When I rolled into Fort Custer it was 50 degrees and super windy. With this event being on top of a hill and across a small lake....its open. Meaning the main parking lot is open to wind. It was cold. It was supposed to be 60 and sunny.....but Mother Nature can be a bitch! lol.
I checked in and had a lot of time to kill. My start time wasn't until 12:55. I talked with Jay a bit and saw Lisa. Before too long it was time to gear up and start warming up. I just did some slow rolling around to get my legs moving. It was almost an hour before my start to I didn't want to fully warm up, I just wanted to be warm enough from moving.
Eventually I did a solid warm up down to the boat launch and back a few times. I didn't want to be sweating when we lined up, because there is always a wait for the start. Instead I just rolled around the parking lots when people started staging. I was in Stage 6 so I knew I had some time. Before too long, it was time to line up. I joined the other clydesdales and fatbikers in my wave and headed to the chute. There was only 4 preregistered in my class, but it appeared there was 7 lined up. Great, a challenge.
3,2,1.....GO GO GO. I was in the second row and pushed hard to be the 5th rider going down the hill. Solid start I thought. 3 clydes ahead of me. Knowing I wanted a podium I pushed to pass and get into 3rd before we crossed the road and hit the singletrack. There was a fat biker and a fellow clyde that I was chasing the first two miles. We got through the technical area and spit out across the road again for a flat section. I was being dropped, but I was in 3rd and I wasn't being pressed by anyone else.
We got into the trenches and I was trying to see how close anybody was. I still had a fatbike in view, but 2nd place was out of sight. I blasted the first switchback climb and started toward the second when I heard "good job Sean!". It was Brian, who started in the wave ahead of me. We climbed to the top of the next switchback and I took the chance for a breather. We rode through the next section before the trail widens and I took the inside corner to press onward.
I was feeling really good, but my breathing was fast. So I focused on bringing that down while still pushing as hard as I could. I had zero concerns about distance....I just wanted to kill this first lap. The narrow twisty singletrack gave way to the leadin 2-track to the green. I could still see the fat biker and nobody was behind me. I took a peek before we got back into the trail. Riders were back there, but I couldn't tell who they were. No real reason to stick around and find out. PRESS ON.
Erin's climb was tough as always. I caught another guy and passed him at the top, before the minions started coming. Now I had a chance to see that they were the 14 and under men coming. No worries, they will get right past and leave to suffer. lol. They came and went very fast, and I could still see the fat biker in front of me. I just keep going as fast as I could. Eventually a few other guys came into view. They were suffering and would pull off to let me pass.
Before long I caught a guy before the rooty climb before the boat launch. He went left, I went right. He got kicked in front of me and we almost hit. No worries. A quick hop off and another peek back. No body was coming. This is looking good for my first lap. More kids started to come, but no big guys. The first lap was already ripping past. We got to the boat launch climb and my legs were screaming. While this isn't a hard climb, I was pushing the entire way at this point. I was still riding with the same guy at this point. We crossed the lap line to a group of cheers. Lap 1 was done.
This was when I felt the first rain drops. I was hoping to finish before the rain, but it was ramping up. Going through the first section of green I could feel my tire sliding on rocks and roots, and I still had 7 miles to go. The guy I was with said "it will super slick by the time we reach Erin's climb". But, I wasn't with him when I got there. Earlier in the race a guy passed, but it wasn't clean. I got pushed off the trail and lost my riding partner. I was riding pretty solo through red back to the green 2-track. But he was right, the corners were getting super slick. I was being forced to slow down in the corners because I didn't want to lose it, and even slower I could feel my rear wheel slipping. Not great.
The good news is, I was riding alone and still couldn't see anyone coming. I cleared Erin's climb in some traffic but was able to put some distance on them. Then it was survival. The rain was falling harder now and it was getting worse by the minute. My brain went to finishing instead of a podium. But, I was still sitting in third.
I could see the rider that I got seperated from again, and I was trying to reel him back in. I eventually caught him in the long sandy climb after the last creek crossing. He looked and goes "I was wondering where you went". We were 4ish miles from the finish. We both cleared the rooty climb and pressed onward. A Wildcat caught us and snuck past. But it was quiet otherwise. We all rode out towards Eagle lake together to the boat launch climb. The youngster ran out of legs and pulled over, we were only 1.4 away from the finish, I just told him to press on.
The guy in front of me started asking how we wanted to finish and he would let me go. I was out of gas from chasing him so long, so I suggested we cross together. There is a grassy off camber turn right at the end, so we didn't want to risk a crash right there. We rolled around the corner and across the finish line at the same time. He is a 70 year old guy, that I have heard about for so long.....it was an honor to cross the line with him.
I headed to the car and got changed because I realized just how cold I was. I peeled off my jersey and shorts and put on dry clothes, layered up with my sweatshirt and went for food. They had some good pulled pork. I headed to the pavilion because it was still raining and I wanted to see where I finished. Well, I scanned the barcode and with lots of hope went to my category. There in all of its glory was my name....firmly in 3rd place.
I was in 3rd from nearly start to finish! I was able to reach podium again for the first time in many many years. I honestly think it was a default 3rd place at Tree Tops many years ago, when there was only 3 in my class. This was was earned with every pedal stroke. I fought my way back from the brink of death, to be able to stand on one of these steps. I cannot even begin to explain how it felt.
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