Here I am with my 2x Ultegra cranksetā¦
For those in the US, Highlands is in 2 weeks. Currently 40 people in my AG. The elites go off 15 minutes earlier than the age groupersā¦guess Iāll just line upon the front and hope to hang.
What AG are you racing?
19-34 (my racing age is 33). First race of the year, among other suboptimal circumstances.
Is racing age different thanā¦ actual age?
It can be at the upper end of an AGā¦.if you have a birthday after the race but before the end of the year, you race at your higher age.
I have a buddy who turns 60 later this year, so his AG is 60+, but he will be 59 for most of the year.
Is that for all races in general, or just certain ones?
Almost every sanctioned race that I am aware ofā¦.you race at your age at the end of the year, not your age on the day.
I turn 40 in December so was looking forward to this. Unfortunately my fitness decline is trending down more than my age decline 
Iāll be there. And Iām starting to wonder about course condition. I believe there has been quite a bit of rain there in the last few week. Does anybody have insight on potential for mud? Maybe I still have time to buy a new frame with better tire clearance 
Oh and Iām at the top end of my AG. Iāll be racing all the youngsters in the 55-59 group.
The gravel in NW Arkansas tends to drain pretty well based on my experiences thereā¦but I have never ridden the roads near Fayetteville, so canāt say for sure.
Iāve ridden the short course the past two years and it does drain pretty well. IIRC there was rain a day or two before the race last year and parts of the course were completely dry by Saturday. Donāt recall any really muddy sections.