that's basically my entire racing career and the women's fields at every race I've done.
I still race.
James Pearl Thinks Blogging is Dead
- Thread starter Norm
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that's basically my entire racing career and the women's fields at every race I've done.
I still race.
Usually I'm taking the wisdom not giving it out, but here's my thoughts.
1) I've seen it before. Fast racers get out of it for whatever reason and then have a hard time getting back in (or don't even try) because the past glory is seems so unattainable. Especially when they fought to cat up and now no longer belong in that category. Mentally, you seem to be in this boat. You clearly feel you used to be fast but can't keep up with people who should be your peers. However I think you made a very good point that you did well at the endurance mountain biking and not cyclocross. They're not equal. There's definitely a different skill set in cross. Iron Furnace for you and Sean was an exercise in keeping a pace. Cross involves a lot more of your body.
2) I'm not looking at the names, but you probably do have different people you're racing against in cross than mountain. No they may not be belgiums, but with with my above point, the regular joes may have been weeded out over time due to life and so you're going against a harder field. A race like Iron Furnace me and Magic are part of your competition....
3) Don't let these couple muddy races throw you off. I've had seasons where a few bad races early in the season had me throw in the towel. I had such a bad race at Nittany one year it was the only race I did. I'm very confident that if it didn't rain and make Hippo and HPCX into mud-fests you would have a different opinion.
4) Skipping today was probably the right thing to do. Not for today's results, but to keep your head in the game.
5) You're going to Louisville. Even if it's a mudfest. You can race it, Sean will wash your bike and then you wan't have to think about cross for many months.
1) I've seen it before. Fast racers get out of it for whatever reason and then have a hard time getting back in (or don't even try) because the past glory is seems so unattainable. Especially when they fought to cat up and now no longer belong in that category. Mentally, you seem to be in this boat. You clearly feel you used to be fast but can't keep up with people who should be your peers. However I think you made a very good point that you did well at the endurance mountain biking and not cyclocross. They're not equal. There's definitely a different skill set in cross. Iron Furnace for you and Sean was an exercise in keeping a pace. Cross involves a lot more of your body.
2) I'm not looking at the names, but you probably do have different people you're racing against in cross than mountain. No they may not be belgiums, but with with my above point, the regular joes may have been weeded out over time due to life and so you're going against a harder field. A race like Iron Furnace me and Magic are part of your competition....
3) Don't let these couple muddy races throw you off. I've had seasons where a few bad races early in the season had me throw in the towel. I had such a bad race at Nittany one year it was the only race I did. I'm very confident that if it didn't rain and make Hippo and HPCX into mud-fests you would have a different opinion.
4) Skipping today was probably the right thing to do. Not for today's results, but to keep your head in the game.
5) You're going to Louisville. Even if it's a mudfest. You can race it, Sean will wash your bike and then you wan't have to think about cross for many months.
Liked for bacon.
Smaht choice today. I really don’t miss these mud slogs. I mean, when I was committed to a 15 race season, I was all in. The stress and cost of maintaining everything through these things sucks. Not for me this year. Maybe next year. Please keep at it. 2019 is my comeback year. Maybe.
Smaht choice today. I really don’t miss these mud slogs. I mean, when I was committed to a 15 race season, I was all in. The stress and cost of maintaining everything through these things sucks. Not for me this year. Maybe next year. Please keep at it. 2019 is my comeback year. Maybe.
Remember that one year I had a terrible race at HPCX in the mud and cold and got lapped and then I whined to you for days about how I sucked and should give up for the season but then raced the next weekend and had the race of my career? Wait...that's every year.
I'm pretty sure your pep talk started with "Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?" It's not about the bachelors degree. It's about the acid trips along the way...or something like that.
I'm pretty sure your pep talk started with "Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?" It's not about the bachelors degree. It's about the acid trips along the way...or something like that.
For years I have kept a rusty, pitted out bottom bracket bearing on my desk at work to fiddle with. It's the bearing I destroyed at HPCX 2011, which was that freak October snowstorm mud bomb edition. I'm pretty sure it was the worst race I've ever had. The result wasn't terrible but it's the only race I've ever done in which I completely gave up. I didn't enjoy a minute of it and my attitude showed. I wanted to quit. I probably should have.
The bearing is fun to fiddle with even though it barely spins. It's also a daily reminder that even at its worst, a terrible day of racing is a whole helluva lot better than sitting in an office trying to coax Whoppers and Big Macs to fill out their TPS reports.
You will go to Louisville. You will not win but you won't come in last. You will be shocked at how many amazing amateur riders there are but you'll also me amazed by how special the race feels. Onward and Upward.
