Win #2 In Eastfork!

Hey, Chris
I just wanted to give you a run down of the race at East Fork State park located just outside of Cincinnati, OH. They started the race two hours early because of the heat advisory issued, still the race started 10am with temperature hovering around 98 degrees.  The first lap started with a steep road climb just like last year, but this year my class was combined with two other class because of lack of racers not showing because of the heat and the early start, last their was over 300 riders last year, but this year was around 150.
Yet, I found myself around 10th just after the mile long run out on the road just before we jumped into the single track, I tried to stay up front knowing that the next two mile would be to tight to pass, one ride tagged a tree about thirty feet ahead of me just before an open section of trail giving me the chance to jump up to third, now I just needed to hold on and not make any mistakes. With nine miles down and nine more to go the temperature moved up to 106 starting the second lap, the 1st place rider was only 100 yards ahead of me heading back into the single track.

I over took 2nd in the first mile of the second lap, knowing everyone was feel the heat by now in their legs, I began to slowly close in on 1st. With amino vital still in the tank i felt Ok, I marked the 1st place rider about 20sec. ahead of me not wanting to make a run at the spot yet, I waited to see how he was climbing on some of the short steep stuff, noticing that I was gaining ground on the climbs.
I waited until the last mile just after a creek crossing that was up hill to the finish with a few sweeping turns and a switchback climb to the finish I was able to over take 1st. Now it was time to bring it home, my Sigma computer said I had a mile left, so I needed to gap 2nd place as fast as I could without boiling my brain inside my head and/or tagging a tree. Topping out at the finish with my Hydrapak empty and about a 15sec gap over 2nd, I held on for the win.
Talk later
Tookie