FSC #8 - ALVA

     Can't believe the race season is almost at an end. Just a couple more races then the FSC is over....sad to see it happen. Was excited about racing Alva because the trails are so flowy with some technical sections. I knew my road bike skills would definitely come in handy here because of all the open flat areas. The day of pre-ride I made sure to only do 1 1/2 laps so that I didn't overdo it. This race was different than the others; one lap was 10 miles so Cat 2 racers were doing 2 laps instead of 3. While that doesn't sound different, when you are out there racing those 10 miles seem endless. The course was pretty cool and one of my favorite sections was in the mangroves and there was a lot of ducking so that you didn't get whacked by the branches. My bike handling skills really came in handy here. After the pre-ride we all went back to the campground and hung out. Got my pre-race haircut, too!!

Pre-race haircut by Mose Howard

Waiting to start

     Race day I was ready to go! I was determined to get a good start and ended up getting the Hole Shot. I pulled the group really hard through the first long, flat open section that had a lot of turns. I made sure in this course to tap my brakes as little as possible so that I could carry my corner speed. Once we got into the technical sections and looking back I could see a gap that was opening up. I came through scoring with a 2 minute gap and felt really strong. That second lap found me by myself in a few areas and it made it

tough to push myself. A couple of times I felt bored. I looked down and saw that my heart rate was much lower than I needed it to be. Those two long laps just got to me.That was what made me get out of my temporary lull and get hammerin' again. The gap was closed on me toward the end but I managed to finish 1st with about a 30 second lead on the 2nd place racer. 

Got the Hole Shot!

1st Place Sam, 2nd Place Cody Burnett, 3rd Place Adam Cohen

     As always, sending out the love to all my sponsors: Bents Cycling & Fitness, TwinSix, Rolf Prima Wheel Systems, SPYoptics, Beljum Budder, RxEquipped, and Cycleography!

FSC #7 - LAKELAND

SHORT TRACK

     It's always exciting to race your home course! I live about 10 minutes away from Carter Road Park and ride this trail as much as I can. You can say that I know the lines like the back of my hand. I had heard from several people that the course was going to be run partly forward and partly backward. This was cool because after pre-riding I realized that it was way faster than running completely forward. So I was super stoked to get this race going!

     The trails had been really sandy lately, but thanks to a cold front on Saturday that packed down the trails they were running super fast. Pre-ride was uneventful and I was looking forward to the Short Track that afternoon. After pre-ride I went home to eat lunch and rest so that I was ready for this fast-paced race. When we arrived it was drizzling off and on which cooled things off nicely. I got my gear on, warmed up, and went to the start line. The entire White Wave was going to be let loose all at once...wasn't sure how that was going to work out. We would see. I made sure to get into the front row of the starting line....and so did everyone else. There were about 55 of us packed tightly together, all ready to take off. When Dave blew the whistle I shot off the line, but sadly didn't get a good start. There were way to many people crowded together and we constantly bumping elbows. I saw that some of the other Juniors got a better start and knew that somehow I had to catch them. I knew passing would be difficult in the single track - it was way too dangerous with the tight turns and so many roots. I knew that I would have to make my move once we got into the open area. And this is exactly what I did. 

     I caught the group at the end of the first lap and immediately hopped up front to lead the entire White Wave. We were told to ride for 10 minutes and when the leader came through finish and the whistle was blown we would have one lap left to go. One of my good buddies, Troy Davis, was on my wheel the entire short track. We started opening a small gap on the other racers and I continued to pull. 

When the whistle blew for the last lap I gave it all I had. But I couldn't shake Troy...that kid is fast! As we hit the flat section toward the finish Troy and I sprinted it out. 

Unfortunately, I took the turn into scoring a little too wide and gave Troy the opportunity to slide right past me for a 1st place win. I came in 2nd for the White Wave and 1st for my class. If I had to rethink this race, I guess would have let Troy do some of the pulling...didn't really think it through at the time. But couldn't be happier for one of my friends to come in 1st! 

