Race Report - Flat Rock

GSC # 2 - Flat Rock Park MTB Race - Columbus GA April 13, 2008

Jeff Dorminey & Blake Gill







JEFF DORMINEY'S RACE REPORT

What do you call a mountain bike racer lacking tight single-track technical skills? In my case yesterday, a 5^{th place finish.}

This past Sunday, Carl Viars and I drove over to Columbus Ga. for the Georgia State Championship #2 at Flat Rock state park. I raced in the sport grand master class. After my pre-ride the day before, I felt as though this course would be to my advantage, as it was composed of open single-track connecting tighter and twister single-track (What’s open single-track you ask??? Single-track through wide open woods and fields). We got there early, plenty of time to register and get warmed-up, but because the temperature was –cold° and windy, my warm-up consisted mostly of standing in the sunshine and talking to friends, my plan was to finish warming up during the race, so,,,, My class lined up and we were off. I had a decent position from the start, not pushing too hard, still getting the old body warmed-up. After about the 2^nd mile we hit the 1^st technical section, a bunch of big, loose rocks. I jumped off my bike and ran the section as fast as I could. When I got back on my bike and looked up it was like where did the folks in front go? They were out of sight. Lucky for me we were back on the open single-track and I could see the person ahead of me. I caught and passed him just in time for the next section of tight single-track (tighter and twister then anything around here) As I had passed him I told him that if he needed back by to say something and I would let him by (not wanting to hold him up, although I did not think he would be able to keep up with me). We had not been in the tight single-track 50 feet when he asked to come by, so I let him pass and then watched him ride away from me! Got back to the open single-track and again saw him up ahead. Once again I caught and passed him, just in time for the next section of tight stuff. Yep, in the tight stuff he passed me again as I laughed out loud and told him “you’re just faster than me in the tight stuff” to which he gave me some good advice, don’t use your brakes. Don’t use your brakes, what about the trees! (I’ll need to practice this I guess) well this happened through out the 1^st lap and ½ the 2^nd lap until we got back to the big loose rocks and I had to get off my bike again. After that, he was gone, not to be seen by me until the finish. He finished 4^th and I finished 30 seconds back for 5^th, with the 3^rd place guy only about 2 minutes ahead . The 1^st and 2^nd place guys were a good 7 to 8 minutes ahead (already cooled down, changed clothes and packing up by the time I finished).

So what do I think? I need to work on my tight single-track skills to compete with these guys on that kind of course, but luckily my biggest targeted mountain bike races (Attack on Swayback and oak mountain’s Bump and Grind) courses aren’t nearly that tight and I do think that my fitness is comparable to the front runners and better than most of the other guys in my age group, stayed tuned we’ll see!

BLAKE GILL'S RACE REPORT

I actually started this race a week ago. I drank more water in the 4 days leading up to this race than I normally do in a month! I ate right, drank right, road, and recovered hoping to atleast stay in the top 5 if not break into the top 3. I pre-rode the course Wednesday (which had totally changed by race day) hoping to give myself an edge as most of these races I show up for i've never ridden before...

To make a long story short none of this seemed to work to my advantage (I blame it on the hot dog I had for dinner the night before, haha). I actually led the race for 3/4 of the first lap. While riding an open section the guy behind me asked who I was and if I had raced Arrowhead cause I was making him work (he ended up winning). Soon thereafter I caught a stick in my derailleur and had to stop and play to get it out, losing a few positions in the process. I hop back on, finding a good rhythm and catch back up to third. With about 3 miles left, I was in 4th with 5th and 6th right behind me when a big pine tree jumped out in front and grabbed me. I went down about as hard as a 6'4" 200lb person can and watched as the other riders rode away. I managed to ride in and keep 6th place...less than 5 minutes behind 1st.

Blake Gill