Mudslinger

Maybe I really am too old to do this shit. I raced the Mudslinger mountain bike race on Sunday in the Oregon coastal range between Corvallis and Newport. I raced Cat 2 for the first time. About 24 miles, about 4,000 feet of climbing. Hard packed gravel logging roads and slick, muddy single track. I jogged most of the single track if it was uphill or downhill. The uphill was too much effort with no traction and the downhill was too scary, crashing and getting back up is too much effort. I had to stop and clear out the mud from time to time or my wheels would just lock up and skid. At about 1 hour and 30 minutes into the race I came to a junction with course volunteers directing the Cat 3 racers to turn left for 1.8 miles to the finish and the Cat 2 racers to turn right for another 14 miles. I was really tempted to bag it and turn left but I didn't. It was then more than 3 more hours before I finished. That's right. I was out on the course almost 5 hours. Toward the end I was walking the uphills even on the roads. I was able to ride the final mile uphill to the finish though. It took me 4 hours and 40 minutes. The Pro winner took 1 hour and 40 minutes, on a single speed.
I'm racing Spring Thaw in Ashland in two weeks. I haven't decided yet if I'm going to race Cat 3 or Cat 2. It didn't kill me. Maybe it wasn't so bad.