Morgantown Road Race revisited!

It sure seems like it went from being the cycling off season to the thick of things in the blink of an eye. In the last three weeks I have raced two more times and promoted one road race. Been busy to say the least, and that doesn't even take in consideration all the work to get WVMBA Series up and running for the year lol!

So where to start? Tonight I will start with the MRR and in the nights to follow maybe something about the races I did. Well, round number one of the West Virginia Road Race Series (WVRRS) was my event the Morgantown Road Race. I was pretty happy in the weeks leading up to the race because preregistration had been going very week and with a few days before the event 63 riders had already signed up. With just 10 more riders signing up the day of the race it would be bigger then any other road race held in the state the year before. I was excited!

The day before and the morning of the event it had been rain. Because I use spray chalk and not paint I was unable to mark the course before registration started. At first I was not very concerned because I just planned to headed out before the first riders to get it done. THEN THINGS GOT NUTS! Before I knew it the line at registration was 20 people deep. At first I was like cool, good turnout. Then an hour later the line was longer then when we started. I looked down at the computer and it said 120 registered so far. WTF! Thank goodness for Gunnar.

Gunnar and I controlling the masses!

He was able to take over the job of explaining to the race volunteers what they needed to do for the event. That made a huge difference. About 2 hours after opening registration we had a final total of 160 racers! I was beside myself, and getting more gray hair by the minute. Maybe it was because it was an early season race and everyone was just happy to be outside but everyone was super about waiting on the delayed start time and the long lines.

And they're off!


Look at all them folks! UGH!

After getting all 160 people to the start line it was time to get things under way. CRAP! The course still is not marked! I jumped in the car and drove 55 mph on the back roads of WV & PA to stay in front of the pack. I also dropped Gina off at one of the intersection to direct traffic. Some how I made it around the 50 mile course and got it all marked but it only took the first finisher about 15 minutes to cross the line after I pulled in the parking lot from marking the course. Damn that was a near miss!

We did have a little problem with results but some how we pulled it off. To this day I am still getting email about how great the race was.. Go figure.. There was however one HUGE problem! Gina got left out on the course for like three hours after the last rider passed hour. Ya it will be sometime before I live that one down. With all the craziness of trying to get the results done I total forgot about her. But beside that everything went well. Well enough in fact that it has helped the registration for the June 6th Tour of Tucker County Road Race. Many folks have already signed up for it as well. That night I went how and must have asked myself how that got pulled off. Thanks for all the help before and after the race BYBC! You guys & gals are the best.

People I want to thank!
Nars - License holding BYBC member
Bunny - License holding BYBC member
Chrissy - License holding BYBC member
Ruth "R.C." Cunningham - License holding BYBC member
Jacob Brown
Gina Desmond
Chris Nichols - Card carrying BYBC member
My mom & sister
Robbie's Dad
Photos by Dan C. Thanks!
Darren Bennet
Mandy Starr
Matt Marcus for picking up the lost Gina!
Maddisan Starr
Ashlon Smith
Carrie Hawkins
Mike Miller
Twilla Miller
Bonnie A.
Ryan Post
Mikey "sirianni's Cafe" Goss
WVU Healthcare Cycling Team
Blackwater Bikes
Hammer Gel
Pathfinder
Wamsley Cycles
Boston Beanary
Black Bear Burritos
Blue Moose Cafe
Mount Morris Volunteer Fire Dept.
Mason Dixon Park

If I forgot someone let me know! I am really sorry!

Kicking off a new season in Logan!

Ahha! You hear that? It is the sound of happy mountain bikers all of the state of West Virginia! This past weekend the season got kicked off at the Wilderness Challenge in Logan, WV. It was a pretty long haul for me from my sleepy little mountain town of Davis but that sure wasn't going to stop me from racing.

One of my teammates who hocked me up with a room at the brand new Chief Logan State Park lodge. The place was so new you could eat of the floor and the pool was pretty nice also. Thanks, you know who you are. The next morning I awoke from my king size bed ready to roll. The excitement of the first race of the year was killing me. I had worded so hard on my fitness over the winter and was really wanting to test it. After a quick breakfast at the lodge it was off to the race!

Car is packed to the roof
One of the things I like so much about racing is the people. It sure was nice to see my friends that I had not seen or talked to sense the fall. Everyone one seemed to be just as excited as I was about getting the season started. Like Gary Morefield, he could not even race do to a sore back but made the trip all the way to Logan to hangout.


My WVMBA Cycling Teammate Steve Thorne, up to no good

As always Gina and I were running registration for the event and it sure took a few minutes for us to remember how everything worked. I must have tried 20 different buttons on the computer before I figured out how to get the timer to work. The race turned out to have a smaller turn out sense it was not a points series event but I think the was perfect for us to get used to running all the equipment again.


Former DSK member Matt Marcus


Gary, James and Larry "the clydesdales"

Even with the lower then usually turnout it didn't stop a good number of clydesdales from showing up. That is what I wanted. I wanted to see were I was in the class. At noon we all gathered at the start line and I was just pretty calm about the whole thing. As always I was the last person to the starting area so I lined up at the very back. Go!


Feeling great 4 miles into it

As we took off it was a quarter of a mile or so of pavement before we hit the dirty. All the guys in front of my just took off like a rocket. I was a little shock but it took just a few seconds to jump on someones wheel. I knew in my head were everyone in my class was in the pack. I really didn't have much of a plan but Gunnar told me the night before to go HARD! SO as the course made a sharp left into the dirty I dove to the inside getting in front of all the other clydesdales.



Pacing with my teammate Steve

After the first climb I found myself right behind teammate Steve Thorne who told me his plan was to just pace himself until the BIG climb of the day. So I just settle in behind Steve and road the same pace as him. Right then I thought wow! Being in shape and is nice.. lol! Last year at this point I would have been just trying to survive.

The course took me about 1 hour and 38 minutes to finish and I felt great the entire race. I was extremely happy and surprised by how well I did. I would go into more detail but I am putting on the Morgantown Road Race this weekend and I am so busy it is crazy... I will have more for you soon!


Gina and I enjoyed the drive home together



Rewards of a job well done