| This article goes out to all you aspiring
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| | quickly, but guess what - it took me a
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| mountain bike racers. I want to tell you
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| | few tries this time and everyone was
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| a little bit about my first mountain bike
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| | passing me.After a half mile or so, we
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| race, and maybe it will inspire you to
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| | hit a nice steep hill with plenty of
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| get to one yourself.Let's start from the
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| | switchbacks to separate the field. I
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| beginning...I picked up a form at my
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| | love hills, so I passed a few people, and
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| local bike shop, filled it out, and sent
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| | chased a few more at the top. Then I ran
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| it in along with $13. Then I re-read Ned
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| | into a little problem: my descending
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| Overend's book to make sure that I would
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| | skills. It's not that I was bad, but I
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| know what was going on at the race. I
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| | was pretty inexperienced; everyone I
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| had no clue what to expect at the race
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| | passed on the climb would catch me on the
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| since I had never been to one. All I
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| | descent. After trading places with the
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| knew was that I should pre-ride the
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| | same people over a few hills, I knew I
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| course before race day.Well the week
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| | couldn't keep wasting my energy like
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| before the race my mom and I drove out to
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| | that. So on the next downhill I just let
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| the location of the race looking for a
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| | the bike go. I had never had the balls
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| state forest or a place with trails. No
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| | to go so fast, and no one could catch me
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| such luck. After talking to a local, we
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| | anymore!The race just kept getting harder
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| found out that the race course is on
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| | as it went on. Everything was pretty
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| private property and it is only open for
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| | much mental; I've never ridden so fast or
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| the day of the race. OK. The trip
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| | been in so much agony! At least I could
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| wasn't a total waste; at least we knew
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| | check my odometer and see that only 4
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| the directions and how long it would take
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| | miles are left!As the race went on, I was
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| to get there. We drove around a few back
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| | passing people who were wearing team
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| roads, and I was able to get a feel for
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| | jerseys. How can they be sponsored?Then
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| some of the terrain I would be riding.The
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| | I hit a nice downhill along a pipe line.
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| race would be on Saturday, so I made sure
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| | Very fun! Took a corner and... another
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| to take Thursday off and get a decent
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| | hill!People start cheering for me at the
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| ride in on Friday so I would be fresh.
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| | base of the hill, which was kind of
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| (If you take a day off the day before the
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| | weird; I had never had people cheer for
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| race, your legs may feel "dead" on race
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| | me while I was out riding by bike before.
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| day.) Also on Friday, I tried to load up
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| | Anyway, this hill is freakin' great! I
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| as much race stuff as possible to save
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| | couldn't feel the pain anymore, and I
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| time Saturday morning.I woke up nice and
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| | just started flying up the hill because I
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| early Saturday morning and had a large
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| | knew the race was almost over. (One good
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| breakfast of apple cinnamon pancakes four
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| | use for an odometer!)I got to the top of
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| hours before the race. Then I threw all
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| | the hill, realized that there was a left
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| my stuff in the truck and double-checked
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| | turn and more hill! Worked out perfect
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| by MTB race checklist to be sure I had
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| | since I was able to pass someone else.
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| everything I needed.We left for the race,
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| | Then it was all fun downhill. The
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| which was just a little over an hour
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| | feeling I had on the climb was truly
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| away. The ride gave me some time to plan
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| | euphoric. That's what racing is all
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| my race strategy and listen to some music
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| | about!As I near the end, people are out
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| to get me pumped up. Once we got closer
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| | on their porches watching the race and
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| I could see the riders warming up on the
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| | cheering me on. After a sharp right, I
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| streets. I saw so many nice bikes and
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| | cross the finish line. My mom is nowhere
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| team jerseys; I was a tad intimidated.We
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| | to be seen, so I take a cool down lap.
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| parked over in the field with everyone
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| | When I came back to the line, some guy
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| else. Walked around a little and made it
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| | crossed it and his friend said that he
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| to the registration table. They had a
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| | might have made the Top 10 with that
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| packet for "Levin Bloom." After they
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| | finish. I was puzzled. I was sure there
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| changed that, I changed into my cycling
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| | was a pretty big crowd of riders ahead of
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| clothes and started to warm up for 20-30
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| | me.Then I simply waited around for a
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| minutes. (By the way, when I changed, I
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| | couple hours (nothing unusual) as results
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| found a little bathroom under a pavilion.
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| | were compiled, and enjoyed a nice shaved
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| Normally you just change at your car.)I
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| | ice and some free water during the wait.
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| tried to practice my start and my finish
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| | And yes, I did change out of my nasty,
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| since they were in the same spot. It's
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| | sweaty uniform.Finally, the trophies: I
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| always nice to know if there are any
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| | got 5th overall, giving me a 1st in the
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| sharp turns or other surprises close to
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| | 16-19 age category, and earning myself a
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| the finish, especially if you are duking
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| | nice little trophy to go with my free
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| it out for first place.I made it back and
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| | t-shirt. Wow!Then I went home with the
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| people were starting to line up so I
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| | first trophy I could be proud of! I love
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| jumped in about three or four rows back.
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| | racing!Levi Bloom has been racing bikes
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| The race director had to give a quick
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| | for about 3 years now. He is also the
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| speech at the line about race etiquette
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| | founder and owner of Bloom Bike Shop and
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| and the like. Start! Here we go! I had
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| | Check out for more useful bike info and
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| been practicing clipping-in to the pedal
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| | bike repair tutorials.
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