The shades of night were falling fast,
As through an Alpine village passed
A youth, who bore, 'mid snow and ice,
A banner with the strange device,
Excelsior!
The bearing is fun to fiddle with even though it barely spins. It's also a daily reminder that even at its worst, a terrible day of racing is a whole helluva lot better than sitting in an office trying to coax Whoppers and Big Macs to fill out their TPS reports.
You will go to Louisville. You will not win but you won't come in last. You will be shocked at how many amazing amateur riders there are but you'll also me amazed by how special the race feels. Onward and Upward.
The shades of night were falling fast,
As through an Alpine village passed
A youth, who bore, 'mid snow and ice,
A banner with the strange device,
Excelsior!
choop
Well-Known Member
I think fun and # of racers in the field is dependent on the course. HPCX Day 2 was no fun at all. However a course like bubble is fun whether you are hammering solo or in a group. Purely because it is a great course with a ton of diversity. Every section leaves you waiting for the next one and there is no monotony.
IMO pick the courses that you enjoy. Keep on working on your fitness. I agree maybe trying to downgrade into the 4/5 40+ field will bring some racing fun into the mix for you. You may not last there long before having to upgrace again but enjoy it while you can.
IMO pick the courses that you enjoy. Keep on working on your fitness. I agree maybe trying to downgrade into the 4/5 40+ field will bring some racing fun into the mix for you. You may not last there long before having to upgrace again but enjoy it while you can.
FWIW.....
4/5 40+ is how I wound up in Cat 3. Of course I didn’t drink that season and trained a lot.... oh, wait.
4/5 40+ is how I wound up in Cat 3. Of course I didn’t drink that season and trained a lot.... oh, wait.
Pearl
THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING
This has a lot of feels to it. I always said CX would suck if you aren't prepared, and it seems that this is where you are... Endurance races/events are much more enjoyable with limited top end fitness, or fitness in general. I recall trying to push you to do them over the last year or so. That endurance you had a long time ago is still in them legs somewhere. The other perk about endurance is you can race your peers, or just yourself. Can't do that in CX. Casual CX racing sucks.
I don't think it's fair to blame the weather; if it was dry and you got DFL, would it be better? Would you feel better about sucking that much? I always thought the Westwood races were memorable because of the mud and tough conditions. The snow HPCX race is one I will never forget. Sure it sucked, we all broke shit/flatted tubulars. I hate running, cleaning my bike and being cold but it's cyclocross. It's suppose to suck. If it was easy everyone would do it, and do it well. That is the lure of it.
The same gets said about a dry Nittany race; it's a dirt crit, it sucks, makes me hate CX, roadies, blah blah blah. The best part about CX is every weekend is different. Or at least its should be. Different venue, different courses that suit different peoples advantages. So HPCX this weekend (I assume) was a runners mud pit tech riding extravaganza. I would have sucked in that scenario too. If you really want to race, need forget about it and move on. Just like Bill Belichick would say, "We're on to Fair Hill, or Bubble Cross".
Have you thought about racing SSCX instead? I thought when I moved down here, I was going to be super awesome fit/fast from my yester-years and I would have gotten auto upgraded. I didn't want to race the 1/2 race, so I was planning on doing the SS race instead. It's just as competitive.
EDIT: just saw Dan Larino was the only one who did SSCX, so maybe that it out. I wrote it already so I won't delete it.
Since you didn't ask, I have a hard time devoting any sort of real energy to cross this year, Mostly because I have 3 local (under 60 minute drive) races I can realistically pull off with a 3:55pm start time. SS category starts at 11:45, and is 30 minutes, which then I start to think, why am I driving 2 hours to race 30 minutes? The reg fees aren't as terrible as up north, but the time suck now is exponentially more than normal with the stress of being either gone from home that long, or bringing the whole Team Peezy to a bike race. Spend my free time driving to do a 4+ hour gravel ride with bros, or 35 minutes of bike racing?
Cheer up buds.
I don't think it's fair to blame the weather; if it was dry and you got DFL, would it be better? Would you feel better about sucking that much? I always thought the Westwood races were memorable because of the mud and tough conditions. The snow HPCX race is one I will never forget. Sure it sucked, we all broke shit/flatted tubulars. I hate running, cleaning my bike and being cold but it's cyclocross. It's suppose to suck. If it was easy everyone would do it, and do it well. That is the lure of it.
