Saturday was a race I'd been looking forward to for quite a long time. It had been too long since the SRC Winter Series and I didn't do any of the Big Bear races this year due to some personal stuff. Here's a write up of how my race went, originally posted on Socaltrailriders.org

I showed up around 8:45, spotted a few people I know that were racing. Knew it would be a good day to race because of the weather. Just before we took off I spotted a guy I had rode the course with a couple days before at the very front of the group. I was at the very back.

As is with Incycle's races, the start gives the advantage to those who start lining up early and get there on time. I am not one of them. I managed to get to my group which was quite big, though my class seemed small. I looked everywhere and didn't spot a 26 written on anyone else's leg. We were standing like cattle in their mesh fenced area walking within inches of each other until we started. The Beginner Men's 19-26, 27-34, 35-44, and the Clydedale class are started at the same time.

When we took off I rubbed handlebars with some other unfortunate dude who was at the back of the pack with me. It was pretty cramped just starting out, so by the time we got out of the grass I could see the front of the group well ahead of me. I managed to pass a couple people on the pavement because I knew that the small single track detour was coming up, and what a clusterfuck that was last year. Between the start and the beginning of the fire road, I never saw another "26" on a rider's leg.

I felt really good going up the first fire road, I didn't push myself too hard, I just concentrated on catching one guy at a time. With that many people, it made racing much easier and a lot more fun. Yet I couldn't find anyone in my class no matter how many people I passed. Then I spotted what I thought was a mirage. Is that a 6 on that Incycle's guy's leg? There's a "2" next to it. I had someone in my class and he was sporting an Incycle jersey! Well, this guy in the Incycle jersey was moving pretty well and lost me on the first downhill. I caught him on the next up, but only to realize I didn't have a powerlink as I went to my pocket to give it to another racer sporting a path jersey.

It remained most of that way for the first lap, I'd lose him on the uphill, he'd catch me on the downhill trying to find some oxygen. We were moving pretty quick and passing people. I remember staying on this guys rear wheel for a few long climbs, though I can't remember now if it was because he made me go faster, or if I just felt like going at his slower pace. I'd like to think it was the latter.  At some point we caught another guy in our class, and figured I must be doing well. I felt really good halfway through the 2nd lap when I caught my buddy Brian from STR. I had ridden with Brian a couple days ago on this course and he smoked me bad. I stayed with him through the end of lap 2, even got teased by the announcer for socializing on the course. He eventually left me and used another gear or something on lap 3 because I could see him but just couldn't catch him anymore. Out of nowhere that Incylce dude kept showing up a turn behind me on lap 3. I was hurting. My lower back was killing me, my heart rate had been near my max and I had no easy gears (1x9 gear setup ) I still didn't know what place I was in, I was just hoping not to finish last.

When the results were finally posted I found out there were 4 people in my class, and I got first!

I stopped in Incycle a few days to see if they knew anything about the course and to get a map if they had one. The guy who helped me was just a kid and started up a conversation with me about the series of races (bonelli, mt sac, fontana). As I was looking at the results I see this guy again and he says hi to me because he recognized me. A few minutes later I see him walking around asking if anyone knew me. I know me. Apparently he was the guy in the Incycle jersey I was racing against all day.

Good times today. We avoided the rain while racing, but the experts/pros seemed to have got a good dose.