Enumclaw Stage Race

Things change. Time-Machine blog update.

I've raced this Stage Race many, many times since I started bike pedal racing. Same courses since I was around 13. This year went way better then it did when I was 13. Since there was no internet blogging for me wayyyyy back in early 2000s I figured I should recreate the 2004 Mutual of Enumclaw Stage Race.

From this guys p.o.v

2004 Stage 1- TT

I thought that this should be pretty fun. Its only like,  6 miles or something. That's not very far. I do wish that I could've gone to my baseball game instead of coming here. Why do junior races start so early? There was no one here this morning when we got here. I finished. It took me ~20 minutes to do the race. Fletcher Farrar did it in 17. So fast!

2004 Stage 2- Crit

This crit is flat. I like that. I won wheels in a raffle at the start line! Tela won those last year. Hooray for Crane family traditions. I got dropped but Tela did pretty good. 20 minute races are really long.

2004 Stage 3- RR

This race was horrible. I didn't have any fun. We were supposed to go up the hill TWO times in the race. I couldn't keep up from the very bottom. I got off and stopped three times during the first time up the hill. I HATE THIS HILL. My parents kept playing a mean trick on me by driving further and further up the road so I couldn't drop out. Everytime that I'd get close to the car pulled over on the hill, they'd accelerate away to "get a safer spot to load the car". I'm so mad at them.

TIME MACHINE accelerate forward

2005- In the crit, I got 2nd to Grant. I now think I'm a sprinter, I only like flat races. Run into Benny's back wheel, crash, and get dropped on the climb. Somewhere around

17minutes in the TT.

2006- Win pack sprint in Junior crit. Can't keep up with the fast kids uphill, but win a sprint in the road race. Somewhere around 16 minutes in TT.

2007- Cat 4's, somewhere around low 15 minutes in the TT, nothing in the crit, and dropped like a rock the first time up the climb with Steve in the road race. Plus side, do wheelies up the climb.

'07 Dropped Swagger. Thanks to Amara from Wheelsinfocus for the throwback photo

Me following Steve. One thing that hasn't changed. (Wheelsinfocus.com)

 2008- YEAH RIGHT! There is a hill in this race, why would I enter? I'm a sprinter!

(insert embarrassing pic here with "Ian and a half" as the caption)

2009- First ever race as a cat2. 14 min something in the TT. DROPPED HARD IN THE CRIT! BARELY MAKE TIME CUT! CRISIS! Road Race kept up the first time up the hill? What? Then dropped second lap up the climb, everything back to normal.

Ian T and I DROPPED in the claw crit

 2010- 13.28 TT. Near front in the crit. Climb front-group strong? Huh? Finish the road race sprinting for second in the pack sprint to Roman Van Uden. 6th place on the day.

Sam and I. (DBCphoto.com)

2010 road race sprint for 5th (thanks Amara-Wheelsinfocus.com)

2011 Stage 1 TT-

Feeling it. Want top 10 and sub 13 minutes. Good warmup. Good mantra. Pedal HARD. 13:04, 12th. Close to goal.

(thanks Amara-Wheelsinfocus.com)

2011 Stage 2 Crit-

Want to do more then just sit in and wait for sprint. Win the first time bonus preme. Make the race hard for people. Anti-climactic finish after a late race trip to the pit (5.5 laps to go!)

DBCPHOTO.COM !!!!!!

2011 Stage 3 Road Race-

Tried to put pressure on the GC leaders team. Got away a couple times leading into the climb. 6 laps of the climb and crested the climb in the front group every time. Protected by teammates. Small group sprint finish, big efforts by Steve Fisher and Chris Parrish to keep me safe and near the front.  Combine sprinting learned in '05 and climbing learned in '10 to FINALLY WIN A STAGE AT ENUMCLAW!

2011 sprint for the win (wheelsinfocus.com)

check out wheelsinfocus.com

Thanks to Chris Winger for taking video of the finish.

Those are my experiences with the last couple years with the Enumclaw Stage Race.

Excited to see what comes next.

Tweet