Me, Troy Davis, his dad, and my brother Morgan

Race Day

     The next day I was so excited to hit the trails! I was a little tired from pulling during the Short Track, but I knew once I got spinning I would be okay. Right off the line I went into the woods in 3rd behind Adam Cohen and Tyler Mayer. My strategy was to ride their wheel until an open area in the trail and then attack. I followed through with my plan and opened up a small gap. Sadly, my legs didn't have it in me and I couldn't open the gap any more. I dropped back and decided I would just ride behind them until the last lap where I would give it all I had. We were cruising through the trails talking and joking with each other. As we came through scoring after the second lap I attacked as hard as I could 

and tried to maintain it. 

Thankfully, my legs were feeling better and I was able to keep up this fast pace. I had about a 2 minute gap on 2nd and 3rd as I came off the clay road to hit the paved sidewalk and sprint to scoring. And that's when all heck broke loose! I was hammering it down the sidewalk (which was the designated area) at 25 mph when a car turned right in front of me! I literally didn't know what hit me! The bike and I flew (still clipped in) over the hood of the car and landed about 5 ft away. I sat up a little dazed and confused and saw blood running down my leg. I got up, unaware of anything going on around me, and noticed my chain was off. I put my chain back on my bike and saw my parents running toward me. I looked at them and hopped back on my bike and took off toward scoring. With the good Lord as my co-pilot, I made it through scoring and still managed to win my race! Afterward, I went back to where my parents were and laid on the ground realizing what had happened. The paramedics checked me over, and even though I was sore on my right hip, right ribs, and right shoulder, I was okay. I want to thank all my biking friends and their families for their help and concern. Things could have turned out much worse for me. This race turned out to have a lot of carnage in it. My bike shop sponsor ended up in the ICU with multiple fractures and a collapsed lung and other racers endured lacerations and broken bones. But we all know that this is part of racing and we try to race smart and be safe. On behalf of all cyclists, road and mountain, please watch for us when you are driving. 

1st Place Sam, 2nd Place Adam Cohen, 3rd Place Tyler Mayer

     Giving the love to my sponsors: Bents Cycling & Fitness, Rolf Prima Wheel Systems, SockGuy, SPYoptics, TwinSix,Beljum Budder, Cycleography,and RXEquipped. You all rock. Special shout out to my teammates...Team Bents...for all their support and encouragement!!

     To view more race pics go to:

     www.cycleography.zenfolio.com

FSC #6 - ALACHUA

      San Felasco has always been one of my favorite courses. Mostly because it has a combination flowy short track, technical trails, and a lot of climbing.This is good for me since I'm a pretty good climber. The day of the pre-ride the course was exactly what I wanted. It started off with a gradual climb then went off into some flowy downhill single track for about 1/4 of a mile. Then it went back one even longer and steeper climb and open grass field. Then back into some single track with a lot of climbing, but not nearly as tough. I knew that the first two climbs was where I would need to make my move to open up the gap. The trails were awesome. A cold front came through the night before which made the trails nice and tacky. You could literally nail the corners as hard as you wanted without fearing you would slide out. There were tons of lines, as well. On my second pre-ride lap I made sure to have them all memorized. After pre-ride we went back to the campground for a relaxing evening. 

     I woke up on Sunday to some chilly weather and was totally diggin' it. I got to the trails early enough to watch the Yellow Wave and got ready for my race. With this cool weather I was antsy to get rollin' and made sure to warm up a little more than usual. By the time my wave lined up I was ready to rock n'

roll! The whistle blew I jumped off the start, second off the 

At the start line it was me and Adam battling for that hole shot!

line behind Adam Cohen. As we came to the first climb I made my move. I hit it pretty fast but made sure to conserve my energy for the other climbs. I looked back to see that I had roughly a 5 second gap on them going into the single track. I hammered this section to make sure the gap wasn't closed so that by the time we hit the next climb I could open it up even more. As we came onto the next, even bigger climb, I hit it hard and fast without letting loose. I would look back occasionally and see the gap widening. As we entered another single track I had roughly a 10-12 second gap. I knew there was a downhill coming up and it would give me the chance to recover so I could attack the next climb and continue to open up my gap. My strategy worked. I made sure not to let loose during the race so that I would have consistent lap times. Coming through scoring after my second lap I was in a good lead position with about a 1 1/2 minute gap. Going into the 3rd lap I made sure not to slow down and I pushed forward giving it my all. It took a lot of pain and suffering, but I managed to pull a 1st place finish with consistent lap times. 

