CX Race 1: Buck Hill

Well...

1) road strength does not translate into 'cross ability - but I knew that

2) practicing on one's own does not translate to races

Practicing mounts and dismounts (a weakness I knew I needed to work on) on Wednesday I floundered mightily at both. On Friday i seemed to be doing worse on both. On Saturday I felt like I was getting both down, though I was making more progress with the remounting than the dismounting.

Lots to think about with a dismount... Move hand position off hoods and onto bar near center, swing right leg around, move right hand to top tube, weight right hand, step through or around, unclip left foot, and be running... all timed just right so you don't trip over the barriers. Remounting seems to have fewer things to think about... set bike down (don't drop it), get up to speed (though in theory since you got off at a run and you ran over the barriers or up the run-up, you are already at speed), take a stride with the left foot, extend your arms (bringing the saddle even with the hips), launch off that left foot, and land on the saddle with the feet in the pedals.

On Saturday it was taking a lot of concentration to remember to move the left hand onto the bars near the stem, and to not only move the left hand to the top tube, but to actually weight that hand. Jumping on just seemed a bit like a leap of faith. The key was to have enough momentum so when I got on and did not find the pedals I did not immediately fall off again before I had a chance to look for the pedals. Just, taking that leap of faith is a lot harder when you are moving at more than a crawl. That same commitment issue that stumps me on logs when mountain biking.

Anyway... back to Saturday... it felt like I was getting the re-mounting down while practicing on Saturday, but I was still having trouble hitting the steps in the right order on the dismount, and some issues getting that left foot unclipped. But that was Saturday.

Today.. race day... hrmm.

I got out there in time to watch the junior/masters race. They all seemed to be able to do what they needed to with getting on and off the bike. After their race, we had 45 minutes to pre-ride the course before our race began. The course started down a slight hill on a grass double track - rough mowed, that led into a slight climb with a triple barrier - so sprint at the start and then dismount - yikes!. at the top of the hill was a very twisty section - lots of tight turns, some up hills some on flat, all of it felt a little off camber. That took us into another double track that was really rough and onto a paved road for a bit. After that 90 degree turn onto a gravel road and a slight climb. That took us onto another wide double track with roots, a few whoop-de-whoops, a couple tight turns and two logs that I needed to dismount for. That took us back to a grassy double track with a few jogs to add length and slow the pace before heading back through the barriers. The finish was at the end of the twisty-turns above the barriers.

On the first lap I deliberately but myself at the back going into the barriers as I didn't want to cause a wreck should I fail to unclip the left foot. Unfortunately that put me behind someone who could not get either foot clipped back in on the tight winding section and the whole field rode away right there. I don't think I would have managed to stay with them for the whole race, and I don't think it affected the outcome, but it would have been nice to ride with people in sight for a little longer. I passed the poor person with the pedal woes, just before the paved road and stayed ahead through the first pass through the woods (rooty section with whoop-de-whoops and two logs) and right up to the barriers.

She had trouble with the pedals on the second lap as well but was able to ride through them this time and from then on she slowly crept away from me since she was doing the tight twisty sections faster than I was and was getting on the bike a lot faster too. Which brings me to the transitions on and off the bike... Dismounting I utterly failed to remember to move my hands on the bars and I can't pin point a single time I recall moving the right hand to the top tube... but i had no trouble unclipping the left foot. Getting on the bike however - I did not manage to do it at above a stand still a single time and had a lot of trouble finding the pedals (though not clipping in once my feet found them). After the second or third lap I spent the rest of the race thinking about the guys who were lapping me - thinking about staying out of their way. They all gave me fair warning they were coming and a few even took the rougher line by me. Unfortunately most of them passed me in sections I was not too comfortable and my response (from way back when I was mtb racing) was to move to the side and slow up to let them by where the passing, or as the case may be, the being passed, was easier.

I should have been thinking to the front on on my riding, but I couldn't shift the mind to that from 'worrying' about what was going on behind me. The lead three guys passed me twice during the race, and I think all of them passed me once. I did not get lapped by the lead woman, so I was able to do the full number of laps. I think the two ladies behind me did get lapped and were pulled one lap shy of the full complement.

