Bryan Park 'Cross
Richmond, VA
10/28/07
Let this race be the lesson of all lessons- details, man!
I swap my wheelsets regularly, to avoid doing training rides on the lightweight wheels I normally race on. I’ve just recently upgraded my brakes as well, and I’m not quite as familiar with them as I should be. I’m also not quite as familiar with a hubset that has a long male-female threaded axle, which needs to be periodically tightened. Besides, the bike worked perfectly the day before- and we usually don’t make changes when things are going well. Or were they?
On the start line, I’m lined up in second row, because the start is on a road, and I want to be in the front group, but I don’t want to be in the front. The whistle blows. I’m where I want to be. I’ve got a few guys in front of me, but a lot more behind me.
Everyone’s still together on the first part of the first lap- we climb the small rise (HI MOM!) and make the 180 degree turn. I’m struggling a little and losing a few places. I get to the first set of barriers and make up a few spots. I head to the descent and back onto the pavement. I’m still in sight of the leaders.
Coming out of the bottom 180 degree turn from grass back to pavement, though… I start my sprint up the slight rise, and I feel like something is wrong. I am struggling mightily to pedal. I sit back down and everything seems okay, but I am pretty sure I’m getting some rear brake rub. Something is definitely wrong, but I’m hopeful that it’s just minor. Got into the woods, and around to the second set of barriers – at which point I’m debating the spare bike or to stop and fix my brake. I decide to disconnect the rear brake and continue, but at this point stopping meant that I was in last place (familiar story).
My shifting is now pretty wonky and I am frustrated with it. The chain is skipping all over the place. I contemplate the spare bike again, but the components are older, and it’s likely to have shifting issues, as well, so I continue on with no rear brake and sloppy shifting.
A couple of laps to go and I’ve made up some ground, but not enough. I can see a few riders that I just can’t catch, but I’m pushing as hard as I can go. I feel pretty smooth even though I’m hurting pretty badly.
I got close enough to one rider to make a huge effort to catch him in the woods- as I passed him he told me I deserved the spot! I felt I did, too. Always nice to have a rabbit in front of you- especially one you can actually catch.
I made it to the line for yet another 7th place finish. Mom & Dad were proud, even though I was disappointed that I couldn’t have a decent bike day.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Chimborazo 'cross race report
Chimborazo 'Cross
Richmond, VA
10/27/07
Oh Spiral of Death, how I loathe thee. Especially when you show up early in a race.
I got the holeshot, as I am prone to doing. But I lost a few spots just before the Spiral of Death- an all-right-turn-to-the-center-and-all-left-turn-back-out discombobulation. One of my former teammates passed me just before the center, and clipped my front wheel with his pedal. I had to step off both pedals, make the turn on foot, and get going. By the time I was pedaling again, I'd lost all the spots I would end up losing by the finish save one. I think the SoD is a decent feature. But 300m into a race, it's just too many guys with no pecking order set. It’s a tactical error that put me there, but other riders so easily have an effect on you that it magnifies any errors made.
The 3 guys in the front drove the pace on the first lap (possibly sensing the confusion of the Spiral), and got an insurmountable lead. The rest of us were racing for 4th, and I felt like I was racing to save a top 10 finish.
I won't go into lap details. I love the course. But the bottom section, which is singletrack, has gotten kinda bad with the concrete chunks sticking out of the ground. The short rise out of the singletrack is all broken up and is nearly impossible to find a line through, and starting a long climb out of the pedals gets old very fast. I still love the fast descent and technical sections, though- it suits me well. I just got a bad start, and really never felt that good. I'm just whining now.
I did pass one person with 2 laps to go, and held him off to the finish. I ended up in 7th, which happily surprised me.
Richmond, VA
10/27/07
Oh Spiral of Death, how I loathe thee. Especially when you show up early in a race.
I got the holeshot, as I am prone to doing. But I lost a few spots just before the Spiral of Death- an all-right-turn-to-the-center-and-all-left-turn-back-out discombobulation. One of my former teammates passed me just before the center, and clipped my front wheel with his pedal. I had to step off both pedals, make the turn on foot, and get going. By the time I was pedaling again, I'd lost all the spots I would end up losing by the finish save one. I think the SoD is a decent feature. But 300m into a race, it's just too many guys with no pecking order set. It’s a tactical error that put me there, but other riders so easily have an effect on you that it magnifies any errors made.
The 3 guys in the front drove the pace on the first lap (possibly sensing the confusion of the Spiral), and got an insurmountable lead. The rest of us were racing for 4th, and I felt like I was racing to save a top 10 finish.
