After my second attempt at a stage race I still feel as
though I am 0 for 2, even with a podium finish on my last attempt.
For this year’s Transylvania Epic the training was in the
legs, the bike running great and many other pieces were fitting perfectly. Travel and routine if anything was something
that I was unprepared for, and these, although I couldn’t put my finger on what
went wrong, could have been the factors that hurt me most.
The early stages went great with the legs and body feeling
great and I had been racing smart. Then
in the middle of Tuesday night I woke to a sore throat. My heart sunk of course, as I could tell
this was no dry throat, but an actual cold approaching. Immediately I knew that
the next day was my last day to race, at close to 100%.
The racecourse at Raystown, PA was so damn unreal and fast
and I put my game plan to work and hung on a wheel for most of the first lap
and a half. Then on a steep climb, I
sensed a little weakness and made and attack.
This gained me about 2 minutes on second place and got me on the top
step of the podium for my last time of the week.
The next couple days I suffered more on my bike than I can
remember ever doing. The cold had hit
the lungs and head and I just plain did not feel well. I knew the overall was out of the question,
but I wanted to hang onto third place in the GC if I could.
Suffering and all I was able to finish the race and hang
onto third! Not exactly the result I had wanted, but it was a podium at a 7-day
stage race.
In all the suffering, I still found the trails in State
College amazing! The Transylvania Epic was epic to say the least and toward the
end of the week, my PA rock riding skills had come full circle after being
scared shitless on the second day of racing.
Even though there are a few pieces in the puzzle to get
right, I had an unbelievable time racing at the Transylvania Epic!
Thanks to these folks for making it happen- Thanks Mike
McCormack for getting me racing the TSE!
Thanks Mike Bush and Rich O’Neil of Stan’s NoTubes for lodging,
carpooling and all the help! (You guys rock!)
Thanks Stan’s NoTubes for the support and the SICK wheels! (I beat the
living shit out of them and not a wobble!) Thanks Santa Cruz Bikes for making a
tough bike to handle the rocks! Thanks
Schwalbe Tires for damn tough tires! (No flats all week!) Thanks Honey Stinger
for yummy treats and race fuel! Thanks Kep’s Pollen Balls! (I got a pair!)
Thanks Infinit Nutrition! (Never cramped in the heat and humidity!) Thanks
Formula Brakes! (Cause stopping fast out there, is nice!) Thanks Light and
Motion for being behind me when it’s dark outside!