Patrick Beeson

I've ridden Poor Mountain several times before, but I'll be damned if it doesn't hurt every time.

This was especially true Sunday afternoon during the 8th annual Poor Mountain Hillclimb. This short, but brutal race also serves as the final stop of the Virginia Derailer Series.

I finished third in the men's sport class, and in the top 7 percent overall. This was good enough to earn back my entry fee of $20.

But it wasn't good enough to best my previous year's time of 51 minutes and 14 seconds (and a first-place win). This year I sat in for a time of 51 minutes and 42 seconds.

Yet I felt much slower for some reason.

I propose two factors for this: there aren't many consistently steep hills in Knoxville, and it was too damn hot for October. Weather records are being broken in Roanoke for God's sake!

Excuses aside, my impetus for riding this race was not to win money but rather to get in a solid effort in preparation for the first race of the Mud, Sweat and Gears cyclocross series, which begins this Saturday in Johnson City, Tenn.

Besides the Hillclimb course was nearly drivable this year. Not so in years past, with its many ruts and rocks everywhere. I assume this helped Trek pro Jeremy Bishop best his previous time to set a new record of 37 minutes and 16 seconds (netting him $250 in the process).

And while my legs didn't feel completely race-ready Sunday, I have little doubt the difference a few cyclocross races will make.

God, how I love the pain.