I won't go into lap details. I love the course. But the bottom section, which is singletrack, has gotten kinda bad with the concrete chunks sticking out of the ground. The short rise out of the singletrack is all broken up and is nearly impossible to find a line through, and starting a long climb out of the pedals gets old very fast. I still love the fast descent and technical sections, though- it suits me well. I just got a bad start, and really never felt that good. I'm just whining now.
I did pass one person with 2 laps to go, and held him off to the finish. I ended up in 7th, which happily surprised me.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Cobblestone 'cross race report
Cobblestone 'Cross
Pole Green Park
Mechanicsville, VA
10/21/07
All we are is dust in the freakin' wind. UGH.
Last year this course was actually kinda fun. It was open and windy, but there were some good technical features, like a double sand pit- a volleyball court that we used both sides of, in opposing directions, so they were back to back, but you had to turn 180 degrees after the first one. You could ride the first section, but you had to run the second. There was a run-up that came after a downhill and off-camber u-turn. Excellent!
This year? Grass criterium, dry and dusty. We rode around some soccer fields, with one undulating section and 2 barriers. The biggest obstacle was probably the 20mph headwind on the finish straight. I think we did something like 11 laps, which is pretty much insane for a 'cross race.
Starting off, I got out front early, and drove the pace. Hard. Then I got attacked by the 3 guys who I knew would be the top riders on the day... And I couldn't hang on. So I rode in no-man's land for quite a few laps, struggling in the wind, and later struggling on the two climbs. There were no descents to make up time or find any rest, so it was a time-trial of sorts, which I typically suck at.
It was not a fun race, and I ended up in 10th- my worst finish placing of a VA Series race so far. I got beat by a few guys I normally beat, and my morale was a tad low afterwards. It wasn't my kind of course. I should have worked to stay behind someone rather than working to stay out front. Lesson learned!!! (Riiiiight. There's starting to be a pattern here.)
Pole Green Park
Mechanicsville, VA
10/21/07
All we are is dust in the freakin' wind. UGH.
Last year this course was actually kinda fun. It was open and windy, but there were some good technical features, like a double sand pit- a volleyball court that we used both sides of, in opposing directions, so they were back to back, but you had to turn 180 degrees after the first one. You could ride the first section, but you had to run the second. There was a run-up that came after a downhill and off-camber u-turn. Excellent!
This year? Grass criterium, dry and dusty. We rode around some soccer fields, with one undulating section and 2 barriers. The biggest obstacle was probably the 20mph headwind on the finish straight. I think we did something like 11 laps, which is pretty much insane for a 'cross race.
Starting off, I got out front early, and drove the pace. Hard. Then I got attacked by the 3 guys who I knew would be the top riders on the day... And I couldn't hang on. So I rode in no-man's land for quite a few laps, struggling in the wind, and later struggling on the two climbs. There were no descents to make up time or find any rest, so it was a time-trial of sorts, which I typically suck at.
It was not a fun race, and I ended up in 10th- my worst finish placing of a VA Series race so far. I got beat by a few guys I normally beat, and my morale was a tad low afterwards. It wasn't my kind of course. I should have worked to stay behind someone rather than working to stay out front. Lesson learned!!! (Riiiiight. There's starting to be a pattern here.)
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Superior 'Cross race report
Superior 'Cross
Catharpin, VA
10/20/07
Finally some 'cross weather! It was a little chilly in the morning, and the grass was wet with dew. No rain, but at least the dust would finally subside. Not quite long-sleeve weather, but still cooler (with what could have turned to rain clouds in the sky. Talk about drastic change from weeks past!)
The course was quite fun- the start was on pavement, then onto grass with some large trees to slalom through- picking a good line in the acorns was tough. After that there was a long and fast descent followed by a short climb that could be powered up. Around a bend and down another high-speed descent, and into the rhythm section! There were all these perfectly spaced bumps that killed all momentum. Unless you put it in the right gear, stood up, and kept pedalling. I'm not sure if anyone else figured that out. I maintained tremendous speed there, and it was probably the difference between me and everyone else. The next climb was short and steep, followed by another fast swooping descent. Then came the beeeeyotch of two consecutive steep climbs- this was really hard, especially since the lines were pretty sketchy. Outside was solid but rooty, inside loose but smooth. No good line, so it was pretty much ride the line that you were given... And I wanted to be able to pick my lines, so...
