Dave T's Winner, Winner, Winner...Chicken Dinner report

Dave T's Epic Mnt Bike Race Report!
Rockhopper Classic May 7, 2011
Beginner Class 45-54
Place: 1st
After 1.5 hour drive I arrived Saturday morning around 8:30am in preparation for a 10am start. I wanted to get a 1/2 half hour warmup in prep for my second race MTB of the season. I did pre-ride the course on Thursday afternoon and this course was a good one, set in the rolling hills of Lagoon Valley Park/Pena Adobe Park in Vacaville, CA, with a good amount of singletrack, climbing, and tons of switchbacks. Each lap was 9.5 miles and 1600 feet of climbing.

The classes were quite full and I there was definitely some speedy competition. The race started with a group start of all ages going at once - Yike! Should be a fun race I thought to myself if I don't blow up! My strategy was to stay in the front - top 10 - and hopefully be able to keep it up to the final climb before the final decent to the finish. My legs felt ok on the first climb, but I HR was redlining. Got a little bit of a breather on a downhill and then traverse before another steep short climb. . The second steep climb was hard but I was in "3rd overall" - good news - even though I ran into a women "sport rider" at the top- doh! After untangling myself and taking a quick breath i'm behind the saddle on a choppy steep downhill with what looks like a sharp off camber right turn at the bottom. Though the meadow I go to a small jump to do a "cool picture" but I was breathing to hard to do anything but roll over the jump. I definately need more noon rides!

Up the next big climb there was a nice 360 degree view interrupted by that cross wind gust and lots of gassed people. I took advange of this and quick peddled by the 2 other leaders and never looked back. From that point there were 2 more climbs, one fire road and 1 single track. Once finishing the final climb down to the finish I go which was a truly sweet cut-in singletrack trail on the steep hillside, that gradually made it's way down to the bottom.

Fun race and first ever first place!

Dave