the arrival at the greenbriar classic on sunday had the energy of family reunion there was the confusion of familiar faces and forgotten names
there was the excitement and energy of the event about to unfold
as it is early in the season everyone was ampted to get on the bike and out on the trail
everyone was psyched to get out and race
looking for the DCMTB/City Bikes set up in the parking lot I saw all sorts of people unloading and suiting up in the parking lot
the late afternoon start really lended itself to a casual pre-race experience
after a second loop through the lot I found a section taped off for the City Bikes mountain bike team and parked standard mountain bike issue honda element along side of Mike K and Chirs Clarke's cars
without rushing to take the bike off the roof or step into an assortment of cycling specific gear I made my way down to register
by the registration booths I saw old friend and rival Bill Davis
bill and I have duked it out on the clydesdale race circuit for years
but... in the last couple of years Bill has been dropping weight and picking up speed
more muscular than the average cyclist bill is big but, no longer looking clydesdale big
and this is not an illusion created by the removal of his mustache
all of bill's efforts to gain speed has caused him to lose weight so much weight that I doubted his clydesdale qualifications
after a hearty hello and a firm handshake we started talking about the race
bill started in with excitement about weighing in at 201 that morning
half jokingly I talked about forgetting my scale
we went back and forth talking about a few other things
then parted so that I could register for the race and start getting ready
as I walked away from bill I took on last look.... he was not looking like a clydesdale
not only was he not looking like a clydesdale but he is looking fast and fit
I know he has been dabbling in the dark side out racing his road bike I have seen him on Beach Drive in pace lines with DC local heros
already I was accepting that Bill was going to take the top seat in clydesdales unchallenged
after registering I ran into fellow clydesdale Don Watkins
was happy to see Don, his beautiful wife, and their wonderful new daughter
was not pysched to see that Don was in a leg brace for some ankle issues
would much rather see Don on the bike but good to see him just the same
great to see him awesome to see that his life is moving forward with family and that riding and racing are still part of his life (don't call Emma Jean EJ... don's wife will kick your ass)
don and I talked about bill's questionable clydesdale status
a glance from across the parking lot caused the thoughts in my head started to grow
my heart rate elevated
my blood began to boil
sandbagging the clydesdale class?
come on
my social loops continued
caught up with some familiar faces
shared the excitement of the day with strangers
made mention of the bill davis sandbagging situation to those that I thought would find it interesting
in my prerace meanderings I wander over to bill again this time to take a look at his new car....
bill had shown up in a shiney new Honda Element the same orange as mine
we talk about the car the purchase the deal he got
the roof rack options
he went with and why and other such things
within all the talk about the car bill told me of his morning mishaps and the question of what class to race
not wanting to spend the money to race NORBA he was torn
then it came out my old buddy bill davis was f_cking with me
he had weighed himself that morning he was weighing in at 176, not 201
the ribbing of an old friend
he got me... he got me good
then it was time for me to focus in on redlack and the others at the line
it is an interesting thing this clydesdale class and its weight requirement
so many larger racers get smaller as they seek to get faster
they train their way out of the clydesdale class
bill is not the only one to forfiet the fun of being a clydesdale for speed
my brother was once a clydesdale
now my brother marc is fit and fast competing on a higher level
focusing on cyclocross yet still excelling in mountainbiking
marc still big by cycling standards, but not big enough to line up with the clydesdales
this morning I got an email from rival and friend Chris Redlack
chris whooped my ass by nearly 3 minutes at greenbriar this weekend past
chris is fearing that he is soon to lose his clydesdale status weighing in at 205 today
he knows that his early season weight will change as he begins to ride and race more
this would be unfortunate as I love to race my buddy chris
it is an interesting dilema
an issue that has bit of an honor code
very few of these races do not put the racers on the scale
just as they do not question a racer signed up for one of the women's class
they trust that those signed up for the clydesdale class qualify
it is an honor code a code that has been broken
there have been skinny guys with rocks in their pockets at the Granny Gear events
those are demons for those racers to contend with I have my own set of demons
sure it may irk me
racing is not about podiums or prizes
racing ishould not about sandbagging
although it happens in all sorts of classes for an assortment of reasons
enough with this rant
must knock out some work
then get an actual race report out
no time to proof read
hope this rant meanders in some sort of logical fashion
Photo by NCVC's Kevin Dillard.... another rival and friend
gwadzilla archive about Rosie Ruiz
a great shot by Kevin of the start
Redlack in my Shadow