1st Place Samuel Connell, 2nd Place Adam Cohen, 3rd Place Tyler Mayer

     Thanks to all my sponsors for their support. So proud to be a part of Team Bents! Thanks everyone for the encouragement!

To see more race pics go to:

www.cycleography.zenfolio.com

FSC #5 - SUNRISE, FL - MARKHAM PARK

     The long drive down to Miami was long and boring, but oh so worth it! The course at Markham Park is full of fun, flowy trails with tons of man-made features. Some people call it super technical, I call it tons of fun! 

      It was really cool to be able to camp at the park. The campgrounds were really nice and they had the coolest iguanas everywhere. I was excited to be racing this cool course with some of my racing friends. I pre-rode the course Saturday morning with Mose Howard and Dwayne Allgire where we picked out tons of good lines. I could tell the course was definitely up their alley...they were flowing super good in it, making it difficult for me to keep up with those fast guys! The course was about 6.5 miles of pure fun! I went to do a second faster lap with them to open up my legs for the next day. I remembered all my lines from the previous lap and I felt really good about the course. Afterwards, we all went back to the campground and played an awesome game that was similar to Corn Hole. Great time hanging out with great friends!

      The good thing about camping at the course is that you can get the extra needed sleep before the race. I love being able to roll outta bed and be right there. And that's exactly what I did. I got a good night's sleep and felt great! Sitting on the line I knew that I would have the extra challenge of racing against Adam Cohen and Tyler Mayer since this is their home course. My heart was pounding at the beginning, but when the whistle blew I pushed off the line and got the hole shot! We flew down the first short open road section pretty fast and then jumped right into the single track. I could hear the hubs of my competitors as they were riding my wheel. As we continued through the single track I felt really good and I could feel myself pulling away from the rest of the pack. Cruising through a downhill section I made a really sharp turn on the course. I didn't realize that from the wave before the turn was super slick and rutted out. I endo'd over my handlebars and fell right in the middle of the track. I hurried to get my bottle back in my bike (I've had this happen enough to know better than to go a lap without hydration!) and when I looked up the hill I still couldn't see 2nd or 3rd place. As I pushed off to get back on the course I saw that my stem was twisted and my handlebars were crooked. I hopped off the bike to attempt to fix these issues but sadly I tightened the bolts to the point I couldn't get a fix. And I didn't have a multi-tool (I now know better!!). I glanced up and saw Adam and Tyler bearing down on me. As Adam whizzed by he asked if I was ok. I told him yes, but as I looked back at Tyler as he was asking me the same question I watched fly over the handlebars on the same turn. He jumped up to fix his bike and said that he would wait for me. I realized I had no choice but to finish the race with my bike "as is". All that was going through my mind at that point was to catch Adam. Coming up on a flat gravel road, I used my road bike skills and pulled me and Tyler at 29 mph down the road. Sadly, I came up on a turn way to fast, not realizing it was there...I ended running right through the tape and went off course. Tyler yelled at me that I missed the turn, but it was his opportunity to make his move and he deserved it. I turned around and hopped back on the bike trying to close the gap with Tyler. But with my stem and bars all jacked up, I knew this was not gonna be my race. All I could think about now was that I needed to hold that gap from 4th place. There were times I could see 4th place in the distance and it was starting to make me nervous. So I pushed harder and was able to make it through scoring in a respectable 3rd place. Couldn't have done it without my compadre's, Adam and Tyler! Love racing with you guys...you make it fun!!

      Shout out to Bents Cycling & Fitness for their support and encouragement! Best bike shop around!! Thanks all my sponsors: Rolf Prima Wheels, SockGuy, TwinSix, Beljum Budder, Cycleography, and SPYOptics! And a special thank you to my parents who continue to provide the emotional, mental, and most of all financial support for the sport I love!!

MEET MY NEWEST SPONSOR!!!

