Camp Hilbert

The first Camp Hilbert mountain bike race was yesterday. Staunton and the valley was represented quite well. Mark R, Jonathan Evans, Single Speed Joe, Matt T., and myself were there representing Staunton. Gene from W'boro and the entire Bike Factory crew from C'ville were also there riding strong.

The course is a fast six miles of single track with lots of roots to tire out your triceps. There are only a couple of fairly short puncher climbs each lap, but they definitely take there toll after quite a few times up them. The trail was fairly dry despite heavy rain the day before except for two major mud holes in two different low spots on the course. Mark, Jon, and myself did the enduro class which is a five hour race format where you complete as many laps as you can in five hours.

I felt good for the first three laps taking it real easy and slowing passing people as I got caught up in a wreck in all the traffic from the first lap and ended up in the back of the group. After three easy laps, I decided to lay the hammer down as hard as I could for laps four and five and ended up catching up to Mark R. ( who later rode away from me on a climb). Mark and myself rode together for around a lap and a half and then I called it quits a Little early after my seventh lap at 4:40hours. I probably should have went back out for one more lap because a few people I had passed went out for an eighth, so I gave away a few spots. I do think though that it was a wise choice to stop when I did because at the end of the seventh lap my legs were beginning to get the twanging feeling that cramps were on the way. I think an eighth lap would have taken me to a new category in pain where I could no longer call the race fun.

I was able to sit and relax while Jon and Mark finished their last laps and when I stood up to change into dry clothes those cramps started in my quads that I thought were coming. To fight them thankfully Mark had left out his bananas and cokes. Mark somehow was the only one of us smart enough to bring food, so there were a few other people I guess scavenging his food. (AND SHAKING UP HIS LAST COKE :) NOT ME) (really!!).

I didn't hear how Matt and Gene's races went but it looked like everyone had fun. I saw Matt's girls at the start/finish cheering and supporting all their peeps, and saw a lot of familiar faces from C'ville and abroad. Camp Hilbert is a fun venue. I will definitely try to be there for CHRS #2.