Winter Short Track #5... the Final Pound Down

Just to bring you up to speed, here's how the series went so far...

Race #1:  Surprise myself.  Pull out a third place.  Dubiously encouraging performance.

Race #2: More surprises.  Second place.  I decide to do the whole series based on the making of two great bike races in a row.

Race #3: Start my diet by reducing my caloric intake on Feb 1st, the day before the race.  I bonk hard and finish 7th.  This does not surprise me in the least.

Race #4: I decide to do everything in my power to do well, including eating enough for two people four apples tall for an entire week and optimizing my bike setup for short track racing (sorta).  Pull a third place out of my butt. Due to the fact that it was a double points race, I solidify my second place overall lead on third (TJ) from three points to seven.

Race #5:  Was going to postpone the resumption of my diet until after the final race.  Then the race got postponed a week due to snow, and I chose to go ahead and get it going again while The Pie was outta town regardless of logic or reason.  So starting this past Thursday, less calories, more grumbly tumbly.  Then in order to dig my hole deeper on Saturday, I head out the door at 9:30AM for Tour duh Charlotte related trail work prepared for a four hour experience.  We don't leave the woods until 5:00PM and by that time, I can hardly carry tools back to the truck.  Feeling as if I deserve a short break from being the single dad, I stay up until 1:30AM watching Zac and Miri Make a Porno and drinking beer on the couch.

Now you're caught up.

I had to drive over to the race because I had Nia with me.  The word I kept thinking over and over again on the way over?  Apathy.

Or was it apathetic?

Either way, I was just not in the mood to make great bike race.  I wanted this racing stuff done last week.  I was hoping to resume normal mountain biking operations on some level, and with temps climbing to near 70° and trails that had been closed for weeks just opening up, it woulda been the time to do it.

But no.  I'm racing.

The race starts.  Going into the woods, I found myself behind everybody that woulda mattered.  Chase, TJ, Pew Pugh, and interloper of the week, Rich Tsui.  I put some effort in at the end of the lap and came around Pew Pugh before it was over.

Zac came up and joined me for some effort sharing...

photo cred: Mudman

and then Zac dropped me... and then Bruce Stauffer came around both of us.  I could see TJ sticking with the top three and I began to come up with conspiracy theories.  He is on the same team with Chase... I know my friends would drop a place if it would help me move up... if Chase let TJ beat him, Rich Tsui does the same, Zac and Bruce beat me... how many more people getting past me will it take for me to lose my "secure" second in the overall?  I can see Colin and another rider only about twenty seconds back.  Sheee-it.  Some regrets are starting to be felt, but I really liked Zac and Miri Make a Porno.
I decided I needed to catch back up to Zac.

photo cred: Nia

I slowly crawled back up to Zac and he let me by... and then stuck to my wheel.  After a couple laps of this, I could see TJ just ahead and that's all I needed to know.  He fell off the lead group and Bruce had gotten by him.

With one to go, Zac asked me if his beating me would make a difference in the points.

"No. Please go (away)."

He left and I limped into the finish, sixth place on the day...

Second in the Winter Short Track Series Single Speed Class overall.

photo cred: Kurdt

So glad it's over.  There were some pleasant moments in there, but I really forgot how hard it is to race for that many weeks in (basically) a row, forgoing all fun rides for over a month.  This hangover will linger, I promise.

So looking forward to the Winter Short Track Series of 2017.

All in all, a nice haul for the Faster Mustache team. Fifth in the team standings and three riders on the final podium (Zac and The Gentle Ginger made the box yesterday as well). Good start to a great year for FM CLT.