Killer 3

The Killer 3 MTB trails in Poinsett Park, just outside of Sumter, SC were host to the season opening Southern Classic MTB series.  It was another chilly race start but, I gotta say I'm getting used to dressing appropriately by now!

The Quarq power meter in my new 29'er hard tail was out for warranty, and rather than race it without the power reading I decided it would be fun to try my hand against the single speeders.

Probably due to complaints about the 14 mile course last year (3 laps for CAT 1), the course was shortened to 7 miles (4 laps for CAT 1).  I thought that would mean less über-flat endless fire road.  Unfortunately it didn't. Which left me WAY spun out for a significant amount of the course.

The Single Speed class rolled out after every age group of CAT 1, every age group of CAT 2 and a Women's class. Which meant the fast SS'ers would be in traffic all day.  I got a reasonable start, but a few riders (I wasn't sure how many) rolled off the front while I worked thru the pack I was in.  Much of the trails were tight and twisty with limited passing, causing riders to try creative passes in the woods.

The long, flat, fire road section near the end of the lap.  I spun as fast as I could control - spinning like mad then tucking and coasting when there was a slight downhill.  Repeat.  I passed several geared CAT 2 racers.  Some of them passed me back just before the single track and I had to pass them back again.  No Single Speeders in sight.

Lap 2 was largely a repeat of lap 1.  I'm still digging.  Still no Single Speeders in sight.  I start to envision the possibility that I may be leading until I pass a cat 2 rider who knows me and says that he thinks I'm 5th or 6th.  Oh well.  Hammer on.  I do.

By lap 3 I'm determined to catch someone without a derailleur.  Which I manage to do about 1/2 way through the lap.  Then, near the end of the lap, I see a rider ahead that I am slowly reeling in.  He's standing on every climb of significance - a sure sign he's on one gear.  There is a slight climb before the loooong fire road section. He's a bigger rider, so my chances don't look good against him in the sprint.  Instead of just following along behind him I decide to blow by him as fast as I can with the hopes that he doesn't notice I'm SS or is too tired to give chase.  I drill it and never look back.  I was going full gas, but eventually I can hear him behind me.  Near the end of this section there are a couple of short downhills.  Enough for him to put in a big effort and pull ahead of me.  He's apparently geared more appropriately than me and I cannot spin any faster.  I rolled in several seconds after he did.  ...and then I did another lap.  Because I wanted to.

Turns out I had been racing for 2nd, So I was pleased to wind up 3rd and on the podium.  A great way to start the season!

It was great to see a lot of the friends I hadn't been able to see in a few months and catch up on their training, season plans and goals and check out a lot of their new bikes.

See you on the trails!