Meet Some Friends, Race, and Learn to Fly…No Problem at Iron Cross.

I am not the most seasoned rider. I got into biking seriously a little more than 2 1/2 years ago so I still have some learning to do about pacing, handling and training. That doesn’t stop me from trying though. In 2007 I did the Iron Cross for the first time in 5 hrs 17 mins. Not bad, not great. This year I was hoping to do much better, but it looks like I will have to settle for slightly better 5 hrs 1 min.

The race started with Jimmy, Eric, and I in the back. Talking about time and me thinking that Tom, Josh, and I finish 10 and 15 minutes apart the last time I did this but faster, overall, than we had actually finished. I think I was cutting a half hour off our actual times.

I soon figured out that I was off when I surpassed the finish time I had in my head with lots of riding left to do. Anyhow, the race started at 9 and I instantly lost track of everyone. Truth be known, the starting group was so thick I don’t think I could even see my own front wheel. In fact, at one point I think someone else was pedaling my bike for me.

Okay, so that might be an exaggeration but it was thick and it only got thicker through the spiral of death. As we spun, ran, stumbled, and trampled over the fallen, it quickly opened up on the gravel road outside of the YMCA camp. I picked up a wheel and burnt. At the first gate I saw Jay and Josh caught up in a bottle neck, I went right while all the rest went left. I slowed to see if I might be able to group up with Jay and Josh.

They soon caught me. Josh saying in a brotherly tone “Don’t work too hard.” I thought to myself, “Nope not this time I am prepared, I have a strategy…” My goal was to stick with someone, which worked, for a little while. I hate being dropped. I just plain hate it. I hate it even more when I know the person dropping me. So, the closest guys were Josh and Jay.

As I snagged onto the two of them Josh stops…I am thinking, “What? Do I stop? He can’t have a flat, he is running tubeless!?!” I didn’t stop; there would have been nothing that I could have done.

Seeing Jay ahead I went for his wheel and hung on. I think he knew I was back there but he didn’t pull off to let me tug a while, so I just hung on. Eventually we were working together, though it was random. Even on the roads there was no real semblance of a pace line. Just a lot of people with a good finish time in mind. Every now and then I would find Jay, or he would find me. There were several times when I was giving into the temptation so slow down and Jay would fly by and I found that was really motivating. Through the orchards and to the first single track went by quickly.

I soon found that Jay is really good on trails. He hit the uno track then I hit, he was gone and I was cursing the Gods. I bounced down to a spot too steep for my skills and got off to run. I ran a lot, running seemed to be faster. So, I ran and ran. I passed a lot of people wobbling, falling, and unclipping. I found a flat spot and clipped in, pinch flats be darned I was finding Jay and I was going to stick to my goal.

Hitting the pavement I saw the Laurel Health System shoulder patched of my boy. Hopping onto a wheel of some insaineo’ I floated up to jay as we cruised route 30. Sailing, we hit 233 and climbed, sometimes fast and sometimes slow, to the first run up.

As we passed the reservoir we exchange some words about family and life, then we climbed up to the power line. I shouldered the rig and climbed. These run ups are places to save time, if you can go fast…I hope to try that next year. One, two, three I finished the first run ups and stopped to water up. Turning, I thought I saw jay and I yelled, “Good job Jay!” But it wasn’t him.

Mounting and spinning I was moving forward but looking back, I couldn’t find Jay. And this is where I fell apart. Jay was my goal, my motivation, my teammate. Continuing, I had to regroup myself. Mentally I wasn’t tough enough for this and I allowed myself to be passed and slowed down. I wasn’t pushing and I knew it. I just couldn’t get up and go. From this point I don’t remember what I was thinking, other than don’t stop. I remember climbing Gutshall Road and thinking of stopping, when low and behold JOSH! How did I know it was him? Just by the sound of his shifting. Grumbling about tubeless tires he pedals up and passes. This is what I needed, someone from my team to stare at climbing away to motivate me…but he stops at the check point.

I kept going, knowing he would be passing me on the next long climb. A few minutes later there he is, looking like he had changed legs. Motivation, finally! Though he was there and gone, it was motivating enough.

Topping the mountain it was time to go fast. But, not too fast. On the second hair pin turn I, subconsciously, decided to try flying down the mountain. Parking my bike in a ditch like a pole- volt pole, I used forward momentum and a strange flapping of the arms to launch my self over a mound of dirt and down the mountain. This didn’t work, as I soon landed in a small bush.
Returning to the bike, I realized that this two wheeled contraption was the only way I was going to be able to join Francis’s special beer club. From this point it was a lot of gnashing and cursing through single track and pine branches, which were whipping at my ears, to the last run up. Now, I sort of ran this run up… Apparently it is “rideable,” but I was in no shape to partake in that. Atop this hill I sit upon my steed ready to cost home, defeated. And then Francis, rides by looking fresh, and says, “Hey, hurry up…” Ok, I think, chase, I think, apparently too youthfully because I killed myself down a hill, too stupid to use anyone’s slipstream and burn out at the first of three little bumps in the road. I see Francis ahead dukeing it out with some crazy dude to the finish and think, “Yeah, that’s not for me right now.” I finished a minute or two behind.

As apposed to the first time I tried this race, I learned a lot this year. Lesson one; water and food in the right amounts are essential. Two, I stopped eating and drinking at the end, that was bad. Three, don’t ever underestimate the motivation that a teammate or friend can give you even if you haven’t seen them in a long time. They unknowingly will help you through the dark parts. Four, it does have something to do with gearing. I was too prideful to affix a large 27 or 28 cassette to my bike, thinking it a sign that I am not strong enough to spin a 25 or 24 on this course. I no longer care and hope a few extra teeth might help next time. Five, training… I didn’t spend enough time grinding up grassy hills or bouncing up single track. That is going to change next time around.

For now I am proud of my effort. For a guy who works long hours and spends a good deal of time traveling to keep family ties strong, I think just finishing, for anyone, is a feat unmatched.

Until next time,

Jesse