Sunday, August 24, 2008

THE RACE FOR EVERYONE


Our race team hosted the second annual RACE FOR EVERYONE this Saturday. What a fun time! The race is designed to be relaxed and beginner friendly. We want to get as many new racers involved as we can. There is even a first-timer category! All the proceeds go to the nonprofit Kids on the Move. Its a great program serving Utah County by helping disabled preschool kids and their families during the most challenging early years. They help set up a silent auction at the race as well. There are great deals on all kinds of stuff. We haven't been able to leave the last two years without spending a couple hundred bucks for stuff worth much more than that. Anyway on to the race.


There were 6 experts racing (including Chris Holley who is pro but we didn't have a pro category). The neat thing was that Bob Saffell showed up! I was excited to get another chance at him this year considering he was only 40 sec ahead of me at Wolverine. It was at least a good motivator since I was planning on taking it easy for this race. We took off and I was in last place again. I just can't go out that fast at the start. My heart rate will not stand for it. The course was fun as usual but a bit more dusty and rutted than in the ICUP race. It was the same course as the ICUP so I was interested to compare times from earlier in the year. I passed Racer early in the first lap and had the head group in my sights for the first half of the lap. I got around to the road climb to finish the first lap and saw Bob ahead! Wow that was pretty exciting! I put on some more speed on the climb and closed the gap a bit. Then some of my team mates who weren't racing started cheering for me and Bob noticed. He took off and I never saw him again. Nevertheless, The rest of the race I got a boost by continuing to hope I could see him again.

but then, I cramped up with the last half of the road climb left on the third and last lap. I actually had to turn and coast down a bit to loosen my quads before I could finish. Racer caught me and and KC was finished just a minute behind (on a single speed!). She has gotten way stronger! The Arantix held up well again. I pumped up the front shock a bit which was a mistake since it was pretty rough on the downhills. Riding Diamond Fork canyon last week I thought it was a bit too squishy. Well my time was 1o minutes slower than for the ICUP race. Yuk! So to punish myself, after loading up the family, I decided to ride the ARANTIX home over the Alpine loop and across Hogs Hollow. (I really was planning on doing it anyway) So total ride time was 4.5 hours for 50+ miles. I've got to put in a couple more long rides before I do the 12 hours of Sundance-solo.


TESTAMENT to CARBOROCKET!

I began taking Carborocket for the races earlier in the year when I was cramping every race. Since then I really had no problems. Then I ran out last week and didn't get a chance to get a hold of Brad for more. So I raced without it Saturday and look what happened! Supercramps! Well I just put in my order for more. I've learned my lesson. OH and talking to Brad today I found out that he is even improving his product more by putting in Calcium and Magnesium! Can't wait to try it.


ARANTIX miles to date: 1350!

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