2 big races, two dissappointing outcomes.

A few week ago I attempted to do the Mohician 100. For some reason I decided to do it on my geared bike with a ridged fork and new ergon grips. Bad idea, and that combo was an especially bad idea. After 50 miles I decided to throw in the towel.

Earlier I was flying down one of the down hills with my headphones on and was somewhat out of control. At the bottom of the hill was a man gesturing something I took as "whoa! slow down man, your scaring me" about 3 seconds later it clicked what he was actually gesturing "slow down there is a really slippery bridge just ahead that takes a sharpish right hand turn" As soon as I went to turn both wheels slipped out from under me and I was on the ground. A sharp pain shot through my finger and I jumped up holding it and pulling on it (thinking I dislocated it). I looked at it through my glove it looked normal but bending it was very painful. So I got back on my bike and got going again. With the ridged fork every bump rattled through my hands and out my finger.

Shortly after that Jeff Pendlebury on his SS caught up to me and then Ernesto. The three of us rode together for a while dropping then catching one another until I fell off the back.

That was about it for me, my hands and upper body were taking a beating from my sweet new combo and my finger was a constant pain. All I was thinking about was how I really wanted to build a deck in the backyard and install the sliding door we just got,

and how bad my hands were going to be. So after a few more miles of the Mohican Wilderness trail I popped out on the road and headed to the finish line to tell them I wad done.

Afterwards while Zak, Brad and myself were eating our post race (post DNF for me), meal. Ernesto and Josh Tostado sat down with us and Big Bear came up. They were both going to be there. I got excited, this is a chance for me to race against some top 24hr guys.

Big Bear is put on by Granny Gear productions and are the most expensive races around $350 dollars for solo riders plus they charge you ten dollars to camp! In the grab bag you get a frisbee and a t-shirt. No free breakfast. No free meal afterwards, just a t-shirt and a frisbee... It is unclear what the winners get or how deep they pay. So I pretty much banned all granny gear races, but this one was close and I would have a chance to race some fast guys.

About 5 days before the start of the 24hrs of Big Bear I dropped the $350 and signed up.

My brother Jon was up for coming down and helping me out. We left Friday afternoon and got there around 7pm . We found a spot to camp, got all set up then found a better spot all the way in the back right along the trail, we took it. Jon got a fire going as I got ready for the race and went to bed. Woke up the next morning and kind of milled around until the race started.

The Le mans start was pretty long and rocky but was over soon enough.

I found my bike and took off. Less than a half mile in we got into some technical stuff and got the usual slow downs. I ran past a bunch of people got on the bike and passed a bunch more. The first two -three laps went ok, I got a flat on lap two and I was riding slower than normal and just mentally not in it. I couldn't stop thinking about how I just wanted to be home with Amy

and the pups.

I finally snapped out of it and my mind and body started to click.

Shortly after that on lap five I got caught and lapped by Josh Tostado. Five laps in! in 65 short miles and about 7.5 hours! Wow! I knew I wasn't riding my best but come on. Shortly after on my sixth lap another solo rider got me (the eventual winner Brandon Draugelis)

By this time my achiles tendon was starting to bother me (two years ago I had to drop out of the Mohican 24 because my achilles felt like it was going to snap). I knew it was just a matter of time before I would have to stop and last I checked I was in 8th place so I was thinking I'll just finish this lap (lap seven) and hang out with my brother the rest of the night. Soon after I caught Rob Lichtenwainer "Are you catching me" yeah I think so, what place are you in? "I was in third, now you are" we talked for a while but he was hurting so I rode on.

I needed to know if I really was in third or if I was a lap behind Rob somehow. I got to the start/finnish and Jon was there taking pictures like he had every other lap.

I asked him to find out where I was, waved my time card over the scanner and started another lap. Two plus miles later I got to our tent and Jon confirms that I am in third. Damn! I can't stop now, I have to go for as long as I can. Maybe my achilles will hold out. I thought about changing over to my geared bike and even taping my tendon but did neither. The SS felt great and I have no clue how to tape for a sore achilles.

I felt good, my body was holding up great besides the achilles and I was having fun but I knew I had to take it easy and just try to survive. I started to favor my right leg and walking up the steeper climbs. Lap nine it started to hurt. Before it was more of a dull pain not really occupying my mind, now it was pretty much all I could think about. I knew this would be my last lap, I was pretty disappointed. I rolled into the start/finnish waved my time card for the last time and took the course back to the tent just incase I felt like doing another lap later on. I got to the tent and let Jon know I was done. He tried to get me back out there but it just wasn't worth it to me.

We sat by the fire, both of us bummed I couldn't finnish. I was In third place an hour and 20 min ahead of fourth.

Jon eventually went to bed, I stayed up encouraging everyone that went by until I decided I should probably get some sleep for the drive home.
Brandon Draugelis won with 14 laps and plenty of time to do more if he had some competition. Josh Tostado mysteriously dropped out after lap 11 in first place by twenty min. I finished eighth.
Thanks to Jon for taking the time out to come down and helping me out, you did awesome!, the Baltimore boys for keeping things lively and Brian and Eric for the good company.
I have a Dr. appointment soon to get this thing checked out so I don't continue to have this problem. For now I'm staying off the bike...sort of.