It's the weekend I have been most looking forward to since I laid down the first layer of mastik on a clean rim some time in August. Granouge is known as the Queen of the MAC and for good reason. The venue sits on the Dupont estate just over the PA border in Delaware. The last two years I have attended the race I have not been able to find enough adjectives to describe how amazing, brutal and all around fantastic this race is. This year not unlike last year the weather was perfect, 60's and sunny and a nice breeze, great conditions for hanging out all day and racing a bike.
If you love this sport and have never been to Granouge to race on one of the toughest courses in the country you're truly missing out. The crew that put this race on are the best and every time I see how hard they work and how much fun they are having I feel a little guilty about showing up simply to race. I hear more and more as the seasons go by about the cross "community" and Granouge and the people involved are what it's all about. From toddlers on striders to the oldest competitor in the master classes Tom, Marc and the crew make sure everyone is having the best experience they can.
As far as the racing goes it was hard, very hard and I expected nothing less. There was some really good inner team battles between Chris, Eric and I all weekend. When we finally pulled out of the field Sunday evening I had left a fair amount of turmoil in the dirt and grass of the Dupont estate. I am beginning to learn that in races like Granouge it's not necessarily how fast you can go that gets you the result but how well you can handle the bad patches your body is going to go through.
Thanks again to the whole Granouge crew for a wonderful weekend and to Bad Andy for some secret lines and motivation on Sunday.
niiiiiice.
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