MTB National Championships - WORS #7 Sunburst Showdown

I believe I say this every year, but it is hard to believe that it is the end of July already and just past the mid way point in the MTB season.  This last month has been loaded with great training, good travel, and better racing.  In the past July has been a good rebound month after, typically, a down June.  I like to take June a bit easier and start coming back in July preparing for the largest month of racing, August.

MTB USA National Championships

In my pre season planning I did not intend on adding National Champs to my schedule.  With a little encouragement from family, sponsors, and a fellow competitor I pulled the trigger on a plane ticket to Boise. I was going back to Idaho but this time for a run a the Pro field.  My juniors were driving out a week prior so I shipped my bike with them making my travel and decision of going much easier.

XC

The XC course is set at the base of Mt. Baldy.  They send you around the mostly flat venue, then shoot you straight up the middle of a service road, and send you back down a single-track switchback descent.  The climb there is brutal.  10-15% grade (more in some places) for 3/4 of a mile.  In other words a steep wide open climb for 8-10 minutes.

I had high goals coming in but soon realized on the start climb, finishing the race would be an accomplishment.  I had a good start but faded quickly on the opening climb to about 1/2 way back in the field.  At the top I remember thinking, "I can't believe I have to do that 5 more times"  My negative thought drew out the fight in me and I was determined to make the cut.  My race does not have much to write home about.  The climb took me roughly 8-9 min each time and the descent another 8-9 minutes  Starting lap 5 of 6 I could hear the moto coming behind.  You do not want to get passed by the moto.  It means the leaders are coming and mostly likely you will get pulled.  I dug deep on the climb and just edged out the moto to the top securing that I would be able to finish the race.  I gutted the last climb and was happy to see the finish line, even if it was in 31st place.  50 starters and 19 riders were pulled or DNF'd.  I made the cut and I'm happy to call a positive a positive  

STXC   

I had much higher hopes for the Short Track.  I believe Short Track plays to my strengths.  I was able to play to my strengths but unfortunately also my weakness.  The weakness?  Being assertive.  I haven't learned to be aggressive enough in a large field, learned to bumb some elbows, offend a rider by cutting them off, or just plain old not caring but anyone but yourself.  The start of Short Track is so fast that you have to defend your position and take when you can.  I did not.  My legs were really good and once I established a posistion I was able to keep good but too little too late.  I was pulled with 3 to go in 32nd.  

WORS #7 Sunburst Showdown

I took the prior weeks WORS #6 off to get some specific training in and take a weekend off of traveling after returning from ID.  I was incredibly happy to be back on the WORS scene as it had been about a month since my last line up.

The words, "Gooooo." and I was right back at home.  The race strung out fairly fast and up the start climb a group of 8 was formed.  I got gapped slightly a couple times on the first 1/2 of the lap but eventually bridged to Nathan, Brian, Tristan, and Cory.  Big D and Issac were just off the back.  Nathan pulled through the pines and the field so I took the time to recover a bit in the draft.  Rght before climbing back up the ski hill I put in a dig.  I got some time on the group and they didn't seem to chase so I decided to keep digging.  I knew I wasn't staying away but I was happy to put in the effort to establish a smaller group.  Lap 2, I stayed steady up the climb as 3 chasers were pulling me in.  Tristan caught me in the single-track portion of the start climb and I was happy with it thinking we would combine to put some time on.  It didn't happen, it passed me and put a small dig right past me.  Brian bridged up and eventually passed me at the very top and Corey was next.  

I settled into 4th and chased Corey.  Corey would put time on me on the climbs but I would gain most of it back on the descent and in the pines.  I was glad I had to chase because it kept me moving forward as Big D and Kevin chased me down and for 2 laps put time into me.  At the end of lap 3 I caught Corey and I jumped to the front for most of lap 4.  Start of lap 5 and the mountain goat came out of Corey.  He instantly gapped me on the climb and I was never able to pull it back even with an all out effort on the other sections of the course.  Finshed 4th.  

Incredibly happy with the result for where I am at in the season.  It is a positive end to July and keeping the motivation high for August.  A hard week of training ahead and then the prep for the Ore to Shore.