The First Annual Marion Classic Criterium

This weekend I headed out o the Marion Classic Criterium. From my understanding its an old race that a lot of people liked. We get up there and it is storming pretty hard. I was planning on racing the Pro 1,2,s but I just wasn’t too sure with the current conditions. Yet before it had started to precipitate Brad Nelson raced the Cat 5s........and won........common Brad! Are you serious?!?! For those of you who don't know Brad, he is an 18 year old professional monkey biker, a cat 2 wheel suck and a cat 4 racer. HOLD ON! Those are his words not mine, and I think he's proud of it. A subdued congrats goes out to you Brad. Anyways...... The course was a short steep hill, flat section and a technical down hill about 100 meters before the finish. And did I mention, on about every turn there was a manhole cover? After watching the 3 man strong masters race, I decided to man up and suit up. I have to say, trying to get a skinsuit on a wet figure is no walk in the park. After riding the course only two times I figured that the decent was going to cause some problems, and to my relief the officials decided to shorten the race from 75 mins to 55 mins. Only ten men were to be paid after this soon to be epic race, and there were eleven people lining up at the start. One poor soul wasn't going to have anything to show for his day’s efforts. Before the start its still raining and getting chilly. The race starts and I take off the front and lead up the hill, stall on the front and take the downhill 3rd rider back. For the next 3 laps I sit in, but after a prime I attack up the hill and get away. I stayed out by myself for 2 laps until an Inferno racer, Ryan Gamm, bridged. We then proceed to hammer until 20 mins to go where as my rear wheel flats. We were on the back side of the course and 0% chance of me getting down the "decent" to the wheel pit to get a change, not that it mattered because I decided not to put my wheels in the pit. Great idea. Fortunately for me we were about to pass Chase Hoeffer, and I yelled to him " Chase I got a flat!" And before I could request anything, he rips off his rear wheel and switched it out with mine! What an awesome team mate! I then fly down to the wheel pit to receive my free lap and wait for my breakaway compatriot to come back around through the finishing stretch. On Borris's (the coolest French USCF official you'll probably ever know) count I take off to join Ryan again. Two laps later, right as we were getting in a rhythm, my bike starts to bounce and slide uncontrollably......... another rear flat! This time it was on the downhill section. I was incredibly lucky to keep it up through the final turn. Brad Nelson, his Dad and my Mom were all standing on that turn and as soon as I came around they all realized the problem at once. Brad later admitted he was impressed that I was able to keep the rubber side down. So I just roll into the wheel pit and tell Borris I had received another flat. Without any wheels in the pit and no free laps left I was S.O.L. I was pretty bummed, yet satisfied with my overall efforts. Ryan then lapped the pack and went on for the win. Nice ridding Gamm! After the race the officials pitied me enough to give me the prime I had won in the break. A big thanks goes out to Chase Hoeffer, Mr. Nelson, Mr. Dewalt, Mario Camacho, Steve Goar, all the officials, all the corner marshals and police men. Without you guy's this race couldn't have happened! I'll get the pics up later. Until next time, keep on keeping on!