Event: Blue Marsh

Name: Mark Nelson

City: Pottstown

State/Province: PA

Country: USA

Age: 44

Place: 1st

Category: Expert

CLASS +/or Age group: 40-44

Team: Shirk's

XC Race Bike: GT Avalanche

Tires: Panaracer XC

Conditions: Very muddy

Email: mnelson@thehill.org

1st Place - JBmountainbikes.com Off Road Race
Blue Marsh - 2002

Blue Marsh - 2002

How was your fitness level going into this race?

Fairly good for this time of year.

Were you happy with your position going into the singletrack?

Yes. I was hoping to hang with the first couple of guys for the first 2 laps and I was right with them at the start.

Were you strong from start to finish?

The first 2 guys were riding at a pace that I knew I couldn't hold for 3 hours, so I slowed down a little and they pulled away.

When did you put the hammer down?

In the middle of the second lap I was trying to stay as smooth as possible and not waste too much energy trying to power through the mud. When I got to the bottom of the steep muddy hill, I could see the two leaders. I passed one walking up the hill and the other at the start-finish line. After that I rode as fast as I could (which wasn't very fast!).

Did you have any unusual problems?

My bike weighed a ton with all of the mud caked on it but it worked well in the middle and big rings.

Were you happy with the way the race was run?

The race was well organized and clearly marked. Everyone was friendly. Racing in muddy, physically challenging conditions suits my riding style well.

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

As I carried my bike up the muddy switchback on the second and third laps I was laughing with a couple of guys about the "speed pass" I was making at a 1/4 mile per hour.

Anything you would like to add?

This was my first win in a mountain bike race, so I was really jazzed-up.