I started on the front line- my plan was to stay with the top 5-6 guys and work on making the selection. I hadn't intended to push the pace, but in the bottom turn between the two steeps, I got a lot of speed going, and made the pass. I pushed it hard up the next climb (picking my line!) and up through the top section- a twisty bit with a set of barriers, a few 180s, and a mulch pile. All of this on a decent grade on the side of a hill. Tough section!
I did get passed on the second lap, but maintained my spot in about 4th for a while. Later in the race I was riding pretty much in 5th and 6th, trading places with a couple of guys until about two to go, when in the mulch pile I lost the line and had to run. The guy in 4th powered up past me, and I lost a spot. Then on the last lap I passed a guy I thought was in my race, and put in a huge dig to shake him off my wheel. I succeeded, thinking I was in 5th- I was content with 5th, so I rode the last lap solo just trying to stay away from him. Turns out he wasn't in my race, so I stayed in 6th... ARGH...
Another good race, though. My shifting was problematic, and I was frustrated with it, but it wasn't the difference between 5th and 6th. I went out too hard trying to create a selection, and instead blew myself up a little. Lesson learned!!!
Catharpin, VA
10/20/07
Finally some 'cross weather! It was a little chilly in the morning, and the grass was wet with dew. No rain, but at least the dust would finally subside. Not quite long-sleeve weather, but still cooler (with what could have turned to rain clouds in the sky. Talk about drastic change from weeks past!)
The course was quite fun- the start was on pavement, then onto grass with some large trees to slalom through- picking a good line in the acorns was tough. After that there was a long and fast descent followed by a short climb that could be powered up. Around a bend and down another high-speed descent, and into the rhythm section! There were all these perfectly spaced bumps that killed all momentum. Unless you put it in the right gear, stood up, and kept pedalling. I'm not sure if anyone else figured that out. I maintained tremendous speed there, and it was probably the difference between me and everyone else. The next climb was short and steep, followed by another fast swooping descent. Then came the beeeeyotch of two consecutive steep climbs- this was really hard, especially since the lines were pretty sketchy. Outside was solid but rooty, inside loose but smooth. No good line, so it was pretty much ride the line that you were given... And I wanted to be able to pick my lines, so...
I started on the front line- my plan was to stay with the top 5-6 guys and work on making the selection. I hadn't intended to push the pace, but in the bottom turn between the two steeps, I got a lot of speed going, and made the pass. I pushed it hard up the next climb (picking my line!) and up through the top section- a twisty bit with a set of barriers, a few 180s, and a mulch pile. All of this on a decent grade on the side of a hill. Tough section!
I did get passed on the second lap, but maintained my spot in about 4th for a while. Later in the race I was riding pretty much in 5th and 6th, trading places with a couple of guys until about two to go, when in the mulch pile I lost the line and had to run. The guy in 4th powered up past me, and I lost a spot. Then on the last lap I passed a guy I thought was in my race, and put in a huge dig to shake him off my wheel. I succeeded, thinking I was in 5th- I was content with 5th, so I rode the last lap solo just trying to stay away from him. Turns out he wasn't in my race, so I stayed in 6th... ARGH...
Another good race, though. My shifting was problematic, and I was frustrated with it, but it wasn't the difference between 5th and 6th. I went out too hard trying to create a selection, and instead blew myself up a little. Lesson learned!!!
Monday, October 15, 2007
Urban 'Cross at IX
Urban 'Cross at IX #2
Charlottesville, VA
10/14/07
I drove to Charlottesville thinking I would do horribly based on my malnutrition, dehydration, and general feeling of utter stomach discomfort from Saturday. I got to the start line and didn't bother getting on the front row, which is key if you plan on doing well in a cyclocross race.
Race starts, and on the first few laps I'm running in about 10th, but picking somebody off on about every lap. I even catch the stragglers of the "A" race, and at one point ride into the "litter box", a 2x6 formed sand-pit about 40-50 feet long with a slight turn in the middle, at a very high speed (which I'd previously had success just aiming straight from the right side on the entry and left side on the exit at high speed, never turning or braking, just pedaling through). With 3 laps to go, one of the "A" riders I was about to pass stopped in the middle of the litter box and I rode right into his right pedal, almost flipping myself over the handlebars.
I make my way up to 5th with 2 laps to go, and on one of the steep-but-rideable climbs I notice my rear brake is rubbing my rim. I find it almost impossible to pedal up the hill, so I jump off, and disconnect my rear brake. I get passed and am now in 6th.
