The interesting part of the ride for me was that I forgot my jersey. I did bring a sleeveless base layer so that is what I went with instead of a T-shirt. It was a loose base layer so I was rocking a floppy sleeveless shirt over my tight lycra shorts with some bad tan lines showing on my arms. It may be winter, but the tan lines are still there.
The ride was informative as far as learning new lines. The trail has changed a lot over the past year. A lot of my favorite lines are gone. They're full of roots or just not there at all anymore. Several trees have fallen forcing reroutes. It was a good trip to see all those things, but I felt absolutely terrible. I had no legs and just felt fatigued overall. I think I was a bit dehydrated and just worn out. I have been training really hard lately and I think I just pushed it a bit too hard. A few too many miles and intervals, and a few too many nights of going to bed hungry.
I took several days off the bike the week leading into Montgomery Bell Winter MTB Time Trial Series #3. The time I did spend on the bike was slow and easy. I focused off the bike on drinking and eating. I stopped caring about losing more weight and just made sure my energy stores were topped off and ready to go. I was already just shy of five pounds lighter than I was at the February round.
Taking that much rest makes me nervous. Sometimes the legs don't want to wake up from their nap for a few days. I hammered a lap on our backyard trail the day before the race to open up the legs. I also did this to simulate the next weekend when the Georgia State Championship Series would kick off in Macon with a time trail on Saturday followed by an XC on Sunday. My legs were a little sluggish, but I shattered my PR on the loop by almost a minute. Everything was looking good for a redemption throw-down on Sunday.
My fear all week was that the weather would not give me an opportunity to run a fast time and move up in the overall. There was a threat of rain on Sunday, but it came well after race time and we were given yet another beautiful day with even better trail conditions than in February. It was a little drier and the trail felt more packed and fast-rolling. I was still hoping to put in a good ride for Kendall. When I got to the race Shawn James was there. Shawn was super supportive of me, helping me during my warm-up and on the start line. He was so appreciative of me wearing the wig and trying to get the word out about his daughter last month. I kind of felt bad that I didn't wear the wig today when I was still riding for her. In the back of my mind I still wanted to donate to Kendall any winnings I could muster up.
I got pushed back even further on the start order for this round. Like I said before, nobody really believed that I flatted twice last month, so they seeded me further back where they felt I belonged. Again, that's not a bad thing. I like carrots. My goal was to eat every single carrot and come out of the woods first. That was a lofty goal considering how far back I was starting, something like eight minutes behind the first rider. I picked out a few riders that I expected to be my main challengers. Last month's quickest rider and leader of the overall, Jaron Wood, was not racing due to illness. There were three others that are just as fast and would be ripping today. Harrison Klapheke has been riding very well and knows the trail well. He started four minutes ahead. Dustin Burkeen started two minutes up, and Bobby Jones started 1:30 ahead.
There was no tight riding at the start for me this day. I was hitting my lines from the word go and got right into a good rhythm. I actually had goosebumps in the first section. I had waited a whole month to unleash on this place! I told myself on the start that today was my day. I was going to crush this thing for Kendall and shock some people. The trail at Montgomery Bell suits me perfectly and there was no reason why I shouldn't win if I just try.
Rider just after the start
Tim Bell running geared today
Dustin Burkeen
Bobby Jones
Me on the trail
John Carr
I used the knowledge I learned from my MBA pre-rides to hit all my lines and rip the opening sections. I went through the first three riders ahead in the first two miles, including Grant Wilson who is a really fast rider. That really pumped me up. On the North Slope section of the course you can see quite a ways in front of you on all the twisting trails so I was able to time some riders and see that I was gaining on every one I timed. My Mom was out on the course on Charlotte's Ridge. I had asked her for time checks. She was so excited when I came by that she just yelled that I was killing everyone and didn't really give me any times. I wasn't sure if that meant I was going fast at that moment when I passed her, or if I was making up a lot of time on those ahead.
I felt great going up Charlotte's Ridge and the Goat Path climbs. With each passing climb I felt a little bit better. I almost ran into Caleb Skinner at the start of the Goat Path. He was sitting in the middle of the trail looking around and I had to take to the bushes to miss him. I could see Burkeen by the Gnome Climb and that really motivated me to catch him by the top of the next shorter climb. I was so pumped to go by my first target that I just exploded over the top of the climb and put a big gap into him in just a few seconds.
