8 Hours of Cannonsburg 2008

I'll start by saying that I'm huge fan of this series. I've been doing a race or two a year in this series on the Alice bike for the last 4 years and the races are always super laid back and just plain fun. This was my first time racing (or riding for that matter) at Cannonsburg Ski Area. It is a really fun trails with some twisty, techy single track, fun downhills, and of course the grueling up hills. I chose to go with a 32x18 gearing and I think that's what I'd run again. Maybe I'd throw on a 20t in the back. I only made it up the ski hill on the bike once my gear ratio so perhaps something a little easier would have been better.

My start was pretty good and I completed 4 laps in the first 2.5 hours or so. I took a quick rest, re-fueled a bit and then completed 2 more laps. After that I started slowing down and cramping up and my breaks got longer and longer, which is not a good recipe for success. I finished the race with 9 laps and a about a minute to go before the 8 hour time limit. That was good for 3rd place in the solo single speed category. I was a lap behind 2nd and two laps behind first I believe. Duke took 4th.

All in all it was another fun Fun Promotions race. We lucked out on the weather and it was good to meet Mango Man, Steve, and Punk.

bratney