Event: Fair Hill - 6 Hour Enduro

Name: Kelly J. Cline

City: Glenside

State/Province: PA

Country: USA

Age: 34

Place: 3rd

Category: Expert

CLASS +/or Age group: 34 & Under

Team: Wissahickon

XC Race Bike: Gary Fisher Mt Tam

Tires: Hutchinson Python Air Lite's

Conditions: Rain, Soupy Mud, Thick Mud then Dry

Email: kc2738@yahoo.com

How was your fitness level going into this race?

I felt very strong going into this race. Two weeks prior I did a 12 Hour Race solo, completing 13 laps for a total of 95 miles. My endurance was there although I still need to work on my speed.

Were you happy with your position going into the singletrack?

I was very happy, my teammate Andy Wulfkuhle, a.k.a. Bad Andy, and I were 1 & 2 going into the singletrack.

Were you strong from start to finish?

I was very consistent throughout the 6 hours.

When did you put the hammer down?

The cutoff time for the 6 hour race was 2 pm, which means only laps completed before that time count. I came through the start/finish area at 1:16 pm on what everyone at the timing tent thought was my last lap. They said "...you're not going out again, are you?". I said "...hell yeah, I am!". So I grabbed two fresh water bottles and headed out. It was on that last lap that I put so called "hammer" down. I arrived at the finish completing my 8th and final lap with only two minutes to spare.

Did you have any unusual problems?

Hmmm....let's see. The race started at 8:00 am and by 8:01 am I was sitting on the edge of the trail crying like a baby. As I stated earlier, Bad Andy and I were 1 & 2 at the start, we crossed the bridge and turned right into the doubletrack along the fence line. As the trail started to go up towards the open field, a small stick got kicked up through my rear derailleur and into my rear wheel shredding my spokes and exploding my derailleur into 4 pieces. I couldn't believe my eyes when I looked down. I proceeded to pick up my bike screaming at the top of my lungs and hurling it into the woods like I was the Incredible Hulk. That's when I sat down on the trail and watched the 39 other solo racers go by. When the last racer went by, I decided to head back to the start and possibly find someone who may let me borrow their bike or help me fix mine. So I threw my bike over my shoulders and ran back to the start. Paul "not so" Incog! nito from FSVS was the first person to assist me. He offered me his bike, a single speed. I thankfully declined in hopes to repair mine. Then Don Morrison arrived on the scene. He told me he had 2 bikes and he selflessly offered me one to ride or scab parts off of. Paul and I proceeded to untangle my derailleur from my rear wheel while Don went to get his bike. After replacing a rear wheel and a derailleur and making a few adjustments, my bike was ready to go. By this time, the leader, which was still Bad Andy, came through the start/finish to start his second lap. I jumped on his wheel and, once again, started out on my first of 8 laps.

Were you happy with the way the race was run?

The race was well run, the course was marked well and the folks working in the timing tent were great. Although I was displeased with the awards ceremony. Awards for the Enduro racers were done long before the cross country awards when there was no one around. It would have been nice to have our teammates and friends there to acknowledge us.

Did you have any interesting experiences during your race (exchanges with competitors/spectators)?

As I was coming up the last stretch on my last lap I saw some of my friends standing there and they weren't cheering for me, it wasn't until after I had passed them that they had recognized it was me. My bike and I were completely covered in mud.

Anything you would like to add?

Thanks to Don Morrison, Paul Incognito and guy who's name escapes me for helping me get my bike back together. I could not have done it without them.