Ann and I did the 2007 Alien Run race yesterday in Aztec. There was a great turnout, especially from the Durango contingent, and the field was much stronger than at last years race due to rescheduling for April rather than July. A highlight of the day for me was being able to be on the starting line with racing legend Travis Brown who threw down a course record 1:38 time for the win. Of course, that's the only time I saw him that day, except at the racers lunch afterward. That's Travis in the picture accepting the first place award. He rode a cool looking bike with a 29er wheel up front and a 26-inch wheel on the rear. Team Health Fx from Durango took the majority of the other podium positions from what I saw.

I entered the 40-44 Sport Class, which turned out to be the most competitive of the Sport groups that day. I converted the Dean into a straight 9-speed and am really glad I didn't try it as a singlespeed. The course started out on a 1/4 mile stretch of hardpack dirt road that was a sprint to a five mile stretch of singletrack they call the "mountain view" trail, some of which was newly cut trail. This stretch was tricky and full of off camber turns and sand pits and few places to pass. I managed to pass two riders in this stretch, but my HR was maxed during that first 5 miles, so I had to back off once we got to the first section of gas line road. That's when I got passed back by a few of the experts I somehow managed to get in front of at the start, and by an expert woman from Team Healthfx that I had passed earlier in the singletrack. After this things were pretty spread out and I basically rode alone the rest of the time. From the five mile point on, it was a hodge podge of trails/gas line roads to the best part of the course, the Alien Run singletrack loop. This section is a blast and one of the best designed trails in the state IMO. In the last 4 miles of the race, my legs were getting a bit crampy, and unfortunately, I ended up losing a couple of spots.

My goal before the race was for a 2 hour time, which seems realistic for me on any given day. So, given the fact that I'd been backpacking the week before the race, I'm ten pounds too heavy at 170, the 85 degree temps, a loose hub giving me shifting problems, I ended up about where I expected with a 2:07 time over 24 miles. As best I can figure, as some of the name tags were blowing off the results board, I ended up 10th overall in sport out of about 23 to 25 riders, but 6 of those guys were in my age group. Next year, I get to throw it down with the 45 plus geezer class!! Lots of room to improve but at least I know I'm solidly at Sport level.

Ann was slated to do beginner class, but we found out before the race, that they were going to turn the beginners around before ever getting to the alien run trail, which is the best part of the course. So, another girl, talked Ann into moving up to Sport class so she could ride the funnest part of the trail. Considering she didn't get any sleep the previous two nights, Ann did awesome with a time of about 2:53. She (like me) was really nervous before the race, and though she was the last finisher, she beat a ton of people who SAG'd, or stopped short, and there were no other 47 year old women who even finished the sport race. So, I'm very proud of her!!

It was an extremely well run race and the volunteer support was top notch. Maybe see you there, same time, same place in 2008?