Harrison Klapheke was the first Open class rider to take off today
Bell
Jones had passed Burkeen by Charlotte's Ridge
Burkeen
Caleb Skinner
Me starting Charlotte's Ridge
Grant Wilson
I backed off for a moment to eat and drink before the Green Trail came. It was a section where I knew I was very fast compared to the others. It was also where I hit the ledge last month and blew my tire off the rim. I was ready for the ledge this time and took the good line beside of it. I knocked off two more riders on this loop and got another time check. My Mom told me I was much faster than everyone else and gave me some actual numbers to back up her claim. Only three Open riders were left in front of me. Two were together at 15 seconds, one was at 1:30, which was Harrison. I caught the closer two riders as we hit the halfway mark and started the bigger hills. Both got off and walked while I was able to ride the Moguls climb. They were walking the good line, but I had the power to run off into the rough stuff and still clean the hill. They had no chance to get on my wheel since they were walking.
Scott Marx out front racing Singlespeed
Harrison on the Green Trail
Bobby Jones
Tim Bell
Rolling a dip on the Green Trail
Burkeen
Harrison
Bobby Jones and Matthew Slavick together
Slavick
Still charging hard. About halfway home here.
Bell
Burkeen
John Carr
Barry Reed
Drew White
At Tommy's Revenge, just over 40 minutes into the race, only two riders were left ahead. Harrison was a minute ahead and Scott Marx, riding Singlespeed, was still several minutes ahead. I knew I was winning, but I still wanted to catch every single rider so I stayed on the gas. I had made up almost three minutes on Harrison in half of the race so I knew I could get another minute back. My favorite trail on the course, Haynie Branch, came with Harrison now just 25 seconds ahead. Shawn was here and going absolutely nuts cheering for me as he knew I was doing what I said I could do. We got to the two-way bridge crossing so fast today that riders were still coming across it starting their race. I got lucky and didn't meet anyone which is a good thing because I didn't realize people were still starting.
I set another KOM time through Haynie and was just a few bike lengths off Harrison when we exited that trail and started White Pine with just four miles to go. As I got to Harrison, my legs started to cramp. Not in my hamstrings where I normally cramp, but in my quads. Both of them at the same time. It came on fast. Suddenly, I couldn't stand on the climbs anymore, but I was fine seated so I kept pounding away. Harrison sped up significantly once I got to him, so I just stayed behind him through White Pine. We caught a glimpse of Marx out front and I started to think that maybe I really could pass everyone.
Harrison and I came flying up to the turn onto Storm Track and it was taped off. We both knew that was part of the race and there had been a mistake in marking the course. He asked what we should do and I said tear down the tape and ride what we knew we were supposed to do. So Harrison busted through the tape and we took off on Storm Track. We got to the end to see it was taped correctly and we knew we had gone the right way. Harrison said that he had taped the course and that it was his mistake. I felt bad for him because he knew his mistake would cause people to go the wrong way. And they did. Storm Track takes several minutes to complete. Not only was Marx nowhere to be seen anymore, but Jones, Matthew Slavick and Burkeen were now ahead of us.
Harrison punched it up the last climb and put a few bike lengths on me as my cramps were getting worse and I couldn't accelerate that fast seated. Next thing I know there is a guy riding the wrong way towards us, right in the middle of the trail. Harrison got by better than I did and increased his gap. I gave all I had to pull back up to him, but he held a few seconds on me to the line. The tape miscue likely cost me from catching everyone like I had hoped, but I still won the day. My time was 1:30:24, which was 5:40 faster than Jaron's time from last month. So I won the day and the overall!
I had made up so much time on everyone that even though they missed Storm Track my time was still faster than theirs so I knew I had won even before they sorted out the timing mess. Some riders behind us missed the turn, while others went the right way. Immediately after the race people were accusing me of cheating. I did Storm Track with Harrison so I had a witness. Apparently, the Goat Path was not marked, which is why Caleb was sitting in the trail when I went by. I knew the course so I wasn't even looking for markings. Again, Caleb was a witness that I did that section. I had to leave the parking lot because people were so upset and insisting that I cheated. They wanted me to upload my Strava GPS file immediately to prove I rode everything because there was no way I could be four minutes faster than everyone. I don't have a smartphone or any other way to upload my Strava data immediately so I couldn't appease the crowd. I don't understand why everyone is so surprised. I have won races like this before and even on this very course. I had to just ride away because it was getting a bit out of control and I was going to end up saying something I shouldn't.
I rode back in the woods and watched some of the riders come through the Green Trail. I chatted a while with Presleigh Jennings' family. Presleigh is a Junior rider that started racing recently through the high school leagues. I rode with her in February on my second lap of the course. She has good skills on the bike and was very polite. I saw her stand and sprint up some of the hills, a skill that a lot of women seem to struggle with. This girl is young, but I don't think it will be too long before she is at the top level if she sticks with this sport. Just my prediction. She's also pretty good at Track & Field events too I hear.
