Ratpure In Missouri, uh Misery

Anyone else notice that my legs are a little bigger than Zach's? That's what I was thinking when I was watching him float up the climbs ahead of me.
My first RIM was a great one. If it hadn't rained I think Zach would have done 13 and pretty sure I would have done 12. Neither one of us knew the race had been called and were both planning on going back out. I made the mistake of not changing to my knobbys and slipped and slid around on my last lap. I crashed twice ripping all my 6 day old scabs free from the tender flesh underneath.


The proposed 12 hour race started with a WTF run up a steep, rocky wasteland. I walked. Conditions were great, not too hot, reasonably dry, dusty in spots. Not being a climber I think it's odd to say that the climbing didn't bother me. Perhaps it's directly proportional to the lack of speed I possessed while conquering said climbs. Other than pushing my heart rate higher than I wanted, they didn't affect me. I enjoyed every bit of this race course and only wish we could have had some fast, dry night laps.

The pit/camping area was superb. They weaved the course through the tents and the cheers were a plenty. All in all I was stoked with the way the race unfolded. Zach and I were close for the first four laps and then I had to take a few minutes to refuel, never saw him again. He is so smooth and consistent. With my present physique I just can't be in that crowd. Zach earned this one and I feel like I'm getting more in tune with my inner something. I think it's going to be a good year to Burn at the Bluff. We missed Dwyane but he'll be back soon.

We managed a 1,2,3 for St.Louis in the 12 hour overall. Todd Holtmann won his category which was good for third in the overall. Karen Holtmann won the women's 12 hour and Christine Ford won the women's 6 hour solo. Team Seagal was there in force snapping wrists up to the very last minute to clinch two podium spots. They had a cooler of PBR taunting everyone as they emerged from the woods nearing the end of the lap. Watching those guys and their gals lounging in those awesome chairs made it tough to keep chasing.

Nico in his street clothes when he should be in his effin riding stuff out on the course!