Notes
Day off yesterday. Ending longest streak ever. Stiff ITB from bike crash and a good time to rest anyway. Drove up from Eugene early with Sam for the Stumptown opener. Some of the big names were not in attendance, but there were still some fast guys. NAC placed 3rd on a tie-breaker with TRL's 5th man. Started in a big pack for the first 1k+ but it started to string out when we hit the big puddles and the hill section. At the mile I was probably 4th or 5th at around 5:10. The footing on the second loop was much worse than the first as the mud and puddles were sloppier after being run on by the pack. On the second time over the hills I went into second place with the tailwind just past two miles. I held on through the slight uphill, haybale, into-the-wind section. On the backstretch I moved up to the leader's back with a little under half a mile to go. I stayed on his back until just before we hit the finish cut off then made a move. I was able to build all the way into the finish and hold off the closing field for the win. The guy I caught for the lead turned out to be the guy that outkicked me for the win at the Lebanon Half last fall, so I got him back even though I did not know it was him at the time. Terrible conditions and fun XC.