     So excited to announce my newest sponsor...Rolf Wheel Systems!! These wheels are stiff and man can they roll! Stoked to be riding wheels that will enhance my training and racing! Check out all of their products at www.rolfprima.com.

             Representing Team Bents and Rolf Wheels at FSC #7 during the Short Track                  

FSC #4 - LITHIA - ALAFIA STATE PARK

     Really excited to be racing one of my home courses, Alafia State Park. One of the best mountain bike courses in Florida because it gives you plenty of fast single track with a wide variety of climbs and wicked fast, steep drops. Pre-ride was great with my coach, dad, brother, and many of Team Bents racers. I was totally ready to bring my game on. 

     Sunday arrived and I was stoked! The weather wasn't the best, hot and muggy...typical Florida! I knew hydration would be key during this race. When the whistle blew I was 4th going into the woods, but managed to take a line that shot me into 3rd. The pace was moderate and I knew I had to hop in front and try to open a gap. When a flat part came in the trail I made my move and shot in front of everyone. I went pretty hard and started to open the gap before getting into the first technical portion on NorthCreek. The lap went by quickly and by the second lap I was by myself. It was pretty lonely out there and that makes it hard to stay motivated. So I dug deep and pushed myself harder to maintain my speed and position. 

     During the second lap I reached down to grab my bottle and came up empty. Darn bottle had fallen out somewhere on the trail...and it was hot out and I was thirsty. I made it through the lap without any hydration and my dad was a welcome sight when I came through scoring to start the third lap. That was the best tasting bottle ever! I pushed really hard this last lap and gave it all I had. Made it through scoring in record time with a 4 minute gap on the second place racer! So proud of my results at this race!

1st Place Samuel Connell, 2nd Place Michael Mace, 3rd Place Adam Cohen

     Thanks to Bents Cycling & Fitness for all they do to keep me race ready! Continued thanks to all my sponsors: SockGuy for the best socks out there! TwinSix for keeping me stylish! SpyOptics for protecting my eyes! Beljum Budder for keeping me comfortable! And last but not least, Cycleography for the awesome pics! Thanks everyone!!

To see more race pics go to:

www.cycleography.zenfolio.com

FSC #3 - HARDROCK CYCLE PARK

OCALA

I was so excited to be racing at the HardRock Cycle Park in Ocala! There hadn't been any mountain bike races there in many years so it seemed that everyone was ready to test out their skills on a motocross course. I had heard some awesome things about the course and how it was technically better than Hailes Trails; but I had to see it for myself, since Hailes Trails was one of my favorites. Got there Saturday morning and the first thing I saw was a motocross track with huge climbs! I couldn't wait to pre-ride! 

Hitting the motocross track in the Team Time Trial

The start of the course was a big climb and I knew that would split up the group in the race. After the climb there was a huge downhill that would give everyone time to recover. Right off the bat there were climbs....and then there were more climbs. And I'm not talking about short little climbs, I'm talking steep, long motocross climbs! I could imagine a dirt bike having some problems getting up some of them. I knew I had an advantage on this course because I was riding with two gears on the front, while most of my competitors were running one gear on the front. The course continued to be hard and fast. It had some awesome drops that made those dreaded climbs worth it! Just when I thought I was done, I was hit with that motocross track I noticed when we first got to the park. The climbs weren't particularly long, but they were killer! While it seemed like the course went on forever, it was really only about 5 miles long. I knew I was going to have to rest up to do it again a few hours later for the Team Time Trials. 

Going into the Team Time Trials my team, Team Bent's Sleepers, was in the lead. My team consisted of myself, my brother Morgan, Gary Chambers, Tarek Hatoum, and Michel Timmermans. We shot off the line at a pretty good pace with Morgan and Gary leading the pack. I rode in fourth position behind Tarek. My position was important because if something happened to one of my teammates in front I would have to move foreward and take their position.

Team Bent's Sleepers moving in on the first really big climb


The course was even tougher this go around because everyone was beat from their pre-ride. Ended the Team Time Trial without a podium finish but happy to say that Team Bent's Sleepers is still in the lead...and by an impressive eleven points!