Here's a bunch of pictures my Mom took of the second half of the field. The battery in her main camera rand own so she had to switch to a camera with quality settings that were a bit off so please excuse the lack of clarity on some of them.
Butch Carter
Scott Chen
My Dad even came out to race today
Trail traffic on Goat Path
Dina
Dad on Green
These roots stopped a lot of people, including Steve Moneymaker
Mike Taglio
Jennifer Morehead
Dina
Karah Lewis
After watching Presleigh, Dina and my Dad come through, I jumped on the course and rode a partial lap, stopping again at the two-way creek crossing to watch a few more riders. Scott Marx was standing there and congratulated me on the win. He was one of the few that believed I did the full course. Scott said he had seen my Strava times from my pre-rides and knew I was going to destroy the race. Michael Edens called Scott on the phone and then asked to speak to me. I had to make an official statement that I did in fact do the entire course. Michael was in a tight spot, but I think he did the best he could with handling the situation. To account for those that missed Storm Track, he took the average speed for their entire ride and then figured what their time would have been for the length of the Storm Track loop based on that average speed. It's never going to be exact because anything could have happened on that loop, but I think it was a fair way to do it considering the error was due to the promoters not the riders. I really think it put everybody in the correct finish order anyway. Jaron was the one affected most by this. Several of us went faster than his February time and some guys may have slowed down given another section to go through.
It was a great day for me, but not my best ever. The homework paid off, but I still have some work to do. I can't be cramping in a 90-minute race and expect to be able to hammer a full two hours in an XC race. As for the accusations of cheating, thanks! It makes me feel good to know I went so fast that you think I couldn't possibly have done that without cutting the course. That's every riders dream. That means the training is going well and I'm already getting into the head of some of my fellow riders before the season has ever started. I assure you that I am as honest as any rider you will ever find, so give me a little credit when I finally get one right.
Male Open Overall Podium
Female Open Overall Podium
Singlespeed Overall Podium
After the podium, I went straight to Shawn and gave him the money out of my envelope. I slapped it in his hand and said it was for Kendall. He had no idea I was going to do that. He didn't care how much it was. He was instantly grateful that I would do something like that for his daughter. The look in his eyes was of true gratitude, like nothing I have ever seen from something I did. He gave me a big hug and told me I was a true friend. He just couldn't believe I would give my spoils to someone else.
As bike racers, we strive for that feeling of getting to the finish line first. That surge of adrenaline you get when you take the win and knew you were the best that day is hard to top. But let me tell you, no win can ever compare to the feeling of giving Shawn that money and knowing how much it helps the James family. It's one thing to donate money to a charity, but until you have looked into the eyes of that person when you help them you truly have not experienced the joys of giving. I am so grateful for my blessings. I am even more grateful for being able to share my blessings with others.
Later that day, Kendall called me on the phone and thanked me for the money. She said she wanted some new toys so I told her to go get whatever she wanted with it. I raced for her and so that money was all hers to do with as she pleased. A few days later, Shawn invited me to go shopping with them, but I was at work and couldn't make it. Kendall bought some new toys at Toys "R" Us. She maximized the money by using coupons and discounts. I thought it was great that a kid of that age was learning how to be thrifty and smart with her money. It was pretty cool to see the pictures Shawn sent me. Kendall is a happy girl and I think cancer has met its match.
Kendall shopping for some new toys
photo by Shawn James
Quite the stash Kendall got on her shopping trip
photo by Shawn James
Shawn posted on Facebook about what I did. I don't really care that everyone knows. I did it for Kendall and Shawn, not for the attention. The attention should be on Kendall, not on me. But I do appreciate the kind words of everyone. It is nice to hear that there are some people out there that think I am a decent guy because I strive to be. I try to set an example for everyone out there at every event I go to. Being one of the faster riders often brings a lot of attention my way. I hope I am setting a good example not only for the youth coming up in our sport, but also the adult riders. Those kind words sure sounded a lot better than all the talk about me cheating at the race.
This race wrapped up my winter schedule, but also kicked off the real season. It is just one week until the GSC Series begins in Macon. We are starting the season by racing five of the first six weeks. I don't plan to make it to the SERC opener in Newberry, FL as I feel six straight weeks of racing may be a bit too much for the start of the season, plus I don't think I will have the funds for a trip that expensive. I have not heard anything about our sponsor budget at Riverside yet so right now this is all coming out of my pocket. Florida is a long, hard trip for us anyway. I'm just glad to be able to do at least one of the series this year. More from Macon coming soon!
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