This is a mid-week MTB race held at Wakefield Rec Center right off the beltway at Braddock Rd. They have two start times and run muliple fields with staggered starts. The course itself is typical midatlantic terrain with lots of rots, rocks, short power climbs and a rough descent. Conditions were dry for the most part but we did have three small stream crossings.
I lined up for the Vet 35+ class, a three lap event and started behind the Singlespeeders. We had a field of 20 and after the start, I managed to get into the top 10 as we hit the first section of singletrack. Exiting out into the open field I picked up another spot or two as we hit the longest of the singletrack sections. If any of you ride at wakefield, this is the area of woods to the left of the powerlines and includes the trails along the creek. I managed to move past a few more guys and keep the leaders in sight. Most of your climbing is done in this section as you criss-cross over the hill that dominates the landscape. Coming out of the woods and into the open field underneath the powerlines, I was holding on to 5th place, ready to make up some ground on the leaders. This was a big U turn running to the far western edge of the park then turning back and going to the east end, up a long gradual climb before the quick downhill. This was big ring terrain and I used it to close in on the top three. Down the big hill and into a right/left turn, across a stream and up into the last section of singletrack we were starting to encounter the slower SS riders and it made for some tricky passing as we approached the finishing area.
To begin the second lap, the course ran up a little embankment and back into some more singletrack. This is a newer section of the trail network and I have little to no time on it. It has slow, downhill switchbacks and an off-camber climb back out to the first set of singletrack. I was still sitting in fourth position as we entered the woods and I made my move past the two guys I am was and started to put the hammer down. It was hard to tell where the leader was because we were riding into the back end of the field of women/beginners and more SSers. Out of the woods and into the open field, I had guys on my tail but I keeping the pace high to keep them working. Down the hill and through the last bit of singletrack to start the last lap, they were still there with me. I botched the entrance to the new section (again) and one guy got through on me. Fine, I will sit on him as long as he is making good time. He was able to open small gaps on me but I came right back at him and kept the pressure on, never showing my wheel but he knew I glue to him. Out of the woods and into the big clearing one last time, we passed some back markers as we made our way to the top the hill for the descent. I almost lost it on the descent but I managed to make the right/left turn across the creek and into the final singletrack section right on his tail. This guy was really going hard and it wasn't going to be hard to pop him going into the sprint. Up over the last rise and I was still right there, waiting, and as I went to shift into my big ring and it won't go. I kept thumbing my shifter and it finally picks up BUT he has opened up a nice gap and I was over-geared for the sprint.
I finished in 3rd position, not bad for my 5th MTB race, ever. I'll be back next week to right the situation. We were less than a minute behind 1st. Other EVO finshers included Eric Ivey destroying the Beginner field and Rodrigo improving over last weeks performance to finish 2nd in a very tough Sport field. So Evo takes 1, 2 and 3. Looks like we have the makings for a strong team for any 24 hour race