Race day! I talked to my dad, Mose Howard, and Dwayne Allgire to strategize on how I would work this race. I knew I needed a top three at the start so I wouldn't be held back on the climbs. Our strategy worked as planned. Making the first climb I was in third place but managed to pass the second place racer, Dylan Drake, on the next climb. We were riding single track, cruising along, when the leader made a small mistake in a sandy section causing me to endo over the handle bars to avoid hitting him. Third placed crashed into me bending my rear rotor. I hopped up as fast as I could to get back on my bike because now I was in last place...and because there were millions of ants everywhere! At this point the leader, Michael Mace, had a huge advantage on me. But I couldn't move, mine and Dylan's bikes were attached - his handle bar through my wheel and my pedal wrapped around his cables. As soon as we could get them free I pushed hard to close about a 35 second gap on the leader. This would be difficult because I was going to have to pass everyone else in my class to gain back my position. Eventually, I was able to close the gap and get back into the second place spot. Dying of thirst in the 100+ degree heat, I reached down for my water bottle and came up empty. Darn thing had flown off in the crash. Now I had to finish the lap without any hydration. I came through scoring about 20 seconds behind Michael and was never happier to see my dad in the feed zone. I grabbed my bottle, took a swallow, and pushed on. I was able to catch Michael at the beginning of the second lap. I knew he had pushed hard to keep his gap, so when I reached him I attacked. I opened up a gap and continued to dig down deep and push harder. Going into the motocross track on the final lap, Dwayne Allgire let me know I had about a 1 min 45 sec gap on second place. Out of the corner of my eye I could see the other racers in my class coming in strong and closing my gap on the motocross track. Coming through scoring I had gotten my second wind and felt like I could do another lap. This was a tough course on a brutally hot day. Pulled another 1st place podium finish. 

Congrats to 2nd Place - Tyler Mayer, 3rd Place - Adam Cohen, 4th Place - Dylan Drake, and 5th Place - John Michael Koch! You guys are awesome to race against!!

Congratulations to all the Team Bents racers and the great job they did at the HardRock! Big shout out to Cadence Howard for her 5th place finish in Women's Base ~ what an awesome accomplishment for an 11 year old girl!!! Cadence, you rocked it!!! Congrats to my brother, Morgan, for his 2nd place finish in the Cat 3 11-14 class ~ that kid is fast!!

Cadence Howard owning the podium!

Special thanks to my bike shop, Bents Cycling & Fitness! You guys are the best - thanks for all your support! I am so proud to be racing for you!!! Thanks to all my sponsors: Cycleography, TwinSix, Beljum Budder, SockGuy, Spy Optics, and RxEquipped. 

Looking forward to racing one of my home courses, Alafia! 

Making it down the big drop

To see more race pics go to:

www.cycleography.zenfolio.com

FLORIDA STATE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES #1

TALLAHASSEE

A few of the Team Bents racers: Mose Howard, Morgan Connell, me, and Dwayne Algire

And so the fall race season began with the FSC #1 in Tallahassee on September 13th. I was so excited to start this season off with a bang. I had been training hard all summer in anticipation of racing in Cat 2 Junior Sport. The drive up to Tallahassee was miserable...it was long and boring, but well worth it. Once we arrived at Tom Brown Park on Friday and set up our camper we all went out for a leisurely pre-ride. The course setup was outstanding, about 6.5 miles long. It was very flowy with a few open dirt road sections and downhills where you could really get up some speed. There were a few steep climbs that if you rode hard enough would knock the breath out of you. The final portion of the course was a super cool BMX track. 

When I woke up Saturday morning I threw on my clothes and went for a last pre-ride lap with my teammates, Mose Howard and Dwayne Algire. This helped me loosen up my legs for my Individual Time Trial that was going to be held later that afternoon. After that lap I went back to check out two different lines I wanted to make sure I was comfortable with. Then it was downtime for all us as we waited to be called to the line for our ITT. After a few hours I started my warm up and was called up to the line. I was so anxious to get going. I knew I had prepared well and was ready to show everyone what I was made of. The Individual Time Trial course was the second have of the race course - about 3.5 miles. At the countdown I was ready. Once they gave me the go ahead I blasted out as hard as I possibly could. I whipped through the turns and hopped over roots and it didn't seem as if it were humanly possible to go any faster through the trails. When I made it to the BMX track I knew that it was almost over and I was in a pretty good place. I was breathing so hard I felt like I was having an asthma attack. I pushed even harder and made it over the finish line with my own personal record. There were 184 racers participating in the Individual Time Trial. I finished 10th overall, 1st in my class, and 1st overall all Cat 2 with a 14:37 lap time. I don't think I have ever pedaled that fast before! I rode as if the Devil himself were chasing me through the trails! I felt really good about my standing in the ITT - especially since my company in the top 10 were all Cat1 and Pro racers!

