DATE: Nov.21

LOCATION: Marietta, Ga.-Jim R Miller park

DRIVING DISTANCE: 120 miles round trip 

FINISHED: 11th

COURSE DESCRIPTION: It starts on pavement, a flat fast section that lasts for about 400m and then you take a left into grass and into the first obstacle then up a dirt road hill that veers off into the woods. There is a downhill dip and then straight up a non-ride able climb-very steep-that should separate the field. Once up this it is through the woods a bit and then back into a wide grassy field where the course snakes around and hits the only set of artificial barriers, back to the pavement and then the finish. The whole course is 1.8 miles.

This week it is rain, rain and more rain!

This was the first race where the weather was nasty, not very cold but wet. The temperature was probably in the low to mid 60's but with the rain it made it feel that much colder. It also made it a little more difficult to ride around and get warmed up for the race.

The rain started about the time the Masters were lining up to get going. It continued on until they were about done. This brought some problems for most of the riders as I noticed that after a couple of laps the guys that were in the lead were no longer in the lead and had mud stains on their sides where it looked like they had gone down. Anyway, all of the GTC folks managed to hold on for top ten placing in their categories this week.

Although the rain let up at the end of the Masters race it started right back about the time my race was into our first lap. This course was touted as being the longest so far this year, it didn't really feel like it riding around. It was fairly flat and fast, or it was until the rain.

The race started as it did last week with the men's "C" class and the older juniors going off together. I took my spot at the front and was hoping to get a good place for the first lap. My problem is this mountain bike is a bit slow so I had trouble keeping up as good as I'd like but still maintained a middle of the pack (or so I thought) position.

We started on a 400m straight flat paved section which turned left onto the grass. This went over a ditch and into the first obstacle. This was a little drop off on the grass which loop around a tree and back up the grass hill. Looking at it you wouldn't think it was difficult but as the rain came that little bit of a hill was hard to get up pushing a bike. It became very slick.

This went into more grass and a fast section of differing road types, grass, dirt, sand, gravel, then into a drop off of sand and when I say drop off, I mean that it was pretty much like the unrideable hill that was coming up but down and it was sandy not mud, and then into the next obstacle. The hill. This was a mud/dirt/shale 50 foot straight up, none ride able hill.

The pack was pretty much together up until this point, at the top of the hill it became wet clay for the last 5 feet. I slipped and had trouble getting my feet back under me, this is where I lost the main group.

The next section was a meandering fast dirt trail through the woods. Well it was fast before the rain, then it became sort of treacherous The corners turned to mud so trying to steer through them was an adventure.

After this you came back out onto the grass and into the only man made barriers, a triple and then zig zagging back onto the pavement to start all over again.

I traded back and forth spaces with one fellow for a couple of laps then he got away from me. I felt good on the first lap but the second I got kind of tired. I mark this up to not being able to warm up properly, as I progress to the 3rd lap I felt better.

I believe we did 4 laps. By the time they called last lap I had no one close to me in the rear and I wasn't gaining on the guy in front. Although I was hoping that he would go down or something (hey it is racing!).

Anyway about this time I thought what the heck, have fun. And did not try and avoid any puddles, not that it would have mattered much in the way of me getting wet as I was soaked  and covered in muck already. I was able to finish fairly strong and was able to stand and sprint to the end, although by myself. I like to be able to finish strong if possible.

After it was all over, me and my bike were covered in mud. I don't think there will be too many pictures this week because of the rain. It was fun.

I really need to thank Scott from ADDICTIVE CYCLES for coming out and lending a hand and moral support. Especially with the weather like it was.

The only issues I had this week was my pedals, they got very caked in mud and I had trouble getting clipped back in. This is a note for next year when a better system will be in the mix for an upgrade. Or better yet Christmas is coming!!