E50

I made it on Cycling News.....yeah

http://www.cyclingnews.com/mtb/?id=2007/aug07/endurance100_07


I arrived no more than 10 minutes before the start. I could smell the dirt and the Red Bull in the air. Its pitch black and we are starting a race, hell yeah! I get my bike ready and put on my knee and arm warmers cause its cold, I cant stop shaking. I have enought time to get everything ready and take a leak. I roll up to the start and get in on front row, why not? Tinker on my left, Eatough and Tostado on my right all decked out in Factory gear. Boris counts down from 10, I fire up my new minewt Niterider light and we are off. I get in a good rythem right behind Tinker and I think to myself this is not the normal Mtn bike start, nice and steady no sprinting or full bore Sly style. I think for a second about hitting the gas and getting a gap on these guys, I decide to just sit in, which was a good decision. Six lead guys eventually lose me about 45 minutes up the climb when Eatough rolls past and says good job. I am now on my own for over 3 hours. On my way back from the Canyons I catch a guy also doing the 50 and think hmmm I just might be in the lead, so I hit the gas as hard as I can to drop him. From then on I feel like the hunted so I am giving it all I can. I fully expect the little climber to catch me as I climb Spiro for the final 11 mile stage, but I am actually putting in a big gap. 5 in and its all downhill from here, I got it locked, I just got to get off the Mountain in one piece, I'm dizzy from Johns trail and starting to slip mentally, I have been hammering for over 5 hours and I am really starting to feel it. I regain composure and finish a solid race in 5 hours14 min. Second place comes in over 9 minutes back. Good legs and good Karma make for a great race. My first E50 solo win. Tomorrow I collect my hat and who knows what else, should be a good time. Its always fun racing on the best singletrack in the world.