Can I get a freakin race report?

szymon

Active Member
I destroyed a Grail there two years ago running low pressure on that effing downhill.
Thought I was doing the smart thing this time. LOL
Actually, mebbe this was the better play. Assuming I'd've smashed a rim again, this time I only have to replace a tire I'm not in love with. Winning.

The rocky downhill is the main cause of all the flats yesterday and the section right before the downhill because there were big pieces of glass all over. Before your race on my pre-ride I stopped at the top of the downhill and was cleaning up big chunks of broken glass for a couple minutes. Personally while I try to support the few nj cx races that are left, I think this might be my last time going to bubble, since they have been running the course downhill into the sand I've gone through 4 tires and 1 rim not including 1 new tubular yesterday. While I like the rest of the course layout, I don't think the rocky downhill belongs there and with all the races I've done I've never encountered a section like that at another cx race.
 

taylor185

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Nittany Day 1
Masters 40+, 12/24

I arrived early, set up camp and hit the course for a pre-ride. Chatted with @seanrunnette and @Magic , changed into race gear and started my warm-up.

I had a front row start and got the hole shot, leading for the first 1/3 lap. Honestly, I was surprised to be at the front and didn't handle it well. I panicked, slowed and let a group of 6-8 pass me. As we finished the 1st lap, a few more riders slide by and I was hovering around 10th. On the second lap, I let two more riders slide by pushing me to 12th. I worked hard to close the gap looking for a top 10 finish but it just didn't happen. I finished 12th, 2mins of the leaders.

Coming out of this race I felt good about my start and cornering. I struggled though to put down power and to manage the 5 to 10 minute mark of the race. This is a big gap in my racing right now. I'm working to address this but I need to focus on staying on the gas when things get uncomfortable after you've hemorrhaged a kidney trying to start fast.

IMG_0087.JPG

(photo cred: @Magic )

Bubble CX
Cat 3, 3/21

I was sick all week so this race was a bit of a hail mary. I took it easy, skipping a bunch of workouts all week, hoping I'd be able to race. The pre-ride and warm-up lead me to think I was in trouble. This actually took the pressure off and I decided to race hard and see how things panned out. If I had to cut it short and DNF, so be it. And man was it HOT.

Front row call up on what was a really long straight away start. Whistle goes off (borrowing @Delish 's "watch for the inhalation" trick), quick clip in and fast acceleration had me at the front. I carried that speed up the first incline and drilled it pretty hard into the field above pit/registration. I wanted to see how I would respond and there were a lot of young, fit looking 3's in the field. I figured pushing the pace early might stretch the field. There were about 5-6 riders hanging close as we came off the first field/grass section and into the sand area near pit/registration.

After going through the finish, there were a few steep ups and downs. I elected to run the last section each lap. It was ridable but I wasn't chancing making a mistake and stuttering halfway up the incline. Entering the ball field saw some more turns where you could pick up a second or two with the right line and a clean clearing of the barriers. I was still in the lead with the same 5-6 riders in tow. Moving into the woods and then the sand, I stayed at the front. Mid sand the eventual 2nd place finisher, Nelson O., passed me but I passed him back as we exited the sand pit.

I took us back in to the field above pit/registration and remained in the front, pushing the pace. As we went through the finish line and started the steep climbs/decents, Nelson went for a pass on the first uphill but I closed the lane. I stayed in front until we entered the woods and Nelson passed me on an accent into the wooded section near the lake. I followed him as we exited the sand and moved back into the field above pit/reg. As we hit a straighaway in the field, the eventual 1st place finisher, Mike K, passed me with some encouragement to jump on his wheel, but I couldn't respond. He quickly overtook Nelson O and we were lined up 1, 2 and 3. The 4th place rider was on my wheel and stayed there for the entire race.

Mike gained a 10+ second gap pretty quickly and held it for the remainder of the race. Nelson dangled just out of reach until he dropped a chain (?)in the woods. I moved passed him and into 2nd place but somewhere on the last or 2nd to last lap he passed me to move back into 2nd.