A pretty lackluster performance on my part. but not quite DFL.

Photographers Jim Danvers and Peter Ozolins were out on the course. Peter caught me looking terrified at several spots on the course. Peter's photos can be found at Zenfolio.

Race 17: Apple festival citizens race

After at least two weekends off of racing it was back to the start line for the final road race of the year. Applefest is a well run and fairly small citizen's race in Montrose PA. The last two weekends involved some road riding and some mountain bike riding and some photography, and lots of work (it takes forever to put together 2 hour lectures from scratch every week!!!) but no racing.

There were two races, one a 13 mile loop for new racers and the other a 26 mile loop for those with annual licenses. Everyone on the 26 mile loop started together. Weather was a perfect apple day which is fitting for an apple festival: cool in the shade, warm in the sun, puffy white clouds dotting the sky.

We lined up shortly before 10:15 on 9/11/10 to get our race instructions. Stay to the right of the yellow line, arrows in red on road, watch the shoulder since they are rough, lead car, moto, sag truck, 3 KOM/QOM sprints, cash prizes for setting new records.

The start was a bit of a descent leading into the first climb. Things were controlled down the hill and then heated up on the climb and the pack of 44 riders broke apart. I was in the second group on the road as we crested the climb. We rode together over the next group of rolling hills and then at a crucial right hand turn there were some crossed signals. All of us went strait (down a hill) where we should have turned right. As bad luck would have it I did not turn around quite as quickly as the bulk of the group and lost contact with them climbing and into the head wind after the turn.

Eventually, after 4 windy miles on my own I was caught by a couple of other riders and four of us (three guys and I) worked together from the top of the first K/QOM until the final climb to the finish, at which point we separated a bit. I had no idea if there was a woman in the first group on the road or how close anyone behind us was, so I just focused on sticking with my little group.

It turns out there were no women in front of me so I managed to take home the QOM jersey (a nice off the rack jersey that the organizes had embroidered with "applefest 2010 QOM") and the first place prize money. The second place woman was around two minutes back, with the three other finishers spread out behind her. A 6th rider had started but did not finish - I am not sure what happened with her.

Although there was only one other FLCC rider there (whose dad cheered for me at each K/QOM), a whole slew of TVC riders came to race. One of them was celebrating his birthday so after the race we all had lunch together and then shared the pie I had backed for the birthday boy. It was a great way to end a low key and fun day as well as a tough road season.

'Cross season in NYS opened on the 12 with a race in Clinton NY. I did not attend due to the lack of 'cross tires and 'cross sensible shoes. However, tires are on the way, the bike is getting tuned up, and shoes have been purchased. In theory if the bike is ready in time, I can race him this weekend. However, having been mesmerized and taken in by a pair of Sidi shoes, I will be all set up to race, but won't be able to afford the entry fees. Ah ... such is life... maybe family will go for me paying race entry fees instead of finding birthday gifts for them... after all it will leave them with the peace of mind that I am off sliding around slick courses in cold wet conditions on inadequate equipment rather than getting into trouble at home....

Race ... oh wait... didn't race last weekend

Wow... this was my first weekend with no race or other major road trip on the schedule.

My body is not quite sure how to deal with it. Did have a nice ride Saturday afternoon - over new to me backroads that parallel well known busy roads. My route (Ithaca to Endicott) worked pretty well with only about 3 miles of dirt. Looking at the map again I think I could get rid of 2/3 of that dirt if I wanted to. Not that the dirt sections were in any way unridable. They were fine - I am just still running some super light race tires that won't last very long if I insist on taking them over gravel.

Sunday was a lovely lazy day spent watching the rain. I have to be careful lest I awaken the couch potato in me too much...

I need to do some major tire shopping - need to get a new set for the commuter, the studded tires could stand to be replaced before the snow flies, the mountain bike tires are looking rather tired, I have no 'cross tires, and to save the super light race tires for racing, I ought to get a good set of training tires for the race bike.

I know what I want for training tires and commuter tires (Conti Gator Skins) but it has been so long since I have regularly worn out mtb tires that I don't know what is what anymore, and the whole 'cross tire thing is brand new to me. I have always run fairly narrow tires on the mtb and think I'd like to keep that going.

