The Long Road Back

170.4 This morning. 21.2 lbs down and short track!

I went over to the frozen tundra and optimistically got out of my car for the race this morning. After keeping my extra layers and taking a lap around the lake, I realized the stumps at the end of my arms would not be good for racing. Everything was warm but my hands. After some more riding and a glove change to slightly damp lobster gloves I thought I'd be happy for the race.

I still can't get off the line hard so I line up in the second row behind ben. The siren goes off and I scramble to catch onto the group ahead. I try to get the legs going but it takes a bit. Around the back side of the lake a couple of guys are bunching up ahead and I'm getting antsy to pass. The guy in front of me is looking as well but to no avail. Finially we get to the marsh by the monument and it's go time. The guy in front of me goes left and gets stuffed and I go right and pretty much ride on the icy march that is the lake and make a split second pass to get around. That worked well. I keep on the gas and gap those behind. I keep seeing guys behind me on the second and third lap in the switchbacks. I think they are going to get me and then disappear. At one point I tag a tree on the lower trail by the lake and look back and it's Kurt. I tell him to go and he goes but lets me back through after the bridge. I think this is two laps to go. I tell him to let me know when he wants to pass and I'll let him go. He tells me he can't breathe and I'm ok leading - that makes me feel better knowing he can't breathe and is sitting on my wheel ;) So we get to the end of lap 5 and he goes around me on the fire road leading to the lower singletrack by the lake. He rides it smoothly and starts opening a little more daylight between us. Through the last full lap I have him in sight but he's riding strong and opening more time. I try to get back to him but it's to no avail. I finish behind him happy that I put in a solid race.

What a cool lap and such a strong group. It's fun fighting for position on the first lap and then just torture pinning it the rest of the lap. This should be fun in the snow next week! Maybe it's time to break out the fattie :) I'm looking forward to looking over results to see what I can break down from this week.

Short track #3
Short track #4
Mayhem
6 Hours of Warrior Creek coming up...
 
What were you wearing today? i didn't make it to the start of crazy to figure out whom everyone is.
although i know @pooriggy, i think he was prepared for rain with his wind breaker choice!
 
xc62701 said:
I had my black green hilltop kit on on the lynskey hardtail.
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I found you.
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Oh, that was you with the trashed brakes on the Subaru. That offended my professional sensibilities. :D
Now that I know the car I'll say hi walking the dogs saturday mornings. Figured it's you but wasn