I get back on (with no rear brakes) and hammer my way back up to 5th, and put in one solid effor that blows the 6th place guy off my wheel. I stay in 5th through the finish.
Mind you, this is the same course that last year cost me a rear derailleur (not the hanger, though) in the sickeningly thick mud after a night of 4" of rain. So revenge has been exacted. Now I just need a better start.
Pictures can be found at Kevin Dillard's site, Velophotos.net
Charlottesville, VA
10/14/07
I drove to Charlottesville thinking I would do horribly based on my malnutrition, dehydration, and general feeling of utter stomach discomfort from Saturday. I got to the start line and didn't bother getting on the front row, which is key if you plan on doing well in a cyclocross race.
Race starts, and on the first few laps I'm running in about 10th, but picking somebody off on about every lap. I even catch the stragglers of the "A" race, and at one point ride into the "litter box", a 2x6 formed sand-pit about 40-50 feet long with a slight turn in the middle, at a very high speed (which I'd previously had success just aiming straight from the right side on the entry and left side on the exit at high speed, never turning or braking, just pedaling through). With 3 laps to go, one of the "A" riders I was about to pass stopped in the middle of the litter box and I rode right into his right pedal, almost flipping myself over the handlebars.
I make my way up to 5th with 2 laps to go, and on one of the steep-but-rideable climbs I notice my rear brake is rubbing my rim. I find it almost impossible to pedal up the hill, so I jump off, and disconnect my rear brake. I get passed and am now in 6th.
I get back on (with no rear brakes) and hammer my way back up to 5th, and put in one solid effor that blows the 6th place guy off my wheel. I stay in 5th through the finish.
Mind you, this is the same course that last year cost me a rear derailleur (not the hanger, though) in the sickeningly thick mud after a night of 4" of rain. So revenge has been exacted. Now I just need a better start.
Pictures can be found at Kevin Dillard's site, Velophotos.net
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Corkscrew 'Cross race report
Corkscrew 'Cross,
Cooper Vineyards
Louisa, VA
10/13/07
This was a comedy of errors/disaster. It was dry and dusty. My contacts were burning, and 2 days later I was coughing up a little bit of dirt.
Start is slightly uphill, and it's dry and bumpy, but I pass a few people on my way up.
At the end of Lap 1, riding in about 8th, I dropped my chain, and had to stop to put it back on. I was then in about 25th, also known as "last place", "DFL", or "Lanterne Rouge".
Lap 3, having made it back to about 15th, I crashed. It was comical. I washed out with the front tire, but never went down. I planted my right foot and kept the bike off the ground. Upon re-mounting, I pushed off with my right foot and threw all my weight forward. The front wheel fell in a hole and I went over the handlebars. I watched everyone behind me pass by as I was laying under the bike staring at the sky. Again, I was DFL.
Lap 6, having made it back to about 18th and wasting tons of energy to do so, I had the mishap that would end my day. I ran over a piece of fence wire, about 10" long and 3/16" in diameter, and it went through my fork a few times. My front wheel was slightly out-of-true, but my right front brake pad was destroyed and turned 90 degrees to the rim. I was, again, DFL. At that point I just walked the bike back to the car. The irony of this is that when I helped set up the course about a month ago, I picked up a piece of the same wire, about 2' long, which got wrapped in my rear derailleur. Strangely, not one other person ever picked up one of these pieces of wire over the course of the entire day of racing.
Saturday afternoon, I did some wine-tasting at the vineyard the race was held in. I then drove to Chipotle, then home to eat. I felt like I was going to vomit the rest of the evening. I drank nothing after about 6pm, and had nothing to eat. I did manage to do a little bit of work to the 'cross bike to get it ready for Sunday's race, though. But it was an early night. I crashed out around 10 in order to forget about my feelings of wanting to puke.
Pictures can be found at this link.
Cooper Vineyards
Louisa, VA
10/13/07
This was a comedy of errors/disaster. It was dry and dusty. My contacts were burning, and 2 days later I was coughing up a little bit of dirt.
Start is slightly uphill, and it's dry and bumpy, but I pass a few people on my way up.
At the end of Lap 1, riding in about 8th, I dropped my chain, and had to stop to put it back on. I was then in about 25th, also known as "last place", "DFL", or "Lanterne Rouge".
Lap 3, having made it back to about 15th, I crashed. It was comical. I washed out with the front tire, but never went down. I planted my right foot and kept the bike off the ground. Upon re-mounting, I pushed off with my right foot and threw all my weight forward. The front wheel fell in a hole and I went over the handlebars. I watched everyone behind me pass by as I was laying under the bike staring at the sky. Again, I was DFL.
