Cause: Race for Human Rights

If you need a little incentive to support a good "cause" then this is a great way to do it. I certainly make an attempt to support Christian organizations that are providing relief and God's message to people who need it but when I get to contribute by racing, well, that's just sweet! In this case 100% of the profits from this race went to support children in Africa.

There were about 200 riders that came out to race at the Canmore Nordic Centre on a super muddy course. The organizers described the course as "easy-expert". Before pre-riding, I wondered what they meant by this but afterwards it all made sense. You were either riding on wide ski trail (probably 80% of the course) or descending down an expert level downhill. It was a course that I assume was designed to accommodate a wide range of rider abilities which I think it accomplished well. With all the mud, however, the course became very difficult. The downhills were treacherous and were the cause of many endo's and cartwheeling bikes. The climbs and flats on the ski trails, though not dangerous, were very frustrating because the mud stole traction and zapped 70% of your Watts due to tire slippage/stickage (I believe that is the technical term).

I usually have pretty good races in the mud and this race didn't disappoint me. I had a good start and after about 3/4 of the first climb we started sorting ourselves out. Apparently I wasn't being very observant because I thought it was Ryan Hopping, Brian Cooke then me. But, in actuality it was Steve Gaphne, Brian Cooke then me. Ryan was actually behind somewhere (not far, no doubt) I say this because half-way through the first lap I pass Brian and I figure that I am riding in second behind Ryan, not Steve. At some point on the second lap Ryan has a chain break and is forced to DNF. So as I start my third lap I see him off the course and think that sucks for Ryan but at least I'm riding in the lead now. For the next couple of laps I think I am riding in the lead only to head out for my 5th and final lap when I hear Ryan shout out (sarcastically, I might add) "Keep goin' he's only 6 minutes ahead of you!" I reply, "who?!?" "Steve Gaphne." Man, I feel like a knob! Oh well, it certainly wouldn't have made a difference to the race, only to my pride. Steve rode superbly demonstrating incredible fitness so the race was for second. I tried to ride defensively knowing that I was starting to fatigue and that Brian Cooke was around a minute behind me at the start of the last lap. Sure enough, about 3 kms. to go Brian is right on my tale. All that is left to the finish line is 2 sections of downhill singletrack and a 500 m. gradual climb. I thought about using my forte (the singletrack) to drop him but decided that the risk/reward ratio was not in my favour. If I risked too much on that (especially with the mud) it could cost me a crash and likely a second place finish and the amount I would gain on Brian would probably be minimal considering these trails are in his "backyard". I decided I would ride the singletrack conservatively and as soon as we got to the last gradual climb I would attack and pray that it wouldn't end up a sprint. Without looking behind me, I hammered as hard as I could, in and out of the saddle. I didn't glance behind me until the last corner with about 100 m. to go and Brian wasn't there so I just cruised in for second.

This was a very fun race and I recommend it to anyone with any mtb'ing ability. Cheers to everyone who braved the mud and finished.