Off to the races!

Saturday's turnout was great to see, a large number parents with their kids showed up to race, several new comers out as well. As expected due to the number of new riders registration took longer than normal, however a glitch with the software we use required everything to be done manually at the last minute which caused for a longer delay, but once completed the races ran smoothly.

I wish "smoothly" was what I could say about the first time I got on the track. I helped with registration and answering questions to new parents and riders so I was only able to get on the track in the final five minutes of the pre-race warm up. I got to the gate, and thanks to my personal trainer during the winter months my balance was excellent. The gate process started and I was ready to go, a little to ready. I lifted my front wheel to get a jump on the gate, though I was early, and not just a tad early, a few seconds early. My front wheel came back down on top of the gate which then thrust my body forward over the handle bars, and there I was, laying on the start hill on the "other side" of the gate. Thankfully Kate did not take a picture and it appears nobody happened to get it on video either!

Once the races got under way I was slotted in Moto #9, which was an age range for 24 to 40, I was the youngest in that class and the only rider on a 20" bike, the rest were on what is known as a "Cruiser" which essentially has 24" wheels and are a tad faster for older riders as the gearing is also slightly different.

I ran the three heats, coming in last for each of them and failing to advance to the main. Not the best outcome but I still had fun and it gave me a few minutes to relax while speaking with younger riders who had questions about the qualification process and the purpose of the main event.

I had fun, exhausting fun, and I hope to do it all summer long this year, and who knows, maybe actually improve!

That's all for now, another race tonight!