Leadville Race Series: Silver Rush Mountain Bike Race

The Leadville 100 Mountain Bike race started out as an amateur race of 300 racers when  $75.00 was the entry fee 20 years ago.  This race has developed into an event costing $350 that has attracted the likes of Dave Weins; Rebecca Rusch; Levi Leipheimer along with world class pro mountain bike racers. 

Twisted Spokes racer John Adamson is a 10 time Leadville 100 finisher.  He's got the big belt buckle that is about the size of a standard college rule notebook.  This past weekend he toed the line at the bottom of Dutch Henry Hill which was the start of the Silver Rush 50 Mile Mountain Bike race.

This perspective doesn't do this ski hill justice. A running Start to this race.

With no real knowledge of the course John was just going to race as hard as he could.

This is an amazing sight to behold - approximately 850 men and women pushing their bikes at the start.

Can you Spy the Twisted Spoke?

UP UP UP! If you have time check out this video of the start.

Coming off several difficult weeks that precluded conditioning and training as John would've liked - he didn't know IF he would even be able to race - let alone even finish within the 8 hour time limit.  

Here is a course map.

 
And a course Profile:



 

John at Stumptown which is the turn-around. Racers had to head up this mean little climb make a circle back to the course - two way traffic would begin here then back to the finish line.

Coming back down from the turn around - John had an Excellent race with no problems making the 4:30hr time cut off - he blew it away actually making it in 3:06 - Awesome!!

A good place for the crew here as the racers coming Into the turn around can spot their crew location on the way and then be sure to make the stop on the way back down. Whoo-hooo!  A beautiful day and amazing scenery.

Feeling good and racing even better - way to go #205!

Back to the finish line - fans and other spectators welcoming the racers.  While hoping for 8 hours as you can see from the finish line clock - John had an Outstanding Day - really more than that in so many ways!  Congratulations! 

Here he comes to the finish line!!!

On to the Red Carpet and his official finish time!!

Awesome finish - 4th place out of 15 M60-69 racers. 

A very emotional and joyous thing - an effort such as this can bring tears to even the toughest guys.  This is racing your very hardest the whole way on a very challenging course.  They say that the Silver Rush 50 is just like the LT100 - with all the easy parts taken out. 

Talk about perspective - end of race day - would he race it again?  Not really.  Two days after the race - hmmmmm - already thinking about it.