First time in a long time

Well for the first time in a long time I had a great race and felt good doing it. At first I figured it was going to suck since I haven't touched the bike since the last race but I even surprised myself.
I got to pre-ride the course Saturday and at first I figure d I was going to die on the climb but then I got into the single track and felt a lot better, the course was fast and had good flow and I figured I could push pretty hard on Sunday. Got back to the hotel and waited for the Sugs and we headed back to the course so they could ride and Erica and I sat and talked to the BIG Gooooooooo! man himself(Don). After we had a good dinner and then it was off to bed.
This morning it was up early to get to the course, the nerves were in full effect and I was second guessing the climb, what to wear(knee warmers ,no knee warmers)(Thanks Goat)and if I ate enough or drank to much before the race, but it was start time and off I went. I did one good thing I warmed up real good on the road, something I mostly never do and it payed off big on the hill climb.
The climb that killed yesterday was a steady pace today and before I knew it we were at the top. Coming off the climb I figure I was eighth or ninth and needing to get off my fat ass and make up some places, passed a few in the field and got another just before the single track, I figure I was about sixth. I then got behind a day of guy that was moving at a good clip and we worked together in the single track but he got a little freaked out in the last section of single track and that was my key to but some time on him.
Into the lap area and I skipped the bottle hand up from Erica and tried to push the tempo to see if I could make up some more spots, up the hill and the flat and into the single track feeling good and the legs were holding much to my surprise.
Half way though the second lap and I eased off just a little knowing I still had the switch back climb to do and knowing what I know now I should have just pushed and not backed off.
Though the single track and I was all by myself pushing just to see if I could catch someone. Into the the last section and I catch two more young guys but no Clyds, I hit the open finish and push as hard as I can but in the end I was 30 sec. short of third place, but this forth felt a better then the third at Sunburst because I really pushed myself to how I know I can ride.
So all in all it was a great weekend. As I sit here and type were in a hotel in Black River Falls as I have to check up on one of my customers tomorrow and program their DVR on there network and do a training class for them, so it really worked out OK in our favor. Hope everybody else had as good of a race as I did.

See Yaaaa................................