InVaSiOn oF SpAnDeX - Bellevue Ballihoo

InVaSiOn oF SpAnDeX - Bellevue Ballihoo

This past weekend was the Bellevue Ballihoo. Last year after racing the whole Psycowpath series in the Cat 3 Open class and taking the championship I had to move up to Cat 2. I am very excited to move up in class and get a chance to race against different competion this year. I was feeling good leading up to the weekend but I will admit on Friday as the time neared and I was getting registered the butterflies were there. This was also my first race after joining Elkhorn Valley Cycling Club. The race weekend was 3 races in 2 days, Jewell Time Trial, then Swanson short-track and then Sunday the Swanson XC race. Started the weekend off at Jewell for a time trial, I really like the course I just don't ride it very often so I was just looking to better my time of 22:00 from last year. After completing the 3.5 mile jewell of a course my time was 20:50 which placed me 6th out of 20, I was very happy as I shaved some time off and placed well but Jewell still kicked my ass.... took a good 10 minutes to get my chest from burning after race. After the race the family went to get some Subway, needed some food before the next race. Swanson was setup as a Crit, I didnt have much knowledge on how this was gonna play out I just figured pedal as fast as you can and good things will happen. I loved the course they setup much props to the RF's and Psycowpath the course was excellent. I finished 6th out of 15 and again was pleased.

Sunday woke up and the legs felt a little stiff but once I was up and moving around they loosened up. The Swanson XC is a 3 lap event so I knew I had to pace myself a bit and not burn up too early. My goal was to get out early to avoid the mass bottle-neck once we hit the singletrack, WELL..... that didn't happen. I really need to work on my starts this year and not fall back and have to work my way up to the front. Now back to the bottle-neck we hit the singletrack and second corner we got backed up a bit I slowed down and then when I went to go a root had a different idea, I hit it and down I went, as I'm picking myself and the bike up I watch 2-3 riders go on by. I composed myself and on I went, but in the back of my head I'm still thinking of the time and positions I lost so I was pushing it pretty hard,  and guess what I was taking a corner a little wide and my pedal hit a tree branch that was there and low and behold over the handlebars I went. Once again I watch 2-3 riders go by, as I get going a fellow rider has the quote of the day "If you keep it on 2 wheels you won't have to keep passing me" Great Advice. So not even 1/2 lap in I'm down twice... and I love this course outside of Platte my favorite and I ride it quite often so wasn't like anything unexpected out there. At this point I'm pissed and determined to make it up to

the front, I am passing quite a few riders, only bad thing is I don't know if they are in my class or in marathon, oh well just keep it up. I finished strong and ended up in 7th out of 26 riders, a nice field. So after all was done I was happy considering the start I had. The Psycowpath racing weekend had a great start with over 200 registered riders on Sunday and also the Omaha DEVO first kids race also took place, great job to them also. Great weekend of racing and the weather  held out for us and as always I couldn’t do it without the support of my family. Thank you! Next up is the BoneBender at Clinton Lake in Kansas on April 17, hope to see all there!

Quoteof the day: Fellow competitor to me, Keep it on 2 wheels and you won't have to keep passing me.

Quote of the day from Alicia: “DAD FIGHT LIKE YOU WANT IT” this was yelled at me as I was going onto lap 2. Ha Ha good stuff.