Mud Run Cross PIR #2

You want mud?  I’ll give you mud… PIR #2.

I heard people say, “more running than riding”, and saw more than a few rear derailers ripped off their hangers.  And here I thought, good way to end the season, a lot of people aren’t going to get on a cross bike again for a few moths after this hell ride.  Soooo I decided to race Single speed (known from here on out as S.S.) for my last cross race of the season.  Luke Demoe was gracious enough to let me race his wonderful Steomper, because I am planning on buying one of my own.  It also worked out because I didn’t have to worry about destroying my bike… Because it wasn’t my BIKE! Ha score…  no… I would have felt bad if I broke the Steomper… anyway it was nice not to have to worry about mechanical parts getting so caked with mud that they freeze and get ripped apart when my massive legs rip though the peanut-buttery mud, well the three feet or so that I could actually ride.  Aaannyway, back to the race, or should I say, time to start the race.

Well let’s just say I started out with a 30 min test ride on the Steomper… not the best for a first time race on a new bike.  Anyway, the B’s started and we the S.S. waited for 3 minutes in the cold… finally we are off. The race started with a long strait stretch on cement, needless to say, on a S.S. we were all spinning our legs like humming birds flap there wings… we crank into a quick left turn onto slick muddy grass.  Drop into a dip and I’m looking at a 180 turn in 6 in deep mud sloped up hill, soooo… we all jump off and run.  I jump off the bike and go to pick it up and do one of those lifts where I almost throw it over my head… Luks Steomper must have been at least 5lbs less than mine… with this being the one race this year that we ran more than we road I feel lucky to have been able to carry 20% less weight.

Back to the race, off the bike run up the little stupid hill, jump back on the bike, and slowly trudge until we hit some cement.  I hit the puddles hoping to knock some of the mud off my tires and bike, just in time to hit another long strait section of mud.  I trudge through holding my cadence as high as I can until my legs won’t go anymore… jump off the bike, this time no hill just 4 inch deep mud, run until it looks less deep, and jump on again.  Repeat… repeat… come down a small hill (second lap) wipe out… I think I went one mph too fast… jump up and run… bike… run… bike… come around a corner and watch a dude wipe out in front of me I have just enough time to plant a foot and try to vault the guy and his bike… don’t make it… heal lands on his carbon deep dish wheel… apologies… untangle bike… notice break lever bent in… jumps some barriers… jump on the bike ride… repeat and finish…

Long story short, I gave it everything I had.  I cracked on the last lap.  Probably wouldn’t have been able to do another one on pace. Thanks again to Luke for letting me ride his S.S. Steomper. It kicked my ass; hopefully I’ll be in better shape next year while riding a Steomper of my own.