Thoughts?

Race 16: Capital Region Road Race

Well.

It was a beautiful day and quite a fun course, some gradual climbing, some steep climbing, a bunch of flattish terrain that was too fast for a compact drive train, and some pretty safe downhills (well safe if you were not in a 3/4 or a 4/5 field).

I had a great ride on that pretty course, but that did not translate into a good race. In fact it was pathetic from a race stand point. They started all the women together which meant we actually had a reasonable pack on the line. With a three mile almost entirely climbing neutral section we should have had plenty of room to work out the dynamic for this pack, but with a pace car that seemed to surge and slow, it was pretty squirrelly in the neutral zone and at least one person crashed. The crash made the pack antsy and as soon as racing began the ladies at the front took off like rockets in an attempt to shell the beginner riders. I was not positioned well in the neutral zone, so I was playing catch up and dangling the first part of the race. I hung on until after we dropped most of the new racers, but then fell off. I worked with a group of 3 others to try to catch back on, but I spun out on the back stretch and did not dig deep enough to stick with my little group. So I ended up in no man's land and switched mental focus to steady endurance (it should have been TT, but I didn't feel like working that hard) and rode over half the distance alone.

My position was DFL for the 1/2 group, but ahead of most of the 3's and many of the 4's, and all of the Master's women. Results were done by Atwood Racing Services and are posted at fastalracing.com and bikereg.com.

There was at least one photographer out there shooting the race and his pictures are posted at Base Twelve Photos. You want to click on the link for "Capital Region Road Race 2010" and look for photos 111, and 349. Incidentally this photographer was also at Tour of the Battenkill and happened to shoot my field. If you click on the "Tour of the Battenkill 2010-Women's Pro" link, I am in picture 12.

Lost the element of surprise

This week was another TVC race week. I joined TVC so can now ride with them, just in time for the last couple of races of the series...

This week the element of surprise was gone. Well at least for the TVC regulars with regards to my riding. For me, not knowing any of their courses, I still got some surprises. This week they did the hilliest course of their Tuesday race courses - the Binghamton Empire State Games loop plus a little horseshoe on Gardner Rd. It starts with a 2.5 (or is it 3?) mile climb up Pennsylvania Ave, descends a little bit and then climbs up some more before a long descent and a few more fairly substantial climbs before a fast hilltop finish. Andrew W. gave a brief run down of the turns (all right handers) before the start and I was only sort of listening...

We all headed out en masse. The first little bit is neutral - to get through a stop sign, but from the start it is climbing. I started a bit back in the group, but as racing started and Dave Y came around me, he tapped my hip. To me that meant "I'm taking off now follow if you can". He probably meant it as "I'm taking off now, see you at the finish". I slotted in on his wheel and just focused on it. Trying to keep the gap small. I was having trouble finding a comfortable gear, and was spinning more than I am used to but I managed to hang on until the top where it flattened out a bit. I shifted a bit early and had trouble getting on top of my gear and waved the rider behind me, Andrew W. around while I floundered. I was able to slot back in behind Andrew W. and hung on on that first descent to the first right hander. That pretty much set us up for the second climb. I lost contact with Dave Y. and John H. after the first pitch. When Andrew W, Chris J. and a rider who's name I didn't catch came around me shortly there after I hung on for a few meters but then fell off them too... leaving me alone and feeling "lost ... lost ... lost [in a crowd]".

Happily the next intersection option was at a T intersection and then the next one I saw cars slowing for what looked like bikes in the distance so I went that way (a slight right at a Y intersection). The turn onto 26 was also at a T. At this point I didn't remember what Andrew had said was next so I slowed a bit - giving up on catching the trio in front of me. A group of 3 (two local riders, and fellow Ithaca rider Dave H.) caught me. We rotated through until the turn onto Gardner when we lost one of the locals. Near the false summit broad left hand sweep on Gardner we saw the trio in front again and although we tried like mad, we just couldn't catch them. The three of us pushed each other - not quite working together but definitely keeping the pace honest to the finish. The other local rider lost steam on the finish hill and I tried super hard to catch Dave H. but he held me off with ease.