The same gets said about a dry Nittany race; it's a dirt crit, it sucks, makes me hate CX, roadies, blah blah blah. The best part about CX is every weekend is different. Or at least its should be. Different venue, different courses that suit different peoples advantages. So HPCX this weekend (I assume) was a runners mud pit tech riding extravaganza. I would have sucked in that scenario too. If you really want to race, need forget about it and move on. Just like Bill Belichick would say, "We're on to Fair Hill, or Bubble Cross".
Have you thought about racing SSCX instead? I thought when I moved down here, I was going to be super awesome fit/fast from my yester-years and I would have gotten auto upgraded. I didn't want to race the 1/2 race, so I was planning on doing the SS race instead. It's just as competitive.
EDIT: just saw Dan Larino was the only one who did SSCX, so maybe that it out. I wrote it already so I won't delete it.
Since you didn't ask, I have a hard time devoting any sort of real energy to cross this year, Mostly because I have 3 local (under 60 minute drive) races I can realistically pull off with a 3:55pm start time. SS category starts at 11:45, and is 30 minutes, which then I start to think, why am I driving 2 hours to race 30 minutes? The reg fees aren't as terrible as up north, but the time suck now is exponentially more than normal with the stress of being either gone from home that long, or bringing the whole Team Peezy to a bike race. Spend my free time driving to do a 4+ hour gravel ride with bros, or 35 minutes of bike racing?
Cheer up buds.
Now you are beginning to see what I am saying Grasshopper
Pearl
THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING
The other side of that is the intensity of racing elbow to elbow for 40+ minutes with your eyes popping out of your skull and being super competitive is an itch that is almost impossible to scratch any other way, besides short track and cyclocross. It for sure is not as enjoyable as a long scenic road/gravel/mtb day, I don't think anyone really "enjoys" CX/ST. I think they both have their place and it is nice that the seasons are kind of separate in my world. Fall/Winter is CX and Winter Short Track, then March-August has plenty of endurance/gravel stuff to enjoy. Whenever you are in one season, you think about the other.
I mean, this is how the start of a cx race feels to me. the guy flying in the air is Sketchy Cross Guy from years past.
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U don't even know me bro. It was just a run-of-the-mill loose $10 FSA BB30 steel 6806 bearing and the reason I had it out in the first place was to see if I could somehow rehabilitate it back into service by taking it apart and polishing the individual balls. I'm a cheap bastard sometimes. The only CK BB I own came on a bike I bought from Lou, and I probably bought the whole bike for less than the cost of the bottom bracket itself.
How much of how you are feeling is based on that your are riding inside 90%? of the time. And don't just shut this off as zwifter hater talk.
Sure, no one is really prepared for conditions that were reported for HPCX, it is likely a shock to anyone's system, but just the rain/cold was likely a shock as well. Sure, we all know / read about these people that literally don't come outside except for whatever event they are training for. But at the times you were doing well in cross, you were riding around in soccer fields early in the morning, in the dark, cold and probably the rain sometimes, so those factors became less of an issue. Now add 40's and rain, which is likely the hardest temp to feel good in on a bike, and you are fighting that on top of horrible surface conditions.
IDK, just a thought.
Sure, no one is really prepared for conditions that were reported for HPCX, it is likely a shock to anyone's system, but just the rain/cold was likely a shock as well. Sure, we all know / read about these people that literally don't come outside except for whatever event they are training for. But at the times you were doing well in cross, you were riding around in soccer fields early in the morning, in the dark, cold and probably the rain sometimes, so those factors became less of an issue. Now add 40's and rain, which is likely the hardest temp to feel good in on a bike, and you are fighting that on top of horrible surface conditions.
IDK, just a thought.
Pearl
THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING
Which he bought from me, which was a warranty for the one I destroyed in a few months.
You mean Iggy.
30 Minutes is such BS. The Cat 4/5 race I did in Richmond was 30 minutes and I found it infuriating. They're chopping 1/3 of the race off.
There's no reason to have a race so short unless it's for kids under 15. If the schedule doesn't permit a 45 minute race, either put the race in with another set of races or just drop it.
If it was a chris King BB, you could just pack new grease in it and put it back in.
Somewhat related to your point, a regularly occurring weekly cross practice is very helpful to hitting the road running in cross season. Not being able to make it to otto’s on a regular basis has really made these first few races tougher than they could have been.
Although last year I remember half these practices were 90 degrees
I'm not sure I agree with this. Racing cross is probably some of the most fun I have on a bike. I love the competition and in race strategy.
I came in 7th out of 14. Not something to brag about. But it was a great feeling to beat the guys I did.
Shit man, both my Fantasy teams lost, the Jets lost, and the fucking red Sox won the world series.
Somehow I'm smiling today.