Uncle Don's Curse of Dark Hollow Report

I don't train. My diet is less than optimal. My pre-race beverage has a "born on freshness" label affixed to its container. I have an expensive, super light,?high tech full suspension race bike that spends a lot of time alone in the garage. And, I don't race much anymore these days. A poor example of a YBR fighting fish, I needed some redemption. I missed the first race in the Michaux series, the Maximus, and instead hung out and snapped pictures. It was fun to cheer on the racers and watch others suffer for a change. So for some reason I awoke early last Sunday, loaded up the van, and headed for Big Flat. After I'd signed up and chatted with the cool folks there to race and or hang out, I got around to getting dressed and attempting a warmup. Chuck, Joel and I had pre-ridden the course earlier in the week, and my legs were still fried from the near race pace Joel and Chuck maintained the entire time. Nothing new, I usually feel like crap on race day. Probably one of the reasons I don't do it much anymore!

This year the Gettysburg Cycling gang devised a simple way to break down categories: you have a 10 mile race, a 25 (give or take) mile race, and a long race (100k for the Curse). I choose the 25 miler, which was laid out much like the sport/expert courses of years past. One of my least favorite sections, which included a long, grinding climb, was removed and instead some neat stuff was substituted, so all in all this year's course was "cake". Especially when compared to the suffer-thon 100k race. Nope, not me. I'm a wimp. I'll leave that stuff to my hero, Fast Albert Greene.

You know how I mentioned I don't train? Well, that tends to hurt you in a race. The start is a long climb on fire road to the upper parking lot, across the lot, then into Wildcat. Lets just say I had a bad start. Really bad. Awful. I felt worse than a Dick Cheney hunting partner. It seemed as if everyone started with a full on sprint. Actually, that wasn't too far from the truth, as many were fading fast and I found myself back with most of the pack by the time I reached the top. I'd chosen my trusty singlespeed, and while it wasn't the best thing to have on the fireroads as I was forced to either stand and mash or spin wildly, the bike is very capable if its pilot's legs are up to task. Mine were on strike for most of the start, but I got them back - at least for a little bit - once on Wildcat. By the time I'd made it to the bottom, I was in the lead. Love them 29er wheels. The ensuing climb was rough, but I passed a lot of people before getting into the singletrack known a s Abigayle (sp?), though the eventual winner passed me at some point on that climb. Once I got past the climbs I found a groove and the singlespeed was wonderful. By the time I'd reached the reservoir I was in the lead again, but I'd get passed once again on a long section of fireroad climbing. A pattern of regaining the lead on downhill or technical sections only to lose it on climbs was established, and eventually TEW (the eventual winner) put a gap on me that I couldn't make up. In fact, at one point on a steep fireroad climb I was attempting some conversation (did I mention I'm not taking racing that seriously anymore?) and it didn't go over too well. TEW endured a few moments of socializing and then told me that he was going to put a gap on me now, and off he went, glancing often over his shoulder. I know Phil Ligget would have been disappointed that I didn't give chase, but I was in a spot of bother at the time (did I mention that I don't train?). I caught him a time or two after that , but in the end he crushed me by several minutes (I finished 3 minutes sooner than the time recorded - don't know why, doesn't matter).

Funny thing about the Curse is that the first third is so much fun (once past the initial climbing) that I always go out way too hard and suffer for the remainder of the race. Sunday was no exception, and I suffered a lot. But like I mentioned, the course was changed a bit from prior years and that one nasty long climb was omitted and I was happy for that. I did have lots of gastro issues, and realized at one point along a stretch of fireroad that I had to answer the call of nature. I was completely alone, so inspired by the boys in the Tour de France, I attempted an on bike fluid?voiding maneuver. In other words,?I tried an old roadie trick where one does not stop to take a leak. It did not go well. I will not attempt this maneuver again. I was indeed forced to stop to finish the deed. The rest of the race was fairly uneventful for me, and I was quite surprised to have enough gas to climb the powerline without stopping. I ended up second, and was happy and quite pleased with myself until I realized that Fast Albert had done the 100k race on his FULLY RIDGID singlespeed. Al ended up in the top ten in a field that was stacked with pros and semi pros. Way to go Al, you are my hero!

And speaking of accomplishments, Chuck B shredded the course in under 2:40 and took fifth in a very tough Vet field, and Greg Spath won his 10 mile race, bad hip and all! Just think how fast Greg will be once that hip heals. And the ankle. And the neck. And...

Thanks for reading, and I hope to see more Fish at the races either competing or cheering on fellow fish. I hope to be at the TT this Thurs to snap pics and watch others suffer. Its great fun!

Some of my venue pics are at: singlespeeder.smugmug.com (Dale Fitzsimmons has some there as well). And check out Tom Miller's awsome shots of the 100k race at: http://tomi.smugmug.com/gallery/3160737#173723758?


dp