Deny's Regurg Ocup #4 Mountainview

Mountainview - What a nice course, when its dry. Well the first bit of climbing is a throte full but I would take Mountainview over Kelso any day. I would take it over Buckwallow too especially when it’s Muckwallow.


Pre race
After the amount of food I ate @ supper the night before, and the crappy sleep I wasn’t really hungry in the morning. I decided to snack back some bacon and strawberries around 10:30 just shortly before leaving the confines of Dave’s grandfather’s house. I was feeling crappy… I didn’t get to stay and take pictures for Amy’s race and I knew, with the rain and chill in the air, that she was not having a good time. She was up there by herself too. I will make every effort to be there for her in the future. Something happened before or during the pre-ride that caused a few spokes in Amy’s wheel to burst. She has my wheel for her race and I borrowed Scott’s to get me a warm up. 10:50… rendezvous with Amy, whose face carried the look of someone that just got ketchup on their white Sunday shirt. Got my wheel back now time to warm-up a bit and race.


The Race
The course cleared up accept for a section of single track before and shortly after “The Wall”. All you had to do was run for 2 mins and it was out of the way.
If you read my last entry I committed to try and be the top dog up the ski hill. With the coach Chris guys upgraded and out of the way I had a better chance to take the hill. While I’m on the topic, what’s with everyone upgrading so soon? I thought about it too but if everyone who win’s a few races upgrades, they won’t be around when I / others get the mid season legs back. I got up that hill and had to run the last bit. It left me with little left but I didn’t have to worry about anyone in my way until I caught the tail end of the next group. I looked back from time to time and didn’t see anyone on my tail so I focused on my turns and staying low in the open double track. Tasting bacon from time to time and wondered when that would take a turn for the worse was my second concern.
The last lap is when I caught the leaders of the first group 17-18 sport male. I rode up on 3rd and he looked tired. 2 minute ahead I found 2nd place in rough shape. He asked me what to do with his right leg, it was ceasing. I told him that his left leg was his new best friend and if he perfected his corners in the single track he could hold his place. By the looks of the standings he made it in without a change up.
I did finish strong and in the number one place albeit, not too far ahead of 2nd and 3rd in my category. The win doesn’t shock me but the recent upgrades and no-shows have me realizing that my role now is to be chased, a complete 180 role from any Ocup I’ve ever raced. With this role change follows a rethinking of strategy in the races to come. The Cycle solutions guy is fast, and my new Shorthills Cycling friend is a strong rider and hungry for a win. Looking forward to having fun and being challenged by the remaining competitors is my only concern as I don’t really care anymore about points. The Coach Chris upgrades essentially wasted a worthy overall point’s chase.

Home
Griffin Gastropub was a decent stop. It was fitting that I was throne’d with the blue monkey chair and thirst appropriately quenched by Hoptical allusion. I don’t remember the next 12 hours.

PS. Amy has an account now so she will be posting her own write up, if she is ready to talk about it.