Morgan getting some air on the BMX track

Mose Howard tail whipping it during the Individual Time Trial

Dwayne Algire doing his thing during the Individual Time Trial

Me and Tyler Mayer starting the first lap

Individual Time Trial on the BMX track

Sunday morning the sun came up bright and early and I was ready to go. I felt so good about my ITT results that I was confident I would hammer it during the XC race. My class was slated first to go out at 11:30 and it couldn't get here fast enough. This is the first year for the Cat 2 Junior Sport class in the FSC and I was excited to be racing with many of my friends. On the line I took up my position between Tyler Mayer and John Koch and got ready to rocket out of the start. Unfortunately, when the whistle blew I had enough power to kick off but not enough skill today to clip in. That resulted in a second to the last rider in the pack. I knew at that point I had to use more energy to make it into the top three. When I hit the dirt road section about 1/2 mile in I started to pass as many racers as possible. I moved up into third place going back into the single track. As we started to go down a descent we realized the course tape had been tampered with and moved. We all slammed on our brakes and turned to go up the nearest dirt road hill. As we got to the top the tape had been moved there also. We then realized that someone had messed with the course changing up the tape so that we were riding in a circle. We hopped off our bikes as if we were racing cyclocross and ran down a hill carrying them the entire way. We hopped off a ledge and were able to make it back onto the trail again. All the effort I had used to move back into third place was wasted at this point. The course swap put me into sixth place. As we came up to another open uphill dirt road section I moved my way back up to third by hammering it up the hill. As we moved into the single track I noticed the first place racer was slowly opening up a gap. I passed the second place racer and immediately closed the gap between myself and first place. The first place rider, Michael Mace, and I started to open up on the group until we made it to a twisty section and Michael slid out in a sandy turn. I didn't want to have to make my move half-way through the first lap, but I had no choice. I went for it and pushed the pace a little faster than what we had, knowing that I still had to finish this lap and two more. As I whizzed passed scoring I saw Michael out of the corner of my eye and knew I had roughly a ten second gap. Again, I pushed the pace a little harder and as we got onto the dirt road I started to go wide open up some of the climbs. My legs were on fire. The road wasn't too steep but for some reason it felt worse than some of the steeper climbs. At that point I went as hard as possible through the single track, recovering on the downhills and in the turns using my momentum. Pulling through the second lap my gap had increased to about a minute over second place. Crossing the creek my coach, Mose Howard, was standing there encouraging me to push it as hard as possible on this section. Coming out of the trees he told me I had gained another minute. During the third lap I was starting to get caught up in race traffic and really had to utilize my passing skills in order to maintain my lead. At this point, I was confident I was in the lead and pedaled over the finish line knowing I had accomplished my goal: 1st place finish! It was exciting to watch the battle between Michael Mace and Cody Burnett for 2nd and 3rd place. In a heated sprint, Michael was able to hammer his way into a second place finish with Cody on his wheel. Adam Cohen came in fourth and Tyler Mayer fifth. Great to see my friends on the podium with me!!

I was so pumped up and really looking forward to the FSC #2 in Fernandina Beach, but my body was thinking otherwise. By Tuesday after race I started feel bad with a bit of a sore throat. By Wednesday, I was running high fevers and my throat and head were killing me. I was diagnosed with strep throat and started on antibiotics. This, I knew, was going to be a problem as far as racing at Fernandina Beach. I knew it was just to close to the race weekend and that I would not be physically capable of doing my best and I would be putting myself at risk for getting sicker. I was totally bummed out, but I understood and am super thankful I can drop that race. So, while my dad and brother are in Fernandina Beach, my mom and I are hanging out at home while I recuperate. Thankfully, there is a two week break between races and I will be in fully race mode come Hard Rock! 

