howell Mountain.

[shiloh]

I missed this race last year and was excited get out and tear it up.  Off the start line my legs felt like a couple of lead weights. I struggled as hard as I could but watched the majority of the group peal away.  by the time I got to the run up section there were only 3 racers behind me and I had about five others in my sight ahead of me. Throughout the first lap I was waiting for my legs to worm up so I could drop the hammer on some fools but they continued to feel cold and heavy.  on the second lap, just before the single track, a dude came up on me like a bat out of hell.  he asked to pass before the single track and I let him.  that turned out to be a mistake.  Although he kept a good pace my legs were starting to feel a bit better and I could have held a faster pace. I figure he slowed me down somewhere between 1 and 2 minutes total.  At the end of the second lap I caught Carl and Reiley  and for the first time I thought I might place pretty well. Riders were spread apart enough at this point that I could go at my own pace and make op some time.  I mixed it up with another rider in my class up until the final climb up to the airport where I was able to leave him behind.  on the decent back down to campus I went around a switch back looked over my shoulder and saw him about 50 yards behind gunning for me. Sun of a gun! I thought I was going to have a relaxing stroll across the finish line. I picked up my pace and was able to keep him behind me.  I finished in 4th place with a time of 2:24:10.  this was a tough race with lots of pedaling and not much place to rest, I'm excited to see how I do next year.