tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5689243787801261548.post1028108004970175843..comments2020-09-07T18:14:10.574-07:00Comments on So little time, so much to explore: 2010 LOTOJA Classic Race Reportbjchildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15805732725994209324noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5689243787801261548.post-65727984972083595802010-09-17T22:19:38.563-07:002010-09-17T22:19:38.563-07:00well....i was chasing the back all race because i ...well....i was chasing the back all race because i missed my start time. oops! when i realized it, the officials held me back to the next group, then they made me start after all 50 riders rolled out. i caught up with the 20xx'ers at FZ1, but it seemed like a group rolled out as i rolled in. <br /><br />i was ultra-fast and was able to catch up with some hard work, but i had no idea where in the pack these guys stood. i was pretty relieved to have made up that time. as luck would have it, i dropped a chain at an inopportune moment (is there ever a good one?). this one happened toward the bottom of one of the descents out of preston. due to my positioning toward the center line, i had to slow from 40 down to 5 mph, let the pack pass, then pull over. it just took a second to get it back on, but the group hit the flat at 40+, while i hit it at 5mph. oh well!<br /><br />i gradually caught up to other 20xx'ers and passed them, but i knew i needed to pass 40-50 folks. i never felt like i passed that many. perhaps i happened to pass some without noticing, or at feed zones where i didn't notice. maybe some were left in preston.<br /><br />i wound up finishing 5th. i had my nose to the grindstone and can't remember if i even got a pull for the last 46 miles. <br /><br />during the last 10, i remember you riding alongside me. you had positive energy (if you were tired i couldn't tell!), and you definitely spurred me to dig deeper and bring us home.<br /><br />i think the winners of our class finished up around 10:14. <br /><br />i feel like a sub-10h would have been possible if a few things went my way, but i suppose the flip-side is that things could just as easily have gone worse. i heard one rider's story of 6 flats!<br /><br />my bad luck included missing the start time, working alone, that dropped chain, and beating my support (=missing it) to FZ5 & FZ6. all in all, it could have gone MUCH worse, and the day was a blast.<br /><br />loved your write-up & hope to ride with you again sometime....perhaps lotoja 2011? :)erichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03004575081782905383noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5689243787801261548.post-58738902490237591202010-09-17T22:02:09.384-07:002010-09-17T22:02:09.384-07:00Eric - I'm glad you found my write-up and once...Eric - I'm glad you found my write-up and once again thanks for letting me sit on your wheel those last miles. Curious if you had a good idea as to where we stood relative to the leaders. Did you see them pass by and if so, when?bjchildhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15805732725994209324noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5689243787801261548.post-77661243162211004642010-09-17T18:08:23.146-07:002010-09-17T18:08:23.146-07:00nice write-up! i was searching for lotoja 2010 rac...nice write-up! i was searching for lotoja 2010 race reports and came upon yours. i noticed some familiar elements, then got to the 2nd-to-last paragraph and put my finger on it.<br /><br />great race!<br />-from the guy who was with you the last 10 :)erichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03004575081782905383noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5689243787801261548.post-47409618217887828132010-09-16T07:32:16.656-07:002010-09-16T07:32:16.656-07:00Congratulations Brannen for "finishing the ra...Congratulations Brannen for "finishing the race"! Your description and detail made me feel your pain. I'm sure it was a satisfying experience to accomplish this great feat. I hope you can go at a more leisurely pace now for a while. We love you!Elder Lynn Childhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13156202756664855515noreply@blogger.com