Collegiate Mountain Bike Nationals 전국대학부산악자전거대회 후기

I just got back from my 3^rd ever Collegiate Mountain Bike Nationals.  It was a great week with some wild weather, fun racing and new friends.  I decided I wanted to do this race back in the summer when I realized that being in the US for the second year of my MBA program would allow me to compete in collegiate mountain biking for one last time.  Also since nationals were held in North Carolina at Beech Mountain it meant that they were within a days drive for me.  Nationals also happened to coincide with my weeklong October break.  The only problem I had was that no one else from the IU cycling club was interested in racing but luckily I found some great guys to stay with from Michigan Tech and University of Wisconsin. 

I started my trip out on Wednesday and in the middle of my drive I went for a ride on the new single track at French Lick Resort in southern Indiana.  This is one of the best built trails I have ever ridden and I highly recommend taking a trip down to ride it.  After my ride I continued my drive and I stopped to stay with a friend in Lexington, KY.  The next morning I got up and finished my drive.  Upon arrival I went for a preride of the course which had a huge climb and a lot of muddy rooty single track.  It was not an ideal course for me but I was looking forward to the race anyway.

I woke up on Friday to half an inch of snow on the ground and below freezing temps for my short track XC race.  This is usually my better event compared to XC so I was looking forward to it.  I had a good start and was riding in the top 20 for the first few laps.  I then settled in in about 22^nd place but on my last lap I broke one of the cogs on my cassette and couln’t pedal my bike up hill so I lost several spots.  I still ended up finishing 30^th though which I was happy with. 

The temp continued to drop and it was 20 degrees F for the start of my cross country race on Saturday.  The cold temp however meant that the snow covered course was frozen and not muddy however.  I had a decent start and was riding in the top half of the field but then I wiped out on a corner in the single track and got passed by about 15 riders.  I spent the rest of the race getting the flow and finally got a good rhythm on my last lap.  I had some late race passes to finish 43^rd which was exactly in the top half.  I was very happy to achieve my goal of finishing in the top half of both races (there were 86 racers in Men’s D1). 

Following the XC race I watched the down hill which was a good time and Saturday night out whole cabin group went out to an awesome BBQ joint at the base of the ski hill.  Overall it was a great weekend.  Its good to know I can still compete on the national level even though I’m not training as much as before too.  There is one more big mountain bike race to go this weekend.  The Iceman Cometh in Traverse City, MI.  My old roommates from Purdue Joey, Greg and Chris are coming back for it so its going to be a nice reunion for us as well. 

지난주 나 미국 대학부전국산악자전거대회탔어요.  너무재미있었지만 날씨랑 코스때문에 너무 힘든대회이였어요.  지난주수요일 나출발했어요.  8시간반동안혼자운전하고왓어요.  이대회 노스캐로라이나 비치마운틴리조트에서했어요 (해발 1800m).  나우리학교에서 혼자갔어서 다른대학팀 2개랑 콘도같이썼어요.  나미치간공과대학교랑 위스콘신이랑있었어요.  새친구 많이 만들었어요. 

목요일에 나코스 답사했어요.  이번크로스콘트리 너무힘들었어요 머드많고 오려운싱글도 많고 근대 목요일밤에날씨너무추워졌고 눈한2쎈티정도왔어요.  금요일 아침에 쇼트트랙 XC 경기있었어요.  이거 내가제일 잘하는 산악대회에요.  20분동안 크라이테리엄같은산악코스타요.  나 시작에서 좀잘탔지만 점점 나뒤로갔어요.  마지막바귀에도 나카세트 불어졌어요ㅠㅠㅠ 근 얼마안남았어서 끝까지 탈수있었어요.  결과 30등 (86명탔어요). 

토요일아침에 크로스컨트리 대회있었어요 3바귀 (1바귀10키로).  나 잘탔지만 싱글에서 오름너무많아서 몇번 너머졌다.  그리고 날씨너무추웠어요 (-5도C).  나첫바귀좀못탔지만 3번째 싱글아주잘탔어서 몇명 잡았어요.  결과 43등 (86명탔어요).  나 이번대회 50%안에 타고싶어서 기븐 좋았어요, 나 옛날보다 자전거 많이 못타지만 전국챔피언쉽대회에서 아직 좀잘탈수있어요 ㅋㅋ. 

토요일오후에 나다운힐대회보고 친구들이랑 맥주한잔마셨어요.  일요일은 다시 인디에나로 8시간반동안운전하고집에왔어요.  이번주말에 시즌 마지막대회있어요.  아이스맨 산악마라톤.  2000명타는대회에요 그리고 내가 대학교때 같이 살았던 친구 다올거야서 너무 재미있을거같아요.  


Going up the ski hill to watch the downhill race with Max from the University of Wisconsin.