Now this race, I thought I did good because I really tried this time and had one of the funnest races in my career. Before starting, I warmed up for 45 minutes or so and I felt pretty good and was ready to roll. I got my heart rate up and started really good. I passed Aaron, Ryan, and another guy on the service road at the starting of the race but I couldn't catch up with Greg, nobody can. So I held on 2nd place on the singletrack like during the first 30 minutes, about halfway of the race then Ryan and Aaron passed me right where the half loop splits. Then I tried to keep up with them but I was more like 2-3 minutes behind them at the end. At the top, I saw Ladd and I was going to catch up with him and I did at the last part of the climb. He did start 3 minutes earlier than I did so I was pleased to catch up with him. On the fun downhill, Ladd and I literally tried to pass this guy that was in front of him, the guy was going slower but trying to pass somebody going downhill is somewhat impossible. But we never did pass him at all. At the finish after a dusty downhill, I never felt so tired and thirsty because I ran out of water at the top and I didn't slurp down a gel during the race, I should have though. It's really hard to get in the jersey pocket with all the singletrack riding and grab a gel and eat it. I need to sometime just slow down for a few seconds and do that so I can have energy for the remaining of the race. It was a hot, dusty, rocky race and I loved it! There were not really major steep climbing, just a fun middle chain ring twisty singletrack climb. Everybody else liked it and I hope they will have it again next year. I actually stayed and got a 5th place ribbon!
