We picked a winner today!

Congratulations to John May. He is the winner of an new IF steel frame.

We raised nearly $5000 in the raffle this year. The proceeds go to the Pan Mass Challenge to fight Cancer through the Jimmy Fund.

We all want to thank you for your support for IF Racing and the PMC.

Thanks again.

615a, the sun hadn't risen yet, the air thick with moisture, a tropical storm had dumped a cpl inches of rain onto the course in days prior, 600+ riders were staged for the start. from the gun it was insanely fast. when we hit the first hill, Will Latendre attacked like he was shot-out of a cannon, Greg Montello (of IF) was with us. within minutes it was down to kristopher dennan, will and i, the sound of our breathing and creaking gear changes mixing w/the mellow tones of dew dripping from the trees above and the crunching of wet leaves under the tires. by mile 12 we'd opened a 6 minute gap. we wanted it. real bad. like a hot dog on the 4th of july.

for the first 25 miles Will crushed the climbs, and i would reel him back in on the descents, sometimes dennan would go w/him on his attacks, but he'd forgetton his water btls and by mile 30 was zonked.

when we hit the singletrack at mile 30, which dominates the race until the end, Will graciously let me take the lead, his skills on the technical damn fine, but i was a touch quicker on the corners and the descents. he was strong enough to have gotten in front, forced his pace, but not his style, instead he chased. i'd open a small gap, only to have him right back on me. i don't think we were ever more than 100 feet apart the entire race. it was wicked intense. attack after attack. and in the back of my mind i knew there was a possee of strong dudes behind us, waiting for us to slow, to see us in the distance, so Will and I kept the pressure up from the gun to the finish; we never once sat-up on a fireroad to eat a bar and chat, it was more of a hurried grab into a pocket, the other person would push and it was back to business.

the wet dirt roads, muddy double track, and slick singletrack roots were eating away at our strength - this wasn't an buffed-out uber-dry gonna-set-the-record fifty course. with 4m to go, after the last aid station i rubbed wheels w/Will and went-down, he attacked, which makes sense, we'd both attacked about 100 times by now, we both wanted it. i quickly closed the gap and made my own attack. we must have changed the lead 10 times in those final 4 miles up and across mt ascutney. our attacks were growing shorter and feebler, the final miles were a wicked climb, legs toasted, it was becoming clear this was gonna come-down to the final descent. will grabbed the lead at the 1m to go sign, i clung-on, reminding myself again and again that he'd won this thing twice in a row, it was "my turn", i wanted it more. i buried myself. the pain had been there all race, but it never was a bother, the desire to win was greater than i can ever remember, surpassing everything else my body was saying. with 1/2m to go we shot-out onto the ski slope and both flew-off the mowed course and down the slope, totally out of control. we cranked back up insanely fast, my head was spinning, sooo shot, and into the trees one last time, i right behind, waiting for the last stretch that leads into the finishing descent to make the final attack. as we hit the grass for the last time i swung around w/everything i've ever put into the bike, the 44x11 churning away, the rigid fork flexing like crazy through the water bars, hit the final bridge before the 100m straight-away descent to the finish and found myself flying through the air sideways, hitting the grass, sliding for what seemed like an endless distance, screaming "NOOOOO" in my head, thinking i'd lost the race. i was up in a flash and alone - will had taken his own monster wipe-out on the previous corner, allowing me to speed down the straight away, arms raised, fists pumping, finishing first! in 4:30, 12 minutes faster than my personal best, and in a lot worse conditions. i simply rode outside of myself, beyond my ability - it was crazy! montello rode in soon after in the top 10 for a great showing by IF.


thanks to IF for the Ti 29'er deluxe! it's a magic carpet.