Racers and Chasers grudge match

After throwing down an epic 6+ hour training day with Blake, 50+ miles and 10,000+ feet of climbing I foolishly decided to join him in racing at Vail Lake's Racers and Chasers XC hurt-a-thon.



We lined up and were given the option of doing a 24 mile race (my first choice) or a 32 mile race... (not my first choice!).

Unfortunately for Blake and I Alex Boone was feeling "frisky" and swung the race in the 32 mile direction.

With that decided, we got a sharp "go!" and we were off.

Blake had decided that whatever else happened he was going to get the freakin' holeshot award, and he fired off the line like he was shot out of a cannon.



I was prepared for the attack, but I WASN'T prepared for how UN-prepared the other riders would be. Eventual winner Chuck Jenkins was trying to figure out if he should chase and what gear he was in.
I literally couldn't keep from laughing.



Sadly, Blake missed the turn for the holeshot... Chuck let him know after he was about 100 ft. past it.

About 5 minutes in we all turned in at a riverbed (i.e. NOT the trail!) and then Alex broke his chain.



The next 2 hours we alternated between riding together while talking sh*t about Boone for "making" us do an extra lap and then having the nerve to break his chain, and trying to out-cheat each other.

Here I am trying to block off a huge line so Blake can't pass.



Unfortunately for me Blake got "creative" and made a new, better line by taking a sharp right and avoiding the line I was cutting off entirely, forcing me to chase to catch up.



After a full contact, WWF style sprint for the finish in which Blake got the best of me for 2nd place we made our way to the podium where we talked trash and I challenged him to an arm-wrestling match. Chuck Jenkins and Robert Herber seem amused.