Troopers, these guys are. This stage took them to 12,000′ via a long hike-a-bike that was followed up by a fast mountain side descent. I can’t really tell you much about that section of the course or how hard it was except that to relay the guys said it was a rough climb followed up by an unpleasant walk to the summit…

You see, while Blake was pushing his XCR through scree and gravel, I was riding a bike path backwards along the course to meet the guys on the DH.

The racing was animated today by with guys recovering at disproportionate rates to each other, some finding their legs and others finding deep and dark places they’d rather not visit.

Curiously, I saw Tyrone’s 29′er stashed at feed zone 2, which directly preceded a long flat bike path section and flowly single track where you’d want a 29′er, but prior to that section/feed zone, you’d want a dualie. I’m not a fan of bike swapping during races unless you have a mechanical, and even then that sort of is a grey area….but like the Euros say, if its not taped off, its not illegal.

But, let’s get back to Blake’s dark place.

The hurt locker, pain cave, whatever you call that state where every pedal stroke is painful and you can’t seem to forget any moment of time and suffering, acutely aware of every second and every synapse in your body and the pain that is transmitted…yet you soldier on, taunting the darkness to creep in more tightly around you. Just to see how long you can linger in its shadow? Or is it to prove that the mind really is the master of the body?

Keep pushing. Going slower only makes the pain last longer.