The Gift

[Paul Montgomery]

Six days after my DNF at Tamarancho, here I am lining up again to finish my first Cat 1 race. This time it’s Skyline Park in Napa at the “USAC NorCal State XC Championships”. Skyline is old school, essentially a hiker’s trail that’s used for bike races. Skill, strategy, nerve, determination, and fitness are required. Easy to say.

Well, I’m determined and fitness is set; race strategy and technique are still developing. After my pre-ride on Saturday, a tactic was needed to own a couple of the sections that were out of my comfort zone. Easy, just “get off and run” the two sections that were the sketchiest. Doing the math, three minutes would be lost with this approach. OK by me.

Main objectives of this race were to stay upright and finish. Like Tamarancho, the lineup for the start was a fustercluck. Luckily I lined up near Chris Urban, who had dominated Cat 1 50+ at Tamarancho and would likley do the same here. After the start, we all sorted on the fire road up to the first leg breaker. Chris was a couple of wheels ahead as we turned up the hill, I shifted down and proceeded to wad my rear derailleur. Dead stop, great. Upside of this first little annoyance was to refocus on my main objectives, stay upright and finish.

The race unfolded without incident, up until the start of the third lap. Having lost sight of Chris right from the beginning, two fellow 50+ racers and I swapped positions throughout the first and second laps. Eventually it came down to a duel between Dane Grant and myself. As I feared, Dane got by for good in a “get off and run” section. My math was right, but it’s tough to give away time.

Coming up on the third lap, fatigue and the heat were taking a toll. Rolling through Start/Finish for the last time, I mistakenly headed into the Finish Line chute. In an attempt to rejoin the course, I decided to roll under the plastic tape barrier. Mistake. Instantaneously I’m looking up at the sky and my bike is on top of me... I jumped up and noticed the crowd at the line was completely silent and staring at me with a look of disbelief and wonder. Awkward. The race announcer broke the silence by broadcasting his intent not to embarrass “the rider” by revealing his identity. Oh, thanks for that. I remounted and got back in the race.

Now on the last lap, having faltered on one of the main objectives, to stay upright, yet unscathed physically from my impromptu Finish Line bike handling exhibition, the only objective now was to get to the end. Not so easy. After topping out on the last big climb, cramping set in; this meant full race mode was no longer possible. In conservation mode, I rolled around the rest of the course. I was fully cooked and shelled. Nobody ahead and nobody behind, motoring on through the technical sections, easier at survival pace, my mantra; just get to the end.

Finally, I rolled through the Finish Line upright, to collect third place, sixteen minutes behind the winner, Chris Urban and four minutes off second place Dane Grant. Not a great finishing time, but a good result. Skyline was my hardest, and strangely most gratifying race experience to date. Thanks to all the supporters, Summit Bicycles and of course, Michele and Porter.

Final Skyline Result: 2:51:40, 3rd place, Cat1, 50+

[Carl Sanders]

Nice work Paul!