So Close. So Far! So What?

If you haven't tried racing at a local level I highly recommend it.  Local races are meant to get people out doing things that they enjoy in a friendly competitive way.  It also raises money for local trails systems to keep them available, usually for free.  It also brings business into the community.  The Amundsen Fat Bike Dash is one of those races.  It is a fundraiser for the Roberts Farm Preserve.

So Close.: I knew I could do fairly well in this race based on the limited field this year.  I had pulled out a forth last year and knew I was racing against the same basic people.

5K Winners

So Far!: Ten minutes into the race the places were pretty much decided.  I was going full throttle with all the power and skill I could muster and still couldn't close the gap between me and the person ahead of me.  And yet, I was able to hold the gap between me and the person behind me.  Everybody has their set skill level and it is harder to break out of it than you might think.

10K Winners

So What?: At the end of the race it doesn't matter.  The top 4 finishers took an extra lap around the course for fun and then a group of racers met for a post race beer at Norway Brewing Company.  Everybody got to talk about the same race and how that rut caught your wheel and threatened to send you off into the woods.

I'm getting pretty full up on hats.

On the other hand, my wife and I both landed podium positions and it DID cover our entry fees by paying for our post race treats.  And I won this cool hat for Oxbow Brewing.

2019 Results

And speaking of local races, it you happen to like trail running.  Check out the Longest Day 5K at Libby Hill.  And I'm not just saying that because I'm one of the organizers.