The course was the same as last year. The race was delayed quite a while from its expected 6:30 start time because the Junior class races started late and they were still on the course. That was kind of a drag, having to wait around not knowing when the race was really going to start.
Eventually it got going and I started at the back of the pack. It begins in a baseball field which kind of sucks for me. You might think the grass would be easy to ride on but there are so many unseen pits and bumps that it requires constant adjustment. I think a lot of the course has similar bumpy characteristics, even on the dirt single-track sections, and it caused my lower back to fatigue and bothered me, just like last year. Plus I repeat it 3 times. It was also a bit muddy in places. Going in and out of mud also throws me a bit because of the instant speed changes. But I pushed through and completed my laps.
I made it all the way up the difficult switchback once, on my third lap.
My gel flask worked well for me. It did partially unsnap once, but I was quick to reattach it.
According to my GPS it took me 1 hour and 12 minutes. That's dead on with the final race I did there last year. It's hard to say if how much I could improve. We'll see.
I got the usual positive feedback from the crowd: "Go Uni-man!" A row of kids held their hands out for me to high-five, well... low-five, as I rode by. Later the kids were on the trails and one said something like "You're an inspiration to us all!" Ha ha, they were fun.
There was a family there and the dad said her 10 year old daughter was inspired to try unicycling because she saw me race there last year. That was cool to hear! She's still working on it, but I gave her some pointers.
I also saw a mountain biker who took two pictures of me at last year's Fat Tire Festival. He brought the photos with him to give me. That was awesome of him and they're great pictures too. I've posted them on my original 2011 Fat Tire Festival blog post. Thanks!
It was a good time.
No comments:
Post a Comment