Pilarcitos #3 - Matt Leonard

Well, I went at it again yesterday in San Francisco. Katie and I showed up around 11 or so to the 3rd Pilarcitos race of the year in McLaren Park (I think it was really Crocker Amazon park, but whatever). I went to register and ran in to Jeff as he was waiting to line up for his race. After watching him take of in the 35+As, I walked over to the Ritchey tent and said whats up to Isaias as he was warming up on his trainer. After we had scoped the scene out, I went back, changed and got my bike while Katie set up shop with her captains chair, a few water bottles for me and a book.

I went for my first warm up lap and felt like crap. But, I came around, talked to Katie for a bit and drank some water. I went out for another lap before the A men started, feeling a little better. By my third lap, I was feeling okay, but just tired. I wasn't focused and was having a hard time concentrating, which was not a good thing on this course. There was nowhere to recover and just ride. The course was either up, down, through a ton of S turns, or on the pavement sprinting.

I lined up about mid-pack and we took off. By the end of the pavement, I was probably in the top 1/3 or so. Over the first set of barriers and up the run up, I probably came out at mid-pack. But with all the climbing, I was really able to pass people. We got to the top of the hill, down the super bumpy decent, up a little pavement to a run up with a log at the end and there were about 10 of us in a line. I was somewhere in the middle. We all got back on and started riding, but at the first little hill, everyone spun out and we all lost our momentum as the top 10 or so guys just took off. DOH! Oh well. After we hit the paved decent, I said screw this and went to the side and passed about 5 guys. Only problem was, I could stop before the turn. So I sort of rode of the side of the trail and got out of everyones way and watched about 10 people go by me before the 2nd climb of the course. I passed maybe 5 more people before the end of the lap, so maybe in 15th to 20th place.

I started the second lap sort of by myself, trying to catch some people, but that wasn't going to happen. Over the first barrier before the run up, I completely ate it. I just misjudged the height of the barrier and caught my front foot. At least I got a good cheer from everyone. Back on the bike and up the run up. On the first climb, I caught a few more people. I had even caught up to Isaias's Ritchey teammates who had beat me by about 3-4 minutes at candlestick. So I was feeling good about my position. I passed a couple of those guys and was really going hard. But that didn't work out too well again. After the decent before the parking lot, there was a little tight turn and the guy in front of me went wide so I went for the pass. But my front tire slipped in to a rut I didn't see and over I went again. Again, like 5 people passed me. Damn.

I just couldn't find a rhythm. I kept on it thought for the rest of the race. There may have been one person each lap or so for the next few laps that I passed, but nothing significant. Then on the last lap, I dropped my chain and had to stop at the top of the run up to put it back on. Soon after that, a Soulcraft guy passed me, then a guy from organic athlete. I was able to pass the organic athlete guy on the first climb and keep that lead for the most part. He passed me for a second on the last climb, but mentioned he couldn't stay there. And he was right, I stepped on it and he was back behind me. The guy from Soulcraft was in my sights, but I just couldn't get him through the S turns. I popped out on to the pavement with the organic athlete guy right behind me, and the Soulcraft guy maybe 50ft ahead. With everything I had left, I stood up and sprinted, making up maybe maybe 2/3 of the distance on the Soulcraft dude, and the organic athlete guy came up right behind me at the finish line. But it just wasn't enough for him, as his front wheel was about a foot behind mine.

So, all in all, I'm glad I went out and punished myself. I really enjoyed walking the course with Katie during the women's race, showing here where I screwed up and where I passed people. I think a conversation between her and Isaias pretty much summed up my race. Something like this:

Katie: "Matt really doesn't look like he is having fun."
Isaias: "Fun?!? He isn't suppose to be having fun, this is cross!"
Katie: "Yeah, but all the other races, when he goes by he is smiling and laughing."
Isaias: "Well he isn't working hard enough then."

They were both right, I was really suffering. But I felt like at Watsonville, I worked just as hard, but had a blast during the race. Not so much this time, but I think it had a lot to do with just being tired, not thinking clearly and making stupid mistakes. Doing well last weekend made me overconfident and I was too aggressive which forced stupid mistakes. However, I finished 25th out of 33 with 6 guys behind me on the lead lap. At Candlestick, I was dead last on the lead lap. So I'll look at it as an improvement. And looking at the C's, if they did 6 laps, I would have been 5th out of 65. So I'm still feeling good about being in the B's. No sandbagging here. However, I may have to revise my thoughts about a top ten finish. Top 20 would make me happy.

Next week I'll be on a plane to New Hampshire, so no race. But, if the stars align just right, and flights are on time, Katie will pick me up at the airport the following sunday. The Rock Lobster and all my gear will be loaded up in the car, and its straight to Golden Gate park for Pilarcitos #4.

Congratulations to Isaias for a killer finish in the A's. Probably his best finish ever. And thanks to Meredith, Jeff and Shannon for cheering me on. It makes big difference. And of course, thanks to Tim, Julie and Paule from Roaring Mouse for heckling me throughout the entire race. Thats what its all about, making fun of your friends when they screw up. And they were there each time yesterday.

Matt
25/33 B 45:13 6 laps