on doing the 6 hour race as a solo rider.Not my strong suit by any means(too short and way too fast)but figured what the hell.Then on Wednesday a buddy of mine called and asked if I wanted to do a two man team.After thinking about it (for a nano second) I agreed.Since he too is a Clydesdale we decided to enter the Clydesdale category.Our team name?"Team sand bagger."Our goal was to rip the legs off anyone who got in our way.

The day prior, rain doused all of Georgia pretty well so I didn't get to make it to the venue for the traditional pit set up and pre ride.That was ok though since I was pretty familiar with the course.I've ridden the place many times and was pretty confident there wouldn't be any surprises.Saturday morning we arrived bright and early to set up our pit.

After getting everything set up,registering and siting around waiting forever the race finally got started with the lemans start.Luckily my team mate(Big Chris) agreed to do the run.This way he could watch his son (Brady)do his first ever race.

Brady ready to rumble


Racers getting to their bikes after the lemans start



The plan was for Chris to do two laps and then I would do two.After those 4 laps we would then decide what our strategy would be for the rest of the day.

Our plan went off without a hitch,no crashes or mechanicals.Each and every lap was scary consistent with both of us doing 30 minute laps for the 6 mile loop.In the end we ended up with 11 laps.Even though we were in the Clydesdale category we ended up riding more laps than any other two man team out there that day.Not too bad.

Couple pics from the day.

Podium shot


My team mate "Big Chris"


Me making my way through the field portion of the course.The combination of 30 mph winds,soft ground and thick grass made it a struggle.

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Mark D. takes second at 12 hours of Conyers

Mark D.,owner/operator of BodyTec fitness club, began a 3 race endurance series known as the dirty spokes endurance series back in March.The series consisted of 3 races.The first,held in March,was at heritage park in Athens,Ga.This was a 6 hour race.The second was held in Winder at fort yargo state park and was a 12 hour race.The third(and final)race of the series was held this past weekend up in Conyers ,Ga. at the Olympic horse park.The same mountain bike course the 1996 Olympic mountain bike event was held.

This particular endurance series allowed racers to compete in each event and accumulate points for each race.At the end of the series those who had accumulated the most points would win their respective categories.The better you did each race the more points you would accumulate-kinda like nascar.

Going into Saturdays race I was in 3rd place overall but 4th place was only 15 points behind me.What this meant was I had to beat this rider by at least two spots.The unfortunate part was he had the potential to win the race.This meant I needed to get at least 3rd to hold onto my 3rd place overall point standings.

Racers waiting on the gun to sound

Me talking with a friend while we're waiting.

















And we're off.Only 13 more hours and 100 miles to go.

















Won't really go through a lap per lap account.Can say though,like most other 12 hour races I've done, that subsequent laps were"peeks and valleys."I'd feel really good for a lap then terrible for a lap.My feet would hurt for a lap,traps another lap,tri's another,then everything would feel better,the repeat the process all over again.Weird how that happens.Only major/consistent problem I was having was a nauseated feeling in my stomach.Was one of those feelings that felt like if I could just go ahead and throw up I would feel better.At one point I came really close to stopping and trying to make myself heave.I'm guessing that my stomach wasn't use to all the energy products I was force feeding it.I was bound and determined to take in at least 300 calories an hour.Not taking in enough nutrition was not going to knock me out of this race if I could help it.

Crossing one of the 3 creek crossings
(photo by Carl Mesta http://www.mestaphotos.us/)


As I said earlier,my goal was to stay within two places of another racer who was only 15 points behind me in the overall points for this particular race series.I couldn't finish anymore than two spots behind or I would drop from 3rd(in the series)to forth.I really wanted that 3rd place finish.

4 laps into the race I was in 5th place but still only two spots behind my rival.I've done enough of these races to know anything can happen in 12 hours and usually after 8 hours the standings start to change.8 hours of racing is usually what separates the men from the boys.After that it's all a matter of determination.My goal was to keep moving and not waste any time in the pits. I felt like I was doing a pretty good job at that so far.

On around lap 8(or so) I was told I was in second place with one guy 11 minutes behind and another 20 minutes or so.On around lap 10 I was told(on the trail)that the guy I needed to beat was out of the race.This is where knowing who my competition was would have come in super handy.I was pretty sure I could hold onto my 3rd overall spot no matter what happened but wasn't sure who the other two guys were.Could one of them be the 5th place series guy?How many points was he behind me?Could he bump me out of 3rd overall if he beat me?No time to guess now so I kept pedaling on.

Lap 12 I was certain would be my last.I was so happy riding that last lap knowing that would be the end.I was tired,my legs were cramping,I was cold and hungry.I came into the pits and luckily the first place guy was analyzing the score sheet.He was a lap up so he didn't have to worry about doing anotherHe told me I had two people behind me who could potentially do another lap .If they did another lap and i didn't then they would pull ahead of me on the very last lap.With the encouragement of a few fellow racers they talked me into doing one more lap just to be safe.Not only was I going for a 3rd place overall(my original goal)but now I was going for a second place finish in this race.Surreal to say the least.After it was over I found out I was one lap up on the two behind me.Better safe than sorry for sure but dayum that was tough doing one more lap.

That last lap was total torture and felt like it would never end.I had 'plenty" of time to get back but it felt like an eternity.One mile from the finish one of my lights went out.A little farther up the trail and it started raining.Neither could have timed themselves any better.I crossed the finish line in 12 hours and 40something minutes and secured myself a second place finish.I have never been so tired and so happy at the same time,ever.

Finishing one of many laps in the dark


After 3-4 years of doing 12 hour races this would be my first ever podium finish.Top three(overall) from right to left.


Being finished felt oh so good.


Stats

2nd place and first ever endurance race podium

12:40 ride time

111 miles ridden

15,000 feet of ascent

10,200 calories burned