Race season is here

It starts this weekend with the Rocky Hill Roundup in Smithville. My group will be racing 4 laps of a 4.5mi course; this is a bit different from our more typical race of 3 laps on an 8-10 mile course. It's fun to be turning 20 minute laps coming through the start finish area more frequently, but it also makes for a shorter, more intense race. I had a pretty good race here last year finishing in 5th, so I'm hoping the course will suit me again and I can have a good weekend. Last year it was a bit unexpected, but this year I'm coming in strong and targeting the state championship so I will be targeting a good result. I'm pretty sure I'm coming in with a target on my back after my strong race at the Double Lake Marathon, but I'll try to use that to my advantage.

I submitted to my annual rip-off from USA Cycling yesterday to renew my racing license. $70 to be able to race my bike, and I'm still not sure what other benefits that gets me. Hopefully this will be the last year of TMBRA sanctioning with USAC and they will do their own thing next year. Renewing my license reminded me that this will be my 10th year racing. My first MTB race was in Arkansas at Daisy State Park. I raced beginner and led the whole race but faded hard at the end and got passed with about 100yds to the line. I thought the guy was in another class and I didn't want to put up a fight. I went to that race to get one under my belt before contesting the LA State Championship race at Lincoln Parish Park, which I ended up winning. My little brother and I had an awesome battle going running away from the field until he hit his pedal on a root and broke it. He hung with me for a good while but eventually made a mistake due to the pedal and I was able to get enough gap to stay away to the finish.

2005 Ruston Race results. We left Ruston the next Spring and moved to Houston.