It was good for 7th overall (one better than last week). I am bummed I let myself drop off the trio in front of me on the second climb. If I had dug a little deeper and held on... Last week I was coming off of three hard days of racing a week after 4 hard days of racing and managed to hang. This week I came off of several days completely off the bike, but also three nights of less than 4 hours of sleep a night. Tired muscles attuned to racing vs rested muscles but tired body... I have to say the first wins out for feeling better.

Thanks again to the TVC group for welcoming me again and bearing with me on a very warm and humid evening. That was a great course and a lot of fun to ride. Legs are tired today. :-)

A quick trip to the 14th Century

As seems typical this summer, my first racefree weekend in a bit was not actually a weekend of rest. It was a weekend of driving, catching up with my closer-than-a-sibling friend, little sleep, and middle-evil imersion.

Dawn has been active in the SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism) for a very long time and has been attending one of the SCA's largest events for nearly as long. I have had a standing invite to Pennsic War for at least 5 years now - and likely much longer. This was the first year where my location and my work schedule allowed a trip to Pennsic.

Pennsic war is a two week event with week 1 being dedicated to set up and week 2 being dedicated to the war. I never understood the need for 1 week of set up until I witnessed the results of set up week. People are in households and kingdoms. Households tend to camp together and some of the larger households have very intricate camps with amazing front gates accompanied by super ornate and ornately appointed pavillions. There are also a lot of vendors at Pennsic, with wares from jewlery to period leather goods, to armour, to weaponry, to books, to clothing. Those folks need to set up their shops as well as their camps. Along with the vendors and the camping, there are classes (from dancing to mucic to illuminating manuscripts to fighting styles) and tournaments, and battles, and parties. Lots and lots of parties. People also tend to come to Pennsic year after year (this year was Pennsic War 39) so there is a fair bit of searching for a shady spot to sit and catch up with folks you haven't seen for a year.

I arrived Friday afternoon of setup week and we immediately did a food run to town for some Gray Gargoyles camp supplies. Then Dawn set me up in the 14th century peasant dress she made for me for this occaision (including insect themed ribbon on the sleeves :-D ). The rest of Friday was taken up by wandering through the whole site in an utter daze, followed by some food and then the evening wander to Vlad's - a camp Dawn has told me a lot about. To bed at 2 or so, and cursed with a clock that wakes me up early these days... so up by 6:30 on Saturday. Saturday we wandered through the vendors a bit, and I met a huge number of Dawn's SCA friends. Lots of walking, lots of gawking, lots of looking utterly dazed by the sheer scale of it all. Another late night followed by my internal alarm clock waking me super early. Sunday was opening ceremonies where everyone was in their period finest and war was declared. That evening we watched The battle of the 30, supporting the Earl whose household Dawn belongs to. Monday it was up and on the road early for a 6 hour drive back home to pick up my freshly tuned Madone and do a day's work in one afternoon.

Race recovery

I took Monday mostly off and then at Dave's behest and with the generosity of my folks letting me use the car I decided to head to Owego for the TVC Halsey Valley Rd RR Tuesday night. As a guest rider who did not know the course and coming off two hard weekends of racing, I felt a bit unsure about how it would go and if i should bring my phone so I could navigate back to the car should I find myself riding alone. I ultimately decided to leave the phone in the car and hope for the best. I signed up for the A group since four of my ESG Central team mates were also riding A. Off we went. I managed to make the first split (I think it happened within the first few miles) and found myself cruising along in a group of 9 - three ESG team mates, 5 folks I didn't know and me. The pace was pretty steady and pretty fast. I had to hold on or risk getting utterly lost. There were repeated attacks that were chased down by the rest of the field. I did my small part to help close a few down and the 9 of us finished together. 25 miles in just a hair over an hour. I had a blast on a fun course with a great group of people.

Today the legs feel it though.

The Madone is in for some professional TLC ... can't remember the last time I didn't have her home overnight...

No riding planned this weekend. Instead it is off to Pennsic War to be be dressed in 14th century 'garb' by a good friend and to take photos of the event. Dawn has been going to Pennsic for years and has invited me along most of those years. This year I am finally able to make it and Dawn went all out and made me a wool tunic and a dress to wear while there. Should be good times.