First let me say that all the biking and running events that Mark Junkermann directed this weekend were well done and the most relaxed fun I have ever had at events like yours over the past 15 years.

For me, the Night Time Trial turned out to be an epic 40 minutes, 50 seconds ride that developed into an adventure race that required me to call on my navigation skills and special night vision. The race was to start at 8:30 pm, but a small rain storm came over and forced a 9:00 pm start. While waiting I checked weather.com and discovered the little storm covered Northern VA down to North Carolina…but was no reason to call off the race.

By 9:00 the rain had stopped and in time the 1st racer was off. I heard thunder in the North West and thought…No Problem. I had not ridden Camp Hilbert in three years this TT was to serve two purposed for me. It was my preview ride and to see how close I could come to my predicted time. There would be one winner based on the fastest time and one based on coming closest to their predicted time. I was conservative and predicted 40 minutes; after all I didn’t want to waist my legs on a preview ride. I was one of the last riders to go and was enjoying the trail.

Visibly was poor because of a slight fog. I came up on the big ditch drop off and with no visibility I thought, have they added an abyss? What a rush in the fog, the drop was easy, but the going up had me applying the brakes because the brain said ‘brake fool, you are about to be launched to the top of a tree’. I avoided launch and stopped just short of the top. To prevent sliding down backwards, I called on a Motor Cross skill from 30 years ago. I laid the bike down and forced a peddle into the ground to have it stick where it was. Next, I was able to step to the top and grab the front wheel and get the bike up.

I rode off wondering why I never did see the bottom of that ditch. But minutes later I figured it out as Kurt caught me and his helmet light lit the woods like Vegas, my light was dying. But I thought No Problem - if it dies I have a backup light.

The arrows were not fluorescent, so I was having difficulty seeing them, No Problem – I am managing. In time, the trail became smooth and proceeding with no turns. I thought this is nice, until I rolled into some ones back yard. Through the patio door I saw two children looking out and pointing as though a 6 foot tall one eyed monster had entered their back yard. They called their Dad and he turned on the flood lights. At this point I was blinded by the light and said don’t shoot, I am just a Mountain Biker who has lost his way. Ho, did I mention that by now it was raining vigorously, lightening and that I had to pull my glasses down and pear over them because they were wet and useless. I heard a man’s voice
say ‘are you crazy’. I replied ‘Yes and lost too. Please direct me to the Camp Hilbert entrance. After some time the voice said…‘turn to you right and go around my house to the front, go out the driveway, be careful it has deep gravel and you should walk, in a quarter mile it comes to a fork, bare right, in a quarter mile turn right onto Adventure Lane (I usually don’t remember new street names, but that one stuck), in a quarter mile turn right onto Maidens Road, Go a half mile and turn right into Camp Hilbert. I thought these directions sounded like Monopoly moves but No Problem I can remember them. Me and my dim helmet light rounded the house and started down the driveway and the light went out. No Problem - I will get out the backup light only to discover I failed to put it in my jersey pocket.

At this point I started thinking, should I go back to the house and risk getting shot or walk slow and just trust my feet to stay between the ditches. As I analyzed those two options my feet proceed on their own up the road. Next thought was…feet don’t fail me now. As I slowly proceeded I thought No Problem – the lightening is helping to light my way. Each time I came to what I thought might be a street I would stop and wait for lightening to eliminate a road sign. At one point I thought – Lord please don’t stop the lightening yet and that instance a big flash illuminated Adventure Lane.

At this point I checked my watch and realized I had only been out for 25 minutes. I proceeded on Adventure Lane and another flash of lightening showed me the Maidens Road sign. I proceeded and another flash of lightening showed me the entrance to Camp Hilbert. At this point a racer was on the trail close to the entrance road had that helped to find my way back to where we were camping. I checked my watch and realized I had been gone 30 minutes and thought No Problem – I can get the spare light out of my van and continue by just getting back on the trail right across from my van, which I did and continued to finish in a time 40:50. At his point I thought No Problem and how close to my predicted time. One fellow kept looking and my legs and in time said ‘why are our legs muddy and yours are clean?‘ I responded No Problem – I went so slow that I didn’t throw up mud… Mark calculated who came closest to their predicted time and I was second closest. Mark announced that I won the predicted time prize of a free entry to a race because the closest predicted time person already had a free entry to that race. I said that I did get off course at one point and others said that is OK because everyone took one wrong turn and that I probably took that same turn. Everyone agreed that I should be D-Queued and I agreed. I thought No Problem – I didn’t get shot, my feet didn’t fail me, a tree didn’t fall on me and lightning didn’t strike me. Thanks for the opportunity to have experienced all this in 40 minutes, 50 seconds.

Tom Doyle
Vice President CyCor Sports
2008 - National Off-Road Duathlon Champion
2008 - Xterra East Region Champion

For your runriderace experience visit http://www.runriderace.com and sign up for an upcoming event.

Brady Saunders Off Road festival September 13th & 14th which includes 2 trail races, Cyclo-Cross race, off road tri, and a junior off road tri.

SheRocks Trails and gogirl 4mi September 21. These are women only events, with a portion of the proceeds going to The Breast Cancer Fund. You have the choice of a 4mi run, 3mi walk, Ride like a girl, and a non competitive beginner friendly 3mi bike event.

York River and New Quarter Park races on September 27th & 28th in Williamsburg.

12/24 Hours of Momentum trail running event on October 4th & 5th. Solo and relay divisions offered.

For additional information visit http://www.runriderace.com

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