Grasshopper Lake Sonoma MTB 2017

[Dave Benjamin]

   Here it was the middle of March and I had not had a chance to race or train consistently the past three months.  Feeling a little frustrated with the situation I decided to enter the mountain bike Grasshopper at Lake Sonoma.  I realized it might be more of a ride than a race at my current level of fitness, but what the hell.  Carson and I made our way to Healdsburg and our favorite coffee shop in the area, Flying Goat Coffee for a little extra fuel.  The rest of the Acme team of Jim, Cathy, Greg, Mark I. and Mark B were already prepping for warm up as we pulled into the venue.  I had a good, 40 minute warm up before our mass start.  

   My strategy of going mellow up the two mile road climb to start pretty much went out the window as soon as we rolled out.  Greg and Mark I. were setting a great pace, so I spun it up to stay with them, even though I was going a little anaerobic for the whole climb.  Entering the single track I was glad to have pushed so hard as there were not many slower folks in front of me.  I caught Greg soon after and managed to stay on his wheel for most of the first ten miles.  The trails were fun, yet challenging and I really had to concentrate to stay with Greg.  I commented to Greg that I started not liking the fun down hills to creek crossings because that meant I had to climb back up them.  This seemed to happen for about 80% of the race and really added up the elevation.  Around mile 10, we came through a muddy meadow which sent me wide and allowed about 5 riders to pass me.  Greg and the other 5 quickly pulled away and left me to ride solo for a many miles.  10 miles of really pushing it left me pretty wiped out for the rest of the race and the last fire road climb about did me in, as my right thigh began to cramp.  That last three miles put me in survival mode as at least six or seven riders past me.  The term "going backwards" was very appropriate for me.  I was so stoked to finally see the finish line and find out Carson had taken 3rd and Jim 4th!  

  While the trails were fun/challenging with multiple creek and tree crossings, it was not well marked and appeared to also be marked with a running event using some of the same trails.  This led to pretty widespread wrong turns throughout the field and managed to delay a few of the Acme riders.  Greg would have been a strong 4th or 5th in 50+ without being given wrong directions from a runner.  It allowed me to hang on to 6th in 50+ and 40th overall.  It was an adventure.  

  Early in the race, still smiling.