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3rd enduro of the season, Concho is held about 30 miles south of Sweetwater Tx. The TSBA crew headed out Saturday consisted of Dave Calligan + gf, Andy Calligan, Amber + Don, Uwe, Robby, Joyce and myself. Met everyone at registration/riders meeting bright and early Sunday, weather was perfect. Race started at 8AM as usual and everyone took off on different rows. The terrain was simply beautiful and had a mix of everything from wooded single trail to gnarly rocks and more gnarly rocks with good elevation changes + gnarly rocks.
The first 8-10 miles were nice and wooded, everyone had warned us of the extreme rocky terrain and it had not started yet so I think maybe it's not so rocky after all, we were going through gullies and mostly wooded sections at this time. I missed a turn but found out within 1/8th mile and turned around and got back on track. The first check was long at about 8 miles or so, the terrain started changing with more elevation changes and got rough. By the third check we were in the gnarly stuff It was not very diffucult but very rocky and jagged. We climbed several hills and rode along hill side with sheer 100 foot drops on one side and rockly cliffs on the other.
There were 2 pit/gas stops in this race. At gas 1 everyone was in great spirits and progressing well. The rocky terrain and jagged hills just never stopped coming at us and started taking toll on energy. There were quite a few crashes and riders became fatigued negotiating the rocks. Ran into Don and Amber throughout the early part of the race, then saw only Amber in the second half, suspect I saw Don stalled on a climb but dont know for sure.
Hands took a beating by constantly going over rocks, millions of rocks, it was a steady hammering. There were a couple of resets before gas2 and I forgot to pay attention to time keeping and blew the next check by 9 minutes (early by 9 minutes, a big no no and a 47 point penalty). At this time I am exhausted and the penalty took the joy away Go into gas2, gas up and leave, a real dumb move as I forgot the reset again and blew the next check by 8 minutes a 37 point penalty. I stop along the trail, take helmet off and light a cigarette thinging about the royal bungle I pulled TWICE. Uwe comes blasting by sees me and locks up to a sliding halt "Are you ok" he asks, I say yeah I am fine just trying to get over the boo boo I pulled TWICE.
Rest for 5 minutes (the rest that should have been taken before blowing the checks) and continue on feeling better that at least I am not disqualified but just a points penalty. Then my plug fouls change plug quick and continue on through some more gnarly stuff up several hills and then on to some wooded sections and blow yet another check by 3 minutes, dang need some time keeping equipment bad should have gotten a hint as Amber had stopped some miles before the check, I just said hi and went by. Now we are on to the last 5-6 miles and go through some gullies (with the ever present rocks) back into a wooded section and into another gully that has a quicksand of rocks in it for 2 miles, avoiding crashing consumed the last bit of strength left. The enduro organizers sure knew how to make it tough. Hit the last check finally and the timekeeper utters the sweetest words "you're home". Get into camp, see Dave and Andy loading up, turn my score card in and change, muscle cramps everywhere, typical enduro finish. I am happy about running my 3rd enduro and not houring out. See Amber come through the finish, she ran the whole event in 100% professional style and kept great time, I think she won her class too
See Uwe and Robby, Uwe had a good race but Robby had a mechanical in the first part of the race and had to return to camp. Dave and Andy turned in great times, Andy actually beat Dave's time, before the race he was mentioning how his times were getting closer and closer to his father. All in all a great race
For me one thing has been common in my 3 enduro experience, around 30-40 miles in the race when your spirit gets broken and body sez I cant take it anymore, you wonder for a split second "why am I doing this?" but then you cant wait for the next event to arrive, guess it's an addiction Off to Caprock Canyon Enduro.
The first 8-10 miles were nice and wooded, everyone had warned us of the extreme rocky terrain and it had not started yet so I think maybe it's not so rocky after all, we were going through gullies and mostly wooded sections at this time. I missed a turn but found out within 1/8th mile and turned around and got back on track. The first check was long at about 8 miles or so, the terrain started changing with more elevation changes and got rough. By the third check we were in the gnarly stuff It was not very diffucult but very rocky and jagged. We climbed several hills and rode along hill side with sheer 100 foot drops on one side and rockly cliffs on the other.
There were 2 pit/gas stops in this race. At gas 1 everyone was in great spirits and progressing well. The rocky terrain and jagged hills just never stopped coming at us and started taking toll on energy. There were quite a few crashes and riders became fatigued negotiating the rocks. Ran into Don and Amber throughout the early part of the race, then saw only Amber in the second half, suspect I saw Don stalled on a climb but dont know for sure.
Hands took a beating by constantly going over rocks, millions of rocks, it was a steady hammering. There were a couple of resets before gas2 and I forgot to pay attention to time keeping and blew the next check by 9 minutes (early by 9 minutes, a big no no and a 47 point penalty). At this time I am exhausted and the penalty took the joy away Go into gas2, gas up and leave, a real dumb move as I forgot the reset again and blew the next check by 8 minutes a 37 point penalty. I stop along the trail, take helmet off and light a cigarette thinging about the royal bungle I pulled TWICE. Uwe comes blasting by sees me and locks up to a sliding halt "Are you ok" he asks, I say yeah I am fine just trying to get over the boo boo I pulled TWICE.
Rest for 5 minutes (the rest that should have been taken before blowing the checks) and continue on feeling better that at least I am not disqualified but just a points penalty. Then my plug fouls change plug quick and continue on through some more gnarly stuff up several hills and then on to some wooded sections and blow yet another check by 3 minutes, dang need some time keeping equipment bad should have gotten a hint as Amber had stopped some miles before the check, I just said hi and went by. Now we are on to the last 5-6 miles and go through some gullies (with the ever present rocks) back into a wooded section and into another gully that has a quicksand of rocks in it for 2 miles, avoiding crashing consumed the last bit of strength left. The enduro organizers sure knew how to make it tough. Hit the last check finally and the timekeeper utters the sweetest words "you're home". Get into camp, see Dave and Andy loading up, turn my score card in and change, muscle cramps everywhere, typical enduro finish. I am happy about running my 3rd enduro and not houring out. See Amber come through the finish, she ran the whole event in 100% professional style and kept great time, I think she won her class too
See Uwe and Robby, Uwe had a good race but Robby had a mechanical in the first part of the race and had to return to camp. Dave and Andy turned in great times, Andy actually beat Dave's time, before the race he was mentioning how his times were getting closer and closer to his father. All in all a great race
For me one thing has been common in my 3 enduro experience, around 30-40 miles in the race when your spirit gets broken and body sez I cant take it anymore, you wonder for a split second "why am I doing this?" but then you cant wait for the next event to arrive, guess it's an addiction Off to Caprock Canyon Enduro.
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