Grind results are posted; http://www.efta.com/content/blogcategory/13/44/
It was nice to see all the MTBMind jerseys out their, even thou I'm not racing I'm still feeling it and cheering ya'll on.
Special kados to Kathlene who looked fresh, and lovey as I might add, as a daisy and the finish and ready to do a 4th lap and Jenifer for not doing a 4th lap. All kidding aside you all looked good out there and kinda sorta makes me wanna race again.
Race report: The course was run in the opposite direction this year, lending a different perspective on each rock garden and twisty trail section(every part is twisty isn't it?). The MTBMind green was everywhere. I think there were about 250 racers with a good mix of 66 and EFToids smiling it up on a spectacularly beautiful day. With all the racers taking it to the Grind, traffic was a significant factor, but certainly not for my finish which was determined by Spin Arts' Bisson and Curley. They rode away and I waved goodbye - riding along concentrating on the next section, conserving skin and wondering whether to run or ride the rock gardens. In the end, running was best as the course deteriorated and became increasingly congested as we rode into fields that had started earlier. I used my Fuel, which isn't exactly the quickest accelerator, but feels a heck of a lot better on the body later on. :>) I finished in 1:32:07, good enough for a free lunch. Note: I'm one of those guys who can't resist a bit of safe air and the two start/finish area rocks were willing to supply a lil' good time. Thanks to Doug, his family, and friends for hosting another great MTB scene.
Check out the race from my perspective.
| [+] Embed the video | Video Download | Get the Flash Video |
Let me know if this does not work for people as there are some third party copyright issues with YouTube.
Anonymous
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Posts: 9
I've got a website enhancment request. Ability to edit/delete one of your existing posts.
Let's try that again, but without all the HTML stuff.
It was an absolutely fantastic day at the races yesterday. For those who didn’t make the trip you missed the best conditions, weather, course, you name it, Glocester has seen in the last few years. The usual mud pits and rock gardens were there, but the rest of it was in primo shape. As an added bonus they decided to run the race in reverse this year so it was like a brand new course.
My first race of the year and first expert race ever I didn’t really know what to expect. Scott Hood who used to crush me in sport was there and I was lined up next to the guy that beat me last year in the sport race (so at the very least I had a shot at redemption). Other than that I really didn’t know anyone else in the field. I also didn’t have much of a strategy other than trying to stay on the bike and not kill myself or anyone else around me. I was maybe 5th or 6th going into the woods but got caught up in a crash on the first root section, watched everyone stream by, and was dead last going into the woods. Shortly after the first mud section I managed to get back to mid pack and had a good race going on lap one. By the end of lap one we were passing and getting passed by riders in other groups and I no longer had any idea where I was relative to my group. I washed out on one of the corners near the beginning of lap two and just lost all my rhythm as a flood of people went by. I struggled to get anything going for most of that lap and spent most of it trading places with a Vet2 on an SS. I got few glimpses of Hans but just couldn’t seem to close the gap. Fortunately, somewhere near the end of lap 2 I was able to latch on to Al and just buried myself for the next lap to stay with him. I’m not sure if he found much humor in me telling him he was dogging it if I could keep with him, but it was working for me. In the end, the strategy worked out well as he effectively dragged me back into contact with the main pack from my group. I tried to make a move in the last mile but really had nothing left in the tank at this point. It turns out I was battling with the eventual 3rd place finisher going through the last mud pit. I took a bad line and had to run the last part of it as he pedaled away. I did manage to get by a few people but just couldn't gain ground on the group of 5 or 6 that were 25 yds. or so ahead. Turns out that was the battle for 3rd place as places 3-7 were just 14 seconds apart. I came in 6th just 12 seconds off the podium. Going into the race I figured I’d be mid pack somewhere. Just hadn’t figured on it being that close to placing. If the fields keep going like this, it will be an exciting year of racing.
Im a little disappointed you fell down Chris. 
gofunburnman, you can edit, right under your post click on edit. What didn't work for me was putting a smiley in with html...it just takes it out. Im guessing html is disabled.
Anonymous
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Posts: 9
jschoef ha detto: gofunburnman, you can edit, right under your post click on edit. What didn't work for me was putting a smiley in with html...it just takes it out. Im guessing html is disabled.
I'm not seeing an "edit" option.
Interesting, I can edit this one, but not my other posts. Anyway, would someone delete all these (except the race report that is formatted OK), Delete still isn't an option.
Untitled.jpg (42 KB, 1 downloads) 3 months old I took care of your post Steve. You are only allowed to modify a pot within the first 24 hours of posting it.
I can change that if people think they want to change what they say..
I'll fix the HTML settings also!
Anonymous
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Posts: 9
mtbmind ha detto: I took care of your post Steve. You are only allowed to modify a pot within the first 24 hours of posting it. I can change that if people think they want to change what they say.. I'll fix the HTML settings also!
I think once there is another post on the thread you can no longer edit a previous post. "Edit" is no longer an option on my post from 14 hrs ago.
gofunburnman ha detto: spent most of it trading places with a Vet2 on an SS... Fortunately, somewhere near the end of lap 2 I was able to latch on to Al and just buried myself for the next lap to stay with him.
That was me on the SS.
It was hard to know who you were racing with so many people on the course. I thought you and the guy on the blue Giant were in my class until I saw the results, and I'd confuse you and Al because of your jerseys. But in our "group" three different groups were represented (Vet1, Vet2, Masters).
Anonymous
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Posts: 9
CB2 ha detto:
gofunburnman ha detto: spent most of it trading places with a Vet2 on an SS... Fortunately, somewhere near the end of lap 2 I was able to latch on to Al and just buried myself for the next lap to stay with him. That was me on the SS. It was hard to know who you were racing with so many people on the course. I thought you and the guy on the blue Giant were in my class until I saw the results, and I'd confuse you and Al because of your jerseys. But in our "group" three different groups were represented (Vet1, Vet2, Masters).
Yeah, I put 2 and 2 together last night reading your write-up. Fun race. Really fun going back and forth with someone. Not so much fun trying to clear some of that stuff in traffic.
In case you didn't watch the video, my race started with nearly 20 elite guys at the line, a few of which included Kevin Hines, John Foley, Thom Parsons, and a few other regulars. From preriding the first part of the course, I was psyched to find out that it was very dry with the typical mud/rock gardens scattered throughout.
We had to do 4 laps and I should have changed my crank rings after I put on a new chain and cassette... clunk clunk clunk every now and then and a few endo's left me chasing a few guys, but overall felt great for my first race of the year. 1st 2 laps were about 30 minutes, 3rd lap was 26 minutes, and 4th a little longer leaving me with 11th place and a time of 1:59... 13 minutes behind 50 year old Kevin Hines who took the win.
Great course and awesome event... you save a lot of time getting around lapped riders in the tough sections.. or you lose a lot of time getting stuck not being able to pass fast enough, but that's racing.
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