Sundown at the Pass

Today was the Sundown at the Pass running race which runs up and over Gates Pass. For the last two years I have tried and failed to watch the race near the pass, but this year was a success, though a narrow one.

The race started at 5pm; we rolled out our driveway a bit after 3. As we rode towards Tumomoc hill and ‘A’ mountain my right heel started moving side-to-side. I couldn’t figure out what was wrong–I had put my old cranks/pedals/everything back on my hard tail, so my setup should have been the same.

At the parking lot I stopped and tightened the pedal, hoping it wouldn’t feel so loose. This move almost cost me a crash on the Tumomoc ridge trail–the next time I tried to clip out my cleat spun on my shoe. The plate bolts had stripped somehow. As if I didn’t have enough problems with my right leg, foot, knee, crank, pedal and cleat.

We had about 45 minutes now, so it turned into a high spirited ride through Tucson Mountain Park to the race course. We cruised up Shannon, then Odin turned for Tech pass as I barreled straight up the wash. Halfway up Golden Gate pass I started running out of gas–what is this, a race? My speed is still lacking and I felt it today. I reached the top and started the descent to the parking lot, still somewhat out of phase. No one was coming down the road–yet. I tried my best to ride smoothly through the boulders and ledges, but my fear of not being able to unclip got the best of me and I ended up bailing numerous sections.

I made it to the parking lot just in time to watch the lead Kenyons fly down the backside of Gates. It looked like they were riding bikes–and out of control at that. Coach Greg trailed the Kenyons by a few seconds, but was more concerend with 4th place behind him, asking me “How far back?” I said, go get those guys in front of you! My hottie followed not long after, with no women in sight. The next one was about two minutes behind. She kept that lead to the finish, picking up 500 stony’s for her efforts.

I turned around and met Odin near Golden Gate, since we had a significant ride and not much daylight. A few desperate cleat tightens followed but otherwise we made it home without incident. The “FSA” (whatever that is) was doing something on campus, and it was widely apparent that they are above the rules–people were parked in all of the bike lanes everywhere. The little “P” with a slash through it doesn’t apply to the FSA.