2013 - USCS Round Valley XC

Race - Elevation profile,  speed, and heart rate from my super secret software.

I lined up with the big boys this week for the USCS Round Valley XC in Park City, Utah.  Last year I raced single-speed taking 2nd place behind Corey Larrabee.  Since I didn't have a 1x1 ready to ride this year I went ahead and signed up with gears in Pro / Open.

After taking a detour over Guardsman's Pass to avoid I-80 traffic on the drive up, I pulled into the parking lot 10 minutes before the race start.  In a frantic dash, I signed my waiver and bolted to the lineup just in time to hear Bob Saffell, the race director, yell "30 seconds... 20 seconds...".  With my gloves still stuffed under my bibs mid-thigh I spun the last few twists on my race number fasteners, started my Garmin, and then "Go!".

We were off.

The race played out as most XC races do. We started too fast, the fast guys dropped everyone, I counted how many places I was back "one, two, three, four, five, six, seven... was that everyone?".  That put me around mid-pack into the singletrack on the first lap.  During the rest of the race a few guys got around me,  I got by a few guys, and by lap 3 the placing was pretty much settled.  We rode 3 laps of singletrack and then a bonus 1/2 lap before we hit the finish line in just over 2 hours.  When it was over I rolled across the line in 9th place, which is better than what I was expecting.

I may just have to do a few more of these shorties.