TORC XC - Tarwheel Race - DNF Hell

This was definitely the disappointment of the season for me. The race is on my home trails. They are only about 2 miles from my house and probably 80% or more of my riding is done there. ... so I know the trails and course very well and had prepped for it. I had even worked with the crew to mark the course, marshalled the earlier race etc. The TORC series is lower key than the SCS stuff too, so I knew going in I had a chance to win it. Here is how the race unfolded.  I went into the singletrack first after drafting etters and another guy on the doubletrack (I felt a little bad about that... but only a little :) ). I gapped everyone on the first section of singletrack (spyderhole)  enough that I didn't hear them anymore after about an mile in. Felt good passed some of the younger guys in the class that started before us. I was rolling a good pace but keeping it in check. Then.... I flatted the rear on the outer loop of neverlands and proceeded to get super atomic pissed (this is where all rational thought ended). Fumbled around changing the tube with my spare and in my haste pumped it to about 20 psi. Lost 4 places during that episode and came around 1st lap in 5th. Check out my rear tire in this pic hehe. 

I passed the 4th guy on the doubletrack (although at this point I had no idea where I was in the pack). Dropped into spyderhole and some combo of thinking about how pissed I was instead of concentrating on a line and the loose back tire resulted in a fairly spectacular digger at speed, which included a helmet to tree connection. Hop back on and roll onto wormhole and pinch flat about a 1/4 mile in. No other tubes. So I walked/jogged it back out. Since this isn't USAC they would have let me put another tube in from my car and roll on, which I should have done, but my head wasn't right at that point. 

Moral of the story... keep a cool head and let yourself calm down. Rational thought good. Oh well lesson learned.

As a side note, these pinch flats pissed me off enough to start running tubeless tires. Have been running them since, they are great have had zero flats since switching.

SCS - Riverfront Classic Charlotte Race

This race was a highlight of the season for me. I had ridden the trails a couple times about 12 years ago when I lived in Charlotte and I even remembered a couple spots. More fun though was seeing an old buddy I used to race with in college. A couple of years ago he was a successful expert racer in the region, but recently had twins so hasn't been riding much. He was helping put on the event, but jumped into the Cat 2 race with me just for fun. He had no intention of finishing for those worried about sandbagging. This course had a fairly viscous starting run out. About 50 yards of grass and then instant singletrack with a mildly technical entrance. I staged on the front and got a decent jump. I remember the pack getting close to the singletrack and someone yelling "alright lets keep it calm, don't want to stack it up.." I went into the woods in about 3rd. My bud was at least 3 spots behind me. In what seemed like about 200 yards I heard him chatting me up right on my wheel. It was tight singletrack, no idea how he passed the others in there so fast. We cooked it for a little and he passed me using momentum up a short straight. The next few miles were ridiculous. Riding on his wheel on his home turf at warp speed. Many times I just let go of the brakes and trusted his line. He get a little worn down on the short climbs as we went so the guys behind us would catch us on the climbs and we would gap them on the next down. Great great stuff. He ran out of steam and I passed him about 1/2 way through the first lap. He knew the trails and caught me an several intesections to yell stupid stuff etc. I felt pretty good the whole race. I had 3rd until the 2nd lap and a guy passed me near the start/finish and I couldn't hold on. My bud hoped back on with me for the last couple of miles and I rode in alone. Great race.

Stats: 4th of 16, 19 miles, 106 mins, avg speed 10.7, avg HR 167, max HR 175, bike XTC