Putney, VT, Root 66 MTB Race.

Late post for this race since I really don't have anything nice to say about it, and can be summarized by: It sucked, I sucked and together it was one big suckfest! I would call it "suckfest 2011".  The reality of it (I hate it when people use that term. As if saying it establishes the ultimate truth!), is that I am a little bit of a big ass wimp.  I don't like getting hurt and I don't like being out of control (on and I guess off bike too).  Skidding though inches of thick peanut butter mud certainly does not reassure that need for control. In addition, this would be my third race of season, including Willows where since I broke my chain, I "rode" more than really "raced".

So I came into the race feeling very unprepared.  I had taken an easy week since my legs were feeling tired, but on the warm up, and especially on the first lap, my legs were still feeling like junk.  Every little climb hurt and I had no power.  I do usually consider myself to be a decent climber (until i have to actually climb), but the hills were killing me. There were two long fire road climbs, with one that felt ten times as long due to being soft and muddy.  First lap, I tried riding it left, right on the second, then straight through on the third. All three ways sucked! The climb by the finish was actually in remarkable good shape considering the rest of the course.  Since I knew this was going to hurt, I started towards the back, and quickly found myself way in the back: in last place actually.  After the first lap, I didn't really care where I placed and was just looking to complete and finish all the laps w/out ending up on the side of the trail in the fetus position.  I did eventually  meet that fairly low standard! I got one good spill when riding a fast downhill and hit large thick mud puddle that took my bike in a direction I was not going.  I got to fly like superman (sans cape) for a second before a fairly soft landing the mud.  I used to really like the Putney course.  Not a big fan this year!