Big congrats to all of Team Bents for some awesome results! Mose Howard - 3rd in the ITT; Alex Meucci - 4th in the ITT; Gary Chambers - 1st XC-GM2; Dwayne Algire - 1st XC-1 (40-49); Steve Bent - 3rd XC-GM1; and Mose Howard - 2nd XC-1 (30-39)!! 

Thanks to everyone who supports my racing. Bents Cycling & Fitness is an awesome sponsor and bike shop and I couldn't get to where I am at without their continued support. My new sponsor, Beljum Budder, proved itself as an awesome chamois cream!! Racing the ITT and then three laps, I knew I would need some protection and it did the job! My SpyOptic sunglasses held up and protected me from the glaring sun and dusty trails. I can always count on my SockGuy socks to keep my feel looking and feeling amazing. And a big thank you to Cycleography the awesome pictures! You can view all the race photos at http://www.cycleography.zenfolio.com.

8 Hours of Labor

Another endurance race in the record books! The 8 Hours of Labor was another fun race and I couldn't have done it without my teammates - Mose Howard and David Long. Entered the Three Man Team competition and through hard work and sweat made it to 2nd place on the podium!

The course was absolutely perfect - not a lot of technical sections, but very flowy. There was a good amount of climbing, as well. The race started off with a LeMans start ran by Mose Howard. We made a great choice in having Mose start - he can run like the wind and got the hole shot. Mose came through scoring in first place after his first lap with Michael Danish on his wheel. The two opened up a several minute gap between all the other riders. I was second for our team and when Mose handed me the wrist band I was in it to win it! The 8.5 mile lap was a quick one for me, but I knew I would have to hold myself back a bit in order not to burn out early. According to my Garmin I managed to pull off a 36.45 minute lap. Handing off the wrist band to David I was feeling good. David pulled off another quick lap and we were fighting for first place. 

Mose handing off the wrist band after his first lap

As we continued on in the race it seemed to get hotter and hotter. According to one racer, the heat index was 114 degrees! Hydration was key to making sure that we would maintain a podium position. Because of this I was able to stay consistent with an average of around 37 minute lap times. After 12 long, hard laps we just weren't able to pull off that first place finish. Team Top Gear was simply too fast for us! 

We are super proud of our lap times and how we raced! Thanks to our sponsor, Bents Cyclery & Fitness, for all of their support. Couldn't do it without you guys! Shout out to my family and all our racing friends for their encouragement. Big kudos to Team This Is Our Race Pace (my mom, dad, and Katie racing their first race) for a great job despite a final DNF due to a mechanical. My brother Morgan continues to impress us with his fast lap times! Keep your eyes out for him...he's the future of this sport! Finally, thank you to my sponsors: SpyOptics for the most awesome sunglasses that always keep the sun and the dirt out of my eyes; SockGuy for my super comfortable socks; and TwinSix for a truly phenomenal kit that kept me comfortable during my preride. 

PROUD TO ANNOUNCE MY NEW SPONSOR!!

Very proud to announce that I have just been sponsored by Beljum Budder - "The Natural Choice for Chafing Protection". Let's face it, one of the worst things as a cyclist, whether it's on the road or trails, is chafing. We've all been through it and it isn't pretty. Beljum Budder offers maximum protection from unwanted friction and it does it with a product that is all natural. No worries about harsh chemicals in your most sensitive areas! So ride with pride and feel confident that you are using maximum protection that will not only cut down on irritation, but do it with ingredients that are made from botanicals, essential vitamins, and plant-derived lubricants. Check them out at www.beljumbudder.com

TRAIL2TRAIL RACE

Wasn't sure if the race was going to happen because the weather has been terrible. While most people are thankful for rain, mountain bikers don't like torrential downpours everyday that turn the trails into muddy messes. During pre-ride yesterday morning, the trails were literally underwater. I was having second thoughts about racing because I didn't want to ruin my new components on my bike. My dad and I went out again last evening and the trails were looking better, so I decided to go for it. Luckily, we didn't get any rain yesterday or today and the trails we able to dry up some. The Trail2Trail Race is part mountain bike and part road race. It consists of one 7 mile lap on the trails, then a 30+ mile road ride, followed by the final 7 mile trail ride. It can be done as a team or solo. One of my good friends, James Dibble a recumbent cyclist, and I decided long ago that we would team up. Our team name: Team Tour de Friends. 

