Race Day: Ore 2 Shore 2017

I woke up to my iPhone alarm at 5:50am on Saturday morning.  I had all my things together for the race the night before.  I made coffee, took a shower and put on my race gear.  Next was a light breakfast and got the family out the door and into the van.  

We would be stopping at the Holiday Inn to pick up Raymond's two daughter's, Madeline and Kathryn.  Madeline would be doing the Shore Rock also and I had told Raymond and Angel that I would get her to the race and ride with her.  I had my doubts that I would be able to hang with her.  She road the BBQ ride with us a few weeks before and proved to be very strong.

We got to the start finish area of the race and did our final preparations.  Madeline made it to the start line before I did and followed my advice to get in the front row for the start.  I was several rows behind her and managed to work my way forward so I was only two rows back.

Madeline with her Race Day face on!

There I am behind Madeline.  What is missing?

I forget my number plate with the timing chip!

I realized I did not have my number plate on the bike and there was less than ten minutes to the start of the race.  I got Michelle's attention and she ran and got it with time to spare before the start.  She is awesome.

The National Anthem was played and then the race started.  Madeline started off fast and it took me a little while to catch up with her.  We were going into the wind so I got in front of her so she could draft.  Once we hit the climbs she was gone.  I would not see her till the finish line.

I settled in and rode my race the rest of the way.  The sand hill was in the best shape I have ever seen.  I made some good time on this section and then hit Kirby's hill.  This was the only climb I did not make.  After this it is pretty much downhill.  I picked off a few riders on the downhills.  I was trying to catch a rider on the flats that I thought may be in my class.  I just ran out of gas.  I crossed the finish line feeling pretty good.

Madeline won her age group, was fourth overall in Women's Shore Rock and 23rd overall in the race.  I was second in my age group, 24th in the Men's Shore Rock and 30th overall.  I did manage to stay under one hour in time, which was my goal.  Not bad for the amount of riding I have been doing.

I got cleaned up after the race and stuck around to take photos of the Soft Rock finishers.

Raymond, 3rd Place Men 50-54

 Raymond finished in 3rd place in the Men's 50-54 division. I was planning on seeing the pros come in also.  Something I had never done in the past.  However this would not happen as I received a text from Michelle.  She was on Presque Isle with Brendan rock hunting.  She had lost the key fob for the van.

As I was starting to walk to Presque Isle Angel and Raymond pulled in and they gave me a ride to Presque Isle.  Not how we had planned things.  We looked in the rocks for a while and could not find the fob.

We then decided to return to the hotel clean up and go out for an adventure.

Next, Part Two.