Ouachita Challenge Race Report:

I had done the 80 two years before and the 60 the past year so I knew what to expect. I barely snuck into the top 25 last year and was really hoping I could eek out a top 10.

I got started in the back of the pack on the roll out. Lots of knobby tires buzzing along sounds pretty sweet. I tried to make my way towards the front, but apparently everybody else had the same idea. I knew there would be some hills to help break it up and sure enough. A few guys in front of me let some gaps open up, and I was able to work my way up into the top 10. I hit the single track in good position. I didn't want to get caught behind people that would slow me down, but at the same time I didn't wanna be "that guy" either. A little gap opened up between me and the Competitive Cyclist guy in front of me(Noah Singer maybe?). Rocky stuff isn't exactly my forte. Mississippi just doesn't have anything like the Ouachita Trail so I was doing my best to go fast without flatting or planting my face on a rock. A guy behind wanted around and so I let him go when we hit the first short gravel road/aid station(Chris Renshaw I believe). There was a bit of single track and he kept a great pace so I was happy to follow. Then he stopped to get a feed. Yeah stopped.

So I just kept on rolling up the climb. He caught me on the rockiest part. I bobbled and had to unclip and walk. BLAH! I could see the group in front of me walking too, though, so I didn't feel too bad. Chris caught me toward the top of that climb and went around me at another rocky section that I failed on. Dang Mississippi and our lack of technical singletrack. Chris seemed to have better skills and a full squish 29er(an orange Intense) and was able to get away from me. Still I felt like I was holding a pretty good pace up hills and even descending pretty well. I opened up some space on the guy behind me but figured we'd probably rejoin at the gravel road section.

I popped out onto the gravel and kept looking back. I slowed and he(Tracy Martin I believe) finally popped out. I figured he'd bust his butt to catch on so we could work together but no dice. He took his merry time. Finally, he caught up and we traded pulls until we caught another rider. Somehow I popped a spoke on the road. Second time that has happened so it's probably time to rebuild my Stan's Podium MMX. I gapped the other two in the first short section of trail but had to stop and refill my bottles. The volunteers were great and filled my bottles while I took a nature break. I hopped back on and chased after the two riders that passed while I had been stopped. It didn't take long and I was up and around them.

This is when things got tough. Nobody behind, nobody in front. I just kept telling myself somebody in front may have blown up, flatted, mechanical. You never know so you gotta chase. Who knows who is feeling good behind you too. I was also fighting cramps on my inner thy. Standing up helped and finally they subsided a bit. At some point I passed Aaron Elwell fixing a flat(apparently he had three flats). I was alone for a while but finally caught Noah Singer. I was so pumped! Definitely gave me a boost of energy.

I was starting to run a little low on caffeinated gels and I popped the big one at around mile 43. Little did I know that those last 17 miles would be a bit slow going. I popped out to the second to last aid station. I had lost my other two bottles so I was down to only one. Filled it with water and the guy said I had a ten mile loop back to them. Dang! I thought it was fire road and pavement back. Oh well. I kept telling myself to keep pumping along and I may catch somebody. I was in a dark place, but I tried to stay positive. It started to turn from "who can we catch?" to "just hold this position."

About 5 miles of singletrack and some gravel later and a volunteer pointed me in the right direction and said that three were ahead of me. "Must be a group of three and then some more in front of them" is what I thought. I turned onto a fire road and saw three guys! Immediately I thought "I gotta catch them! and I can beat them!" along with "#$%^ this is going to really hurt!" But they turned the opposite way. Not the three guys ahead of me. I'm not going to lie: I was a bit relieved. I stopped at the final aid station, got some water, volunteer poured some on my head(felt great! awesome volunteers!) and trucked on in. I kept looking over my should but there was no one.

I finished and was handed a check, a trophy, and had my picture taken before I even realized how I'd finished. I had to look at the check to figure it out. 4th! I was super pumped. I grabbed some grub and waited around for my fellow Boardtown Biker Zach McCool. I must have missed him come in, but he had a great race as well finishing 29th.

Next up: Cohutta 100