The Official Andy B update:
The first race of the season! Mohican 100K, 62 miles of great riding in the middle east of Ohio. This was my second time at this race, last year it was a 100K of muddy hell, this year the weather was looking better, much, much, better, 84 and dry. My goal was to crack the top 20... At the start of the race I made the selection and was sitting in the top 50 overall going into the single track, and for what it's worth, this race is worth going to just for the single track... Anyway, I was feeling good and stayed with the lead group for a little over an hour, then something started to go wrong. It started small at first, my rear wheel wouldn't engage as soon as it normally would. I push on, it got worse. I pulled off at the second aid station to try to get some lube inside of the free hub body, I jump back on my bike and away I go.. the harder I push the worse my rear wheel gets. As I enter the single track before aid station 3, my rear wheel is toast, I limp my way through the single track, walking most of it and coast down the last hill and roll in the aid station. I'm done, I check out of the race, 16 miles shy of the finish. My first DNF ever at a mountain bike race, not the best way to start the 2011 season. Oh, and thanks to Michelle Simonster for the lift back to town!
Lumber Jack 100
The Big One, the one that sold out in under 15 minutes. Me, I was in a meeting when it went on sale. I missed it. 350 people gobbled them up like they were going out of style.... I had all but written The Lumbar Jack off for 2011, until two weeks before. I secured a second hand entry. Had I trained for the race? Nope. No worries, it's only 100 miles of prime buff Michigan single track and about 9000 feet of elevation gain. Well the alarm goes off at 5:30am, the race starts at 7:00am, I woof down some food and roll to start. 7am sharp and neutral roll out is headed to the single track in a hurry, 27mph as we round the last right hander before the woods. I am waaaaaaay back, I missed the selection, heck I didn't even try to get in to the selection... my only real goal was for a sub 8:30 finish. I rocked out the first lap in 2:45, I was feeling good, I was in a good group of riders, we were all working to together. I was in the middle of the group when some trail furniture decided to take up residence in my rear hang down, out of the group I go. About 40 min later I pulled off the trail for a second time to remove some more trail furniture, this time from my cassette. I roll in around 3 hours, I sit down for a minute at the end of my 2nd lap and get my game plan together for the third lap. All I knew is I had to put in a serious effort to make the 8:30 mark. Mile 80 miles. Heat Stroke! It took everything I had left to make the aid station... it was bad. I sat there for a good bit and got my crap together, and set out to finish the race in under 10 hours. I was in really, really bad shape when I crossed the finish line a little over 9 and a half hours after I set out that morning. Special thanks to my Mom, Sue and my Sister, Heather for manning the pits all day.
