Race Report

Race Report by "Downtown" Julie Brown

Forget the Fort Ord series...the only thing it has going for it is it's a shorter drive.

TBF Racing at Lake Folsom is just FUN! The course is a great course, nothing too technical, nothing too harsh, but fast and furious enough to keep it really fun and interesting. I think it's a much funner course than the Fort Ord series hands down, to keep your chops up before the Sea Otter.

Thank God for cross racing -- really came in handy yesterday. Of course since the weatherman said it wouldn't rain until the evening, it started raining about 7:30 that morning. So, I was in my element...rain, wet, cold, muddy and sandy.

This course has no climbs, just a few steeps. It starts out really fast and furious with a long fireroad stretch that's perfect for passing. I got my usual back of the front pack start in 5th place, but was able to jump to second on the fireroad. From then on it was chase the bunny through the singletrack section. Didn't see the log drop coming but somehow managed to stay upright! I chased first place for a good 5 miles before the third place local girl passed me. I never saw them again. So, I settled in and was happy to be in third place. But it wasn't going to be that easy. There was 4th place nipping at my back tire for the entire second lap.

This course is really fun. Lots and lots of twisty turny swooping fast singletrack. The mud made the singletrack that much more interesting. One really wide pond/puddle with a short uphill that was pretty darn deep...my shoes/gloves and bike were soaking wet. The sand pits were also long and unrideable...again I was grateful for my cross racing experience. And through all of it I couldn't shake that fourth rider behind me. I would lose her for awhile but she would always reappear. It was a good test of my mental mettle...how bad did I want this? I pushed hard that second lap and finally lost her at the end.

Funniest moment for me was when I ended up unclipped and manuevering through some boulders, wobbling back and forth, trying not to dap. Guy behind me says "nice save!" and I'm thinking, "God what a dufus, get your damn feet clipped in."

They were slow to post the results so I hung around thinking I got third place. When it came time to pick up our awards, it seems I ended up in 1st place for my age group! A very nice surprise.

So, for those of you who want to keep your chops up, check out TBF Racing. For those of you who are thinking about doing the Adventure Race at Lake Folsom in August, check out TBF Racing...you won't be disappointed. There are also dualathons the day before the mountain bike races for those runners in the group. Races are scheduled for 2/22, 3/14 and 4/4.

A big congratulations goes out to Erin Ambrose -- for her 3rd place finish! Right on fellow TWW chick racer!

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