Eric G here. Sometimes late is better then never, so here's our race report for FSC #1!! The first race of the season had arrived to Tallahassee's Tom Brown Park. Team Eric (Eric G & Eric N) would make the 7 hour trip this time. The weekend schedule called for an Individual Time Trial on Saturday and the main events on Sunday. This year it seems the weather gods were also interested in participating as well. Racers such as ourselves who arrived to Tom Brown Park on Saturday, were treated to passing showers in the morning, eventually developing in torrential downpours in the early afternoon. Conditions were deteriorating quickly to the point where there was FLOWING WATER in the trails and pit areas. Race promoter Dave Berger made the tough call and had to cancel Saturday's ITT due to the conditions. At about 3pm Eric and I decided we still needed to get a look at the trail no matter the conditions. We managed about 1/3rd of the race loop before the skies opened up again, this time with lightning, so we had to call it quits. While we were out, conditions were awful. Instead of finding puddles in a trail, you would find dry sections. That's how much water was out there. We wound up packing up our gear and meeting our great friends Steve Mace, Matt Donovan and so many others that I can't remember, for a few brews and the largest pizzas I'd ever seen. If you can't ride, you might as well talk about riding with friends!Race day arrived and it was like Saturday's rains never happened. Short of a few puddles, the trail drained magnificently. We'd learn that morning that the Park had requested the two most unique sections of the trail be removed from the race loop as erosion would do too much damage during the race. A tough decision, but understood.
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| Eric N through the splash zone |
Eric N would start the 19-29 class like a rocket. After the race I caught up with him and here's what he had to say. "Having never been on the trails at Tom Brown and thanks to mother nature, I was unable to see much of it before the race. So needless to say I was wiggin' out! Having trained with some of my competition this summer, it was clear in my mind who I wanted to pace and who I was going to let by. So the whistle blew and we're off. I got a pretty good jump, clipped in quickly, and found myself in 5th position going into the trails. My goal was to let someone lead me the entire first lap as I had no clue what to expect. That plan was working great, the first couple miles I was climbing strong and keeping a solid pace with 3rd and 4th in front of me. I even felt that I had more in my tank but was going to save it until I figured this place out. Apparently, it was way more of a pace than I was ready to hold. I blew up quickly and had no idea of where to recover. Just not my day! I lost pace and was on my own trying to figure out any flow. 2nd lap came around and I was feeling it! In a whole new way that is! A mile into my second lap I had this sensation as if I ran into a thorn bush or something alike because I was in some pain. I quickly realized that for whatever reason a swarm of yellow jackets were pissed and were taking it out on me. I had dozens flying around the rear of my saddle, a dozen attached to my pork loins and as am I trying to ride and swat them I'm getting stung on my arm and shooting these things down my leg! I was doing my best not to scream like a school girl instead tried to remain the cool, rugged, hardcore mountain biker I think I am. Ha! Definitely the highlight of my race and a good story for my grandchildren someday. Sorry to my fans for the let down, but next race I'll be better prepared! I'm marking this one off as a good day of training."
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| Eric G coming out of Cadillac |
Earlier in the morning Pro's put on a show between Ryan Woodall and Bob McCarty, staying together for the entire race, with Ryan ultimately holding off Bob in a sprint finish! A rare site for us!
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| Woodall takes the Pro win |
