Pilarcitos #5: Matt Leonard

Well, again, I had some goals that didn't get met. But I had a great weekend. Saturday Katie and I went for a nearly 40 mile ride around Woodside and Portola Valley. I think its only her 2nd or third ride since the AIDS/LifeCycle. I didn't think that would affect my race Sunday, but when I told Kyle about the ride, he thought I was nuts, of course it would hinder my performance. Oh well, it was worth it.

So Katie and I showed up around 10:45 and cruised around and got my stuff set up. As I rode around, checking the course out, my parents rolled up with my grandma, and my brother and his family showed up. So already, a good day.

As I warmed up, I kept goofing around, and got 2 flats bunny hopping curbs. Guess I need some practice with that. Once I was done goofing around and riding the course, I went over to the start line and who do I see, Schlachter. The race wasn't even close to starting and he is lined up. Whats going on with this guy? Both he and his bikes have lost a lot of weight. He rolled up on Bob's old redline (I think) cross bike, built up with odds and ends from his garage, and he was early. He said he was up until 4 am putting it together, yikes.

So we chatted it up with Rob, I guy I've met a few times throughout the year sporting the TWW jersey. One of these days he says he'll join up for a wednesday night ride. The guy said start and I felt like I got off to a good start. Everyone bottled up at the hill before the upper parking lot, but I saw it coming and was off my bike pretty quick and running. I think I was in maybe 15th to 20th at that point, which was fine with me. As I came down the hill, I had to be patient and wait for the silly roadies to make there way down, but passed where I could.

I bombed down the hill to the pavement, tight little u-turn off the curb and hammered towards the sand pit. During my warm up, I road it twice, feeling really good. But when I hit it this time, the sand had dried out and gotten more soft. So I just got off and ran with everyone else. When I hopped on my bike, I notice my chain was off. Its time to get a little third eye thingy or something, this has been killing me all year. I probably watched about 15 people go by me, including Scott. I got back on and hit the gas. I was passing people left and right, which was surprising since it was a long road stretch.

I kept on the gas and found my self reeling people in. I was feeling good so I just kept on the gas hard. But about halfway through my 3rd lap, my quadriceps started to twinge. I backed off a hair, but I was headed in to the trees and all of the uphill. I stood almost the whole way, just trying to make up lost ground. But by the end of that lap, I couldn't fight the cramping. I could barely stand on my bike, and was paranoid about the barriers. I was worried I wouldn't be able to bend my legs and get over them. I managed to make it through with out tripping, but on the 4th lap, people started to pass me and Scott had made up ground on me. By the start of the last lap, he was maybe 25 yards behind me heading in the the trees. By the time we ran through the sand and hit the pavement, he was right with me. Even pushing me, literally.

I tried to fight him and a few others off, but after the second set of barriers, he and 2 other guys went right around me at the last paved section. I kept with them, hoping something miraculous would happen with my legs. Scott and Dave from the Ritchey/Lapierre team started to leave me and the guy in front of me, and I couldn't get around the guy until too late. So Scott ended up 2 spots ahead of me, on a bike he pieced together at 4 am the night before. Man, I really had hoped to get in to the top 20, but that will have to wait until next year. Time to start thinking about the 2007 MTB season. The Peak Season races in Santa Cruz are the last races I'll be able to make, and hopefully I can pull out a little better result before I hang the rock lobster up for awhile.

Anyway, It was great having my family there, riding with Katie Saturday, and having a beer with Scott after the race. After my sister-in-law joked about how she was telling me how good my beer tasted as I was racing (they only left me 2 beers out of my 6!), my parents took off and I told them I'd see them at my grandmas. My dad replied something along the line of well, we might see you, but as soon as you get there, we're taking off, kidding as if he didn't want to hang out with us. Scott laughed and commented that its nice to see that the TWW crew doesn't treat me any worse than my own family. Anyway, it was definitely cool to have my grandma out there. Usually its tough to drag her out of the house, so that made my day, regardless of the fact that I didn't get the result I was looking for.

Matt
Cat B Men 34/45 5 laps 48:17