Top- Garrett Chott placing 1st in MBAA Estrella Mountain Bike Race!Garrett and I drove out to the Estrella race course early Sunday with an eye towards the sky – it had been raining off and on all weekend. The sky was mostly clear when we arrived, got signed in and started warming up. Nate and his Mom pulled up in the Two Wheel Jones mobile in the meantime. After a thorough warmup on wet roads, we got into race gear and went to the line.
Both of our races were two long loops for a total of about 20 miles. Garrett took off at 8:38 with the Cat 2 guys from 15-29 in his wave, a few minutes behind the Pros and Cat 1 guys. My wave had the Cat 2 guys from 40-49 and 50-59. I started at 8:44 and got the holeshot off the line as we headed up the first hill. I only held the lead for a quarter mile or so and then jumped on the wheel of another rider. I was able to stay with him until the turnoff for the junior loop and was then passed by a handful of guys.
The course was still a little soft and wet from rains the previous day, but the sandy wash climb was still in pretty good shape. Around 4 miles later, we crested the last of the switchbacks and got into the technical part of the course. This was mostly uneventful this lap and I continued across the backside towards the last hill before the venue. A little ways up the last hill I caught sight of Nate. This surprised me since he started 6 minutes ahead of me and he's usually pretty fast. As I caught up to him I noticed him riding one handed and cradling his right wrist. We talked a bit as I went past and found out he had crashed somewhere on the technical section and thought he had broken his wrist. His helmet was also split open. He was planning on riding back to the venue and visiting the first aid tent.
Somewhere in this area is where I noticed the clouds thickening and it started drizzling. The pass we had ridden over was almost obscured by rain and clouds. As I descended into the venue for my second lap, the rain picked up. The second time up the wash climb was softer and getting a little muddy. At this point, I was second guessing the decision to only go with jersey and shorts, but I was committed. I figured it was good training for when we do the Leadville 100 someday since it sounds like it always rains on that race. As I crested the switchbacks the second time, the rain was letting up but the rocky section of the course was now wet. I rode a little more cautiously this time, not wanting a crash or injury.
Along this section there were a number of riders walking due to broken chains, flats, etc. There was more traffic from earlier waves that needed to be passed as well. On the last big climb, I came up behind a guy who had passed me early in the race. He asked what wave I was in and we realized we were in the same wave – the race was on up the hill. At that point, I kicked it pretty hard to get past and then backed off a bit. At this point, the tech loop re-enters the course and there were a number of Cat 1 and Pro guys finishing up. As I heard them behind me I kept thinking it was the guy I had just passed, so I ended up going all out up this hill. Once over the last crest, there is a long downhill back to the finish line and I let the 29er really roll this time, just to be sure I didn't get passed right at the end.
I ended up getting 6th with a 1:44, just out of the medals. Garrett ended up taking 1st in his age group with a 1:47. It turned out Garrett was just a bit behind Nate when he crashed – we are still wondering who would have come out ahead if Nate had not gone down. Nate's wrist turned out to be a bad sprain instead of a break. Hopefully he is recovering by now.
