Iron Hill Race

Yesterday was Iron Hill...which is in Delaware (just over the state line from Maryland)...last years race was SO HOT!!! I was a beginner racer last year and our race was the first which started at 8-9am, and yet it was already so hot and especially humid...sweating just getting out of the car...the later races had a lot of DNF's due to the heat. So this year turned out the opposite, very comfortable and Sport class started out last at 2pm...so we got the brunt of the days heat which was bearable....

I raced like hell to get there in time to change my race from sport SS to Enduro SS, unfortunately the promoters were having a day over "Panty Bunching"...when I asked another guy for Beginner master 1 needed to sign in (he had pre-reg) and the guy working the sign in table was more than a little perterbed that he was "late" and I wanted to do something so dramatic...HELLO IT WAS 8:40 AND THE RACE STARTED AT 9AM...the guy plugging in the names at the computer was very snotty about it, so I simply told them just forget it, I'll stick with what I originally signed up for...so I'll hang out and watch all the other races...BTW the guy who was the Beg. Mst 1 made it with 10 minutes to spare...

All the racers were flyin coming through the pit area, as each lap passed the enduro racers never seemed to waiver, they seem to all be doing really well...Rob and Hebe were flyin through the pits each lap...looked really focused!!!

Then our race was soon to start, I decided to do a short little pre-ride of the start 1-2 miles...well back into the woods and on a little climb, the chain started skipping like crazy, actually had to walk it back didn't have a tool and my soulcraft chain tensioner came loose from the hanger bolt...ran back to the car got my wrench and tighened it down...then had to fly down to the start line...go there and had a few min. to spare...

The start was pretty cool, we were in a grass field that then narrowed down to double track with tape on both sides...BUT...right at the end of the field when it narrowed there was a big tree trunk caution taped off, go to the left or go to the right...I felt and heard something behind me in my class start right about the trunk...after the race found out my team mate Holt did an endo at the tree trunk split, not sure how but it bunched up and knocked down approx. 4 other riders...

We headed into the woods, typical East coast Single Track...twisty, roots and FUN...there was a steep"dip" about 7-10 feet down and a crowd gathered encouraging riders to pull up and jump...I couldn't resist and got a yell out of the crowd...found out after the race almost all the Jr's jumped it, but just this old guy did..)

The first lap was fast and fluid...I didn't hear Holt behind me (which usually happens most races...he is so good at bideing his time then jumping on it and picking us off one by one)...I came up on 3 SSer's and made my way around, then on a hill climb my chain started skipping again...damn...I never bring my tools with me, just air and water, well fortunately I brought my tools and got it tightend back down just in time...I saw one of my competitors approaching the switch back turn...I jumped on it and got away...the first lap I climb'd all...when I got to the "Mega-Dip" (which is approx.40-50 foot giant "culvert" sttep down then shoot straight back up...well don't brake and peddal like hell to get up the other side..there is an easy bail half way up the exiting side which is an easier grade off to the right then crest and make a quick left to get back on main trail...so first lap I shot off the easy right...the other two laps I went straight up...

On the last lap at the back half of the course loop just after a little bridge crossing, the trail gose up a steep climb...just didn't have it or want to do it "grinding" so I jumped off and started running...ran past a guy on "gears" then I hear this ..."hey Ed"...OMG it's Holt and he is SPRINTING past me...I grabbed his camel pack in jest (and for fun) told him "hey how did you catch me?" I thought at this point of the race I was well ahead of anyone in my class that we all would be pretty well settled in to our own paces...well as I wrote earlier Holt is great at coming from behind and picking everyone off, he has the strength to do it...

I had a lap pace of:31:39/31:46/31:32....then Holt had 34:05/30:10/30:20...you can see that his first lap reflects the endo he suffered at the start...then slowly gained...we finished at:
Holt 9th - 1:34:36:84
Me 10th - 1:34:58:58
Andy 11th - 1:34:59:62

As you can see Andy and myself were very close...well the ending of the race was probably the most exciting of the day...on the last gradual long straight climb I was just catching up to Andy when we got to tthe top you make a right and go approx. 100 yards to the "Mega Dip", well I was panting by the top so I let him go ahead so we wouldn't be bunching or attempting passes at the mega dip...when I crested the top of the dip and started down I looked up and saw Andy "bonk" on the tree roots at the very top to the right I blasted and yelled ot "headache" ole Lineman saying for WATCH OUT, and I blasted just to his left...he realized it was me so he jump on it and we both sprinted down a open fire road which headed right towards the Pit/start/finish area...well I told Andy "go ahead young man...ya got me" my legs were BURNING...well we were turning the corner towards the pit straight away and I saw him slow just for a moment...so I pulled it out from deep down and gunned it...I wanted to squeeze off the left side knowing the turn coming up would put me on the inside...(age & wisdom over youth and strength, right!)..well I managed to squeeze by and take the turn, I heard someone yell for him to go...I knew I had him, he probably had to brake...we rounded the turn and then sprinted to the finish...and the result was the time difference was 1:04 seconds...

Andy's buddy and team mate 17 year old Chris Logan smoked the class for a first place with a time of 1:25:29:05 AWESOME time...I was in the 12 hour race last weekend with Chris...he did really well there too...second place went to a very strong Allen Gracey for a time of 1:26:08:95...he's one of the "old guys rule" group...

It turned out to be a great race for everyone, lots of fun...after wards was a SUPER BBQ and Pool party at a team mates....Thanks Kathleen, you have a fantastic place thanks for having us over, made for a perfect "capper" on a great day!!!