Alex Meucci and me heading into the woods for the first lap

At the start of the race I was beginning to get the jitters. My goal was to keep up with Shawn Smith (a pro rider), Jim MacPherson, and one of my teammates, Alex Meucci. When the whistle blew I shot out wanting to get in front of as many racers as possible. I went into the woods in 6th place and we (Shawn, Jim, Alex, and Stephen Karras) immediately started to open a gap. It was a quick pace and I was determined to hang on. We blew through the trails at lightening speed leaving dust in our wake. I felt really strong and my new tire combo (Schwalbe Racing Ralph and Specialized S-Works Renegade) was working very well. Coming through transition my team was battling for first place with Shawn and a racer from AJ's Bikes and Boards. I handed my baton to James Dibble and he took off setting a very fast pace for the road portion. 

Heading into transition after my first lap

Handing the baton to James Dibble

While James was on the road I took a break and much needed cool down. It was blistering hot with the temps in the high 90's. I took this time to strategize about how I would play out my second lap. I knew that it would be tough if Shawn and David Pavlik (a super fast roadie from AJ's) came in with James. The second lap Martin Cox would be racing as Shawn's teammate and I knew I had my work cut out for me. Shawn was now racing solo. When James came through transition I was ready. I went out roughly 30 seconds behind Martin and the AJ's racer and I was determined to stay on Shawn and Martin's wheel. I felt like I was closing the gap on Martin and the AJ's racer until Martin picked up the pace and put down the hammers. I still felt good in my position and continued to work with Shawn, hoping to catch the AJ's racer. I just couldn't close the gap. As I was going into The Beast, one of the more technical red trails at Carter Road Mountain Bike Trails, I made a huge mistake that cost me about 20 seconds. After attempting to hop the front root at the beginning of the trail I slipped and almost fell off the edge into a ravine. Thankfully, I managed to catch myself. As I hopped back on my bike to ride down one of the drops I fell again. In the end my last lap time was about 6 seconds slower than my first lap time - about 32:29. Team Tour de Friends placed 3rd in the Serious Men's Race, and  1 1/2 minutes behind Martin Cox. I was really proud of myself for being able to stay with these phenomenal racers for most of the race! 

Coming to the finish line

3rd Place finish...super happy with that!!!

Me and Shawn Smith and Martin Cox 

A great big thank you to Bents Cyclery and Fitness for all of their support! You guys are the best! My Spy Optics sunglasses came in handy keeping the bright Florida sun and the mud out of my eyes. Wore my favorite SockGuy socks which, as usual, provided lots of comfort, kept my feet cool, and gave me some awesome tan lines! Thanks to my coaches and all of those who support my racing endeavors! Congrats to all the Team Bents racers - you guys did awesome and had a strong showing on the podium! Congrats Steve Bent on your podium finish!! Way to go Alex Meucci on your 1st Place Solo All Mountain win!! Jamie Enright - you raced strong and congrats on your podium finish! Taylor Pilkington and Papi - big shout out for your 1st Place team win! Super excited for Jen Howard on her 3rd place victory in the Women's Solo. Congrats to Jim MacPherson on his 2nd Place podium in the Solo All Mountain class! Congrats to Shawn Smith and Martin Cox from the Super Cool Bike Shop on your 1st place finish! I could go on and on congratulating everyone and I don't want to leave anyone out, so a big congrats to everyone who earned a place on the podium and all those that finished the race!! And thanks to Red Trail Racing for putting on a great race and all the hard work they put in to get the trails in great shape!

Super congratulations to my brother, Morgan, and his teammate, Connor Murray. They raced Fun Men's race as Team Thing 1 and Thing 2 and placed 4th in their race! 

Morgan coming into transition after his 30 mile road ride