My Blog

 I was the very last Quad/Bike to go before the UTV's.  Kind of scary knowing that a "nut" in a Rhino is going to be starting 15 seconds behind me.  I decided that the first lap I would just take it easy and see how things go since I had 160 miles ahead of me as an Amateur Quad Ironman.

 I set off figuring that I would have some UTV's right on my butt after the first couple of miles.  I was cruising along, minding my own business, when all of the sudden I see dust ahead.  Oh crap, I am actually catching someone.  I pass my first motorcycle, not any good to me since I am on a quad, but at least I passed someone.  Not to long after I see more dust.  It's actually one of my competition.  By the Midway pit I have caught and passed three of the other Ironman amateurs and am now in second.

 I get into Midway, get some gas and go.  Rounding the corner down the smooth road I have a motorcycle racing me on my left.  Somehow we both blow right past the left hand turn to go to the other road.  It took my dumb azz about 5 miles to finally figure out that there aren’t any markings on this road.  I turn around and slowly make my way back to the track.  Slowly, because I didn't know if there would be anyone else that missed the corner.

 I get back on the track and find that I am behind a bunch of the UTV's and all of the QIM A's.  I pass like 5 UTV's and finally make to the Main pit.  I am told that I am about 30 minutes behind the leader and I take off.  About 12 miles into the second lap I have had it.  I end up pulling off and taking a breather, I figure I am going to stop at Midway and call it quits.  I could barely hold on due to my hands cramping and hurting so much.

 I finally get to Midway and pull in, shut the quad off, and tell my pit crew that I am done.  They just had to tell me that there was only two QIM A in front of me so I am in third.  A couple of the Epic Racing guys are there telling me that I only had 50 miles to go to the finish and that I could make it.  Well, luckily I listened to them and headed off. 

 What an awesome feeling going down that paved road to the checkered flag.  I did end up third, almost an hour behind the first Ironman Amateur but I finished.  Believe me, for a 37 year old guy that just started racing a few months ago, and on a stock TRX450R, this was no small feat.  This is definitely something that I will remember forever and I am looking forward to Vulture Mine even more now.