2007 24-9 on the podium !

I'm sitting here with a big cup of mudd,not feeling to bad and glad I made the trip up to Wuasau,Wi.The race turned out great for me and some other PAMBA and FORC members with podium spots for some of us.

I can't say enough how it feels to have so many people ecouraging you to keep pushing and great job solo keep it up when you are digging so deep just to get another lap in and knowing you have such a long way to go before you can call it a day.Thanks to everyone !

Cindy,Kelsi and I got up to Wausau on Thursday so I could help out at the course and get a good spot for our pit and I did get one of the best spots that we like.I had Tony next to me and a spot saved for Paddy our friend from up north,but a little confusion on where I was and Paddy had a pit already set up in another location. Thanks for coming over to say Hi Paddy,Dallas and Hal ! Let me know how your foot is !

I also got to say hi and meet Chris Eatogh and his main support guy Posh ! on Thursday as he was preriding the course, great guys and very approachable on my way out I meet Mark Hendershot from Michagan and talked to him.On Monday morning Mark and his wife were packing up their van and Cindy and I went over to talk and get a pic of us together,Great guy, Thanks Mark !

Well I guess there was a race ! Soooooooo!

I took off with Tony who was doing his first 12 hr solo and thought I might be able to keep up with him knowing he would have to pace himself,well that lasted about 2 miles in the singletrack and that was the last time I saw him until he was done at 10:00pm.Nice job Tony ! To keep up that pace and not really get the training in you would have liked to,you had a great race !

The one thing I did differant this year is switch bikes at the first part of the race I rode my NRS 2 for 3 laps and then my Composite NRS for awhile then back to the #2 so Cindy could get the lights on the Composite for the night time laps.My upper body never really hurt and that was a first for me.I think I read to switch from Eddy O's blog

The first lap is always fast and the course feels like you can go for ever,the small inclines are nothing to fly up and the rocky sections you roll right over,but this feeling goes away after your 3rd or 4th lap and you need to slow down for the long race ahead.On my 4th lap I wasn't eating enough calories and the cramps started in on my inner thighs when I was climbing at the begining part of the course,all I could do is stand on the pedals and deal with the pain until they went away.It was the 4th lap I think when I put my right foot down to let a rider go by me and when I pushed off to go my calf cramped up do hard and long I almost passed out from the pain,I was hurting...I came in to start my 5 lap and I could not eat,nothing sounded good my mouth was dry and I know I'm going to be in trouble if I don't get some calories in me.

Sometime before dark I was having some peeing problems and was concerned about my overall health,as I was really feeling bad and was looking for any reason to quit,mentally I was breaking down and could easly stop if someone would tell me I need to.Cindy talked to Terry and told him my problems and when I came in for that lap him and Bob Woo were there to check on me.Sometime on that lap I started to get some energy and get hungry so when I hit the pit I was ready for the night time laps and eating some much needed calories.Mentally I was ready to go knowing I was holding 2 place ,but didn't have time to jack around.

My night time laps were slow but I felt good and really focussed on the trail I was still riding all the course with a few spots I put the foot down,but not many.My lights were a disappointment and couldn't even get 2 laps out of them.On my secound lap in the dark both went out and I was glad I had a road bar light to get me back to the pits...It did get cold right before morning and it was starting to take a toll on me and I could feel myself getting drained on every climb and I wasn't recovering as fast...I'm tired !

When I came in and was able to take my light off and I was still 26 minutes ahead of 3rd place and Cindy didn't see him for awhile so my gap my have gotten bigger which was good news so off for another lap and counting down the number of laps I might have to do to hold 2 place.I came in on my 14 lap at around 9:00am and the 3rd place guy had just taken off at 8:30 for his 14 lap,he would have to bust out a 1-1/2 lap to catch me before 10:00am ( his last 4 laps were over 2 hrs long) I could wait and hope he dosn't make it before 10:00am or I could cross the finish line now and clinch 2 nd place and ride a 15th lap...I washed up, put on a fresh Hammer outfit, ate,and kissed Cindy as she cried and told me I was awesome for going out for my 15th lap to fished in 2nd place ! At around 11:20 I came in with 214 miles and my first podium spot in a 24 hr race !

Cindy did a great job in the pit! I didn't have Mids this year as I always have before and he knows he was missed,but Cindy really stepped up and put up with me,Once I was in secound place she said I was to hold this spot and she wasn't going to let me give it up,she wanted it as bad as I did,Thanks Honey you were awesome yourself !...Tony finished up his 1st 12hr race and stayed up and helped Cindy with my lights and made sure I was ok before he tried to get some sleep Thanks Tony !It was great to have Bob Woo the main wrench from Bushwhackers help out all the racers from Peoria.My friend I grew up with Bob Grace came up just watch and cheer us on,It was great to see him on course and encourge me on ! Thanks Bob !...It was great to see some of the guys on course that said hi and keep me going Chris,Brad,Ray,Bret,Dean,and of course Scott he always pumps me up when he comes flying bye.

I think I said this would be my last solo up at 24-9, I wanted to hit the podium and secound place is better than I thought I could ever do,If the Nationals come back next year maybe I'll try for a top ten Finish with the big boys ? ( 14th place this year)