For the last few laps i was in absolute survival mode. I was doing everything possible to be smooth and stay in front of the 4th place rider. I could hear he was working pretty hard so I thought I could stay in front if I was clean and maintain a solid pace. As we neared the finish, we came off the field and into the pit/reg area for the final time. I slowed to take a few corners cleanly with the goal of setting up a good line to sprint into the pit area, carry speed around a turn and into the final bit of sand. I executed this fairly well, cleared the sand and sprinted to the finish line in 3rd.

Race was an absolute blast, the course was great and I feel good about the results.

Thanks to all the folks cheering. Such great encouragement when you're ready to keel over at any moment.

Lucky CX on Saturday.


bubble sand.jpg

(photo cred: @MissJR)
 

mattsrabbit

Member
Heat was brutal by my 1:40 race.. but yea all day pretty much. Also re: PSI, I definitely bumped up to about 28 PSI in my tubeless PDX's so as not to bottom out on the millions of rocks and roots. I usually like 21-25 depending on course conditions.

Also do you folks usually post race reports? Sean's was great, here's mine..

This is a complicated course... 2 passes through mixed consistency sand per lap. XC MTB style techy woods and leg burning false flat grass that today was almost completely exposed to the burning sun. My field was small, 14 people I think. Most of which showed up during the 1 minute warning. These dudes packed with dad and grandad iron man triathlete strength (as indicated by low or no socks) set a super fast pace. Might have been all that standing around, I got there at 10 but my whistle didn’t go off till 1:45, but I was ill prepared for this race. Light headed and thirsty on lap one I struggled. More than anything the heat and exhaustion had me fuzzy headed and found myself taking bad lines and having a hard time with tech sections I should have excelled at. My Wahoo read a high of 94 with and average of 86. It was hot. But... enough excuses. The course may be complicated but it was a fucking blast. Challenge at every turn. Little time for rest or recovery. For a small local race this thing hurt.

Tl:Dr I was ded during and after this race. Finished a lap down but had a blast. Really looking forward to Lucky Charm next weekend and hope it’s a bit cooler.
 

drkmtb

Active Member
Thanks to everyone who made it out to Bubblecross last weekend. It is a large part of the Town Cycle Club's fundraising efforts for the NJ NICA League. Last year we donated $2500.00 directly to the NJICL! Sorry about the rocks...this is NJ...the Rock Garden State! Seriously, like any race, success comes with a balance of risk VS reward. The race was not going to be won because of 3-5 fewer pounds of air, or an attack on the 10 second rocky downhill to the sand. Tubeless Challenge Chicane's, Stan's Grail's, and 26 lbs rear and 25 lbs front, 160 pounds. Cleared every climb, every time, and chose to go a little slower in the rocks and upper woods, to have the power to hit the sand and upper fields full blast. Risk vs reward. I took a clinic three weeks ago at the Rochester UCI race, and Kerry Werner, who looks like a giant compared to the other Pros (and is actually just over 6' tall and 155 to 160 pounds), runs higher pressure on his tubular file treads...26 pounds at least, because of the lateral forces and traction those types of tires offer in the right conditions. At Bubblecross, the tires pressures I saw (and heard with rolling and rubbing treads) were WAY too low for most riders, in most classes. Tubeless has come a LONG way in the past few years and there is nothing like the ability to switch tires in the parking lot before a race. Also did that in Rochester...from Chicane's to Griffo's. when rain was coming. Ten minutes and a standard floor pump...presto. The low pressure Pros ride is for average riders below 150 pounds with their own mechanics, pit crews, and race budgets. Rant over, and that all being said, you can go one hour, or two years with no tire damage or race flats...even with the right pressure. Sean, I would have told you more is better! Wish you had asked! I also remember you TOASTING multiple pairs of PDX's even in the fields of the Wednesday Night Worlds over the years. The definition of...
 
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seanrunnette

Brain Damaged Ray Romano
Team MTBNJ Halter's
The definition of...
DON'T SAY IT!!!!
Good rant, btw. Totally legit points.
There's a sort of tire-pressure mania that takes over in fall. It's effing pointless, AFAIK. Run what's comfy so you can think about lines, not rolling a tubie, or burping, or flatting.
My hindsight is getting better :)
I'm already getting my head back together for next year's race.
Now I just have to sort out the tire pressure. (DOH!)
 
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