Mixed bag

6/26 and 6/27
Saturday:
Getting up this morning was really hard. I almost didn’t come to the race because I was burning the candle at both ends this week and felt like I need to recharge. But I forced myself to get up and go take a shower (at 4am) and see if I could get going. I did.
The drive up was 6 hours- but it was an easy 6. I arrived at around 11 and was bummed that I missed 3 hours of practice. On the second run I was entering a short steep pitch with a left turn at the bottom and, at the apex, I high sided with my chest slamming into a root. It really hurt(s). I had body armor but the impact landed right under my armpit.
I ran the race course all day because it was just a bunch of rock gardens linked together for two thirds of the course. I started out with 25 psi in the tires (my normal pressure) and put dings in both rims within the first three runs. I came back and put 35 psi in both and after two more runs still got a snake bite in the rear. That is my first flat on DH. Jinx. I am now running 40lbs in the rear. I studied the lines and a new friend Jason helped me find some. By the end of the day I picked up some speed and found some lost time and feel pretty good on the course. It’s hard riding with higher pressure in the tires, so much less traction.
Sunday:
Despite a rain shower last night the trail was dusty this morning. This trail has several root sections that, if wet, are a nightmare. I did a couple of runs and everything felt good. On the third I watched some faster guy’s lines and picked up some better ways through the rock gardens- the hard part is just hitting them all on race run. I didn’t want to blow my load on practicing, my legs are feeling tired from yesterday. Race run is in just over an hour.


I CHOKED!!
Race run sucked. I hit two trees on seperate occasions and i figure i lost about 12 seconds, give or take. I got 11th place of over 20. The amazing thing is that had i not hit any trees i would have only achieved 8th place. there was an almost 11 second gap between two guys. https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA0taLtAMHh3hdSCU4hO0NDDBI73o1_C6OWOmvdeQHfeopL1bjbPmw5fTtvvp5-rEZ5EdjS6ihi9f-YktkVXURmwYtS-G3OznZa7Upw4KawnEwfYRnF8_vy2PfGYbfLAyX139Et0tmq6gB/s1600/2010GRAVITYSERIES2DH1-1.jpg