Lap 6, having made it back to about 18th and wasting tons of energy to do so, I had the mishap that would end my day. I ran over a piece of fence wire, about 10" long and 3/16" in diameter, and it went through my fork a few times. My front wheel was slightly out-of-true, but my right front brake pad was destroyed and turned 90 degrees to the rim. I was, again, DFL. At that point I just walked the bike back to the car. The irony of this is that when I helped set up the course about a month ago, I picked up a piece of the same wire, about 2' long, which got wrapped in my rear derailleur. Strangely, not one other person ever picked up one of these pieces of wire over the course of the entire day of racing.
Saturday afternoon, I did some wine-tasting at the vineyard the race was held in. I then drove to Chipotle, then home to eat. I felt like I was going to vomit the rest of the evening. I drank nothing after about 6pm, and had nothing to eat. I did manage to do a little bit of work to the 'cross bike to get it ready for Sunday's race, though. But it was an early night. I crashed out around 10 in order to forget about my feelings of wanting to puke.
Pictures can be found at this link.
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Breast Cancer Awareness 'Cross report
Breast Cancer Awareness 'Cross
Hagerstown, MD
10/06/07
Chalk up another dust bowl 'cross race for 2007. It was also somewhere near 90 degrees, and the ref decided not to allow water feeds. This, in my opinion, is silly.
The course was actually pretty good considering the dry conditions. It was bumpy in some areas, but there were some good technical aspects that I really liked. One section was a long off-camber across a hill, then back. The turns at each end were soft and good skills were key. I felt this was one of my advantages- it turned out to be, but there were other obstacles... Like the slightly-uphill barriers followed almost immediately by an off-camber 180 degree turn. The sand pit was high-speed and ultimately had a bit of a challenging bend in it. Awesome!
At the start, I'd gotten a pretty decent spot in the pre-lineup. But then they did a call-up, which botched my position. Then they called "everyone else", and the outsides funneled to the front, leaving me with nowhere to go. So I ultimately started in the back- not where you want to be when you want to do well.
On the first lap I start to move up from the 25th or so I started in to around 10th. Now I feel I'm getting close to where I should be, and I've used a lot of energy to get there, so I try to settle in. In trying to recover, I stopped pedaling on the one fast descent on the course- also the bumpiest spot on the course. I get bounced around, and my chain gets bounced off the chainring. I ride out the descent, but can't get the chain back on without stopping. Once again, I'm in last place in the first lap of a race.
I continue my push back to the group, and start picking off a few guys every lap. But it's not enough. You can only make up so many spots in 45 minutes, and while I've passed plenty of guys, I can only make it back to 21st.
It was a little disappointing, but I could at least say I had a pretty good race from lap 2 on. I just started too far back to make it count.
Hagerstown, MD
10/06/07
Chalk up another dust bowl 'cross race for 2007. It was also somewhere near 90 degrees, and the ref decided not to allow water feeds. This, in my opinion, is silly.
The course was actually pretty good considering the dry conditions. It was bumpy in some areas, but there were some good technical aspects that I really liked. One section was a long off-camber across a hill, then back. The turns at each end were soft and good skills were key. I felt this was one of my advantages- it turned out to be, but there were other obstacles... Like the slightly-uphill barriers followed almost immediately by an off-camber 180 degree turn. The sand pit was high-speed and ultimately had a bit of a challenging bend in it. Awesome!
At the start, I'd gotten a pretty decent spot in the pre-lineup. But then they did a call-up, which botched my position. Then they called "everyone else", and the outsides funneled to the front, leaving me with nowhere to go. So I ultimately started in the back- not where you want to be when you want to do well.
On the first lap I start to move up from the 25th or so I started in to around 10th. Now I feel I'm getting close to where I should be, and I've used a lot of energy to get there, so I try to settle in. In trying to recover, I stopped pedaling on the one fast descent on the course- also the bumpiest spot on the course. I get bounced around, and my chain gets bounced off the chainring. I ride out the descent, but can't get the chain back on without stopping. Once again, I'm in last place in the first lap of a race.
I continue my push back to the group, and start picking off a few guys every lap. But it's not enough. You can only make up so many spots in 45 minutes, and while I've passed plenty of guys, I can only make it back to 21st.
It was a little disappointing, but I could at least say I had a pretty good race from lap 2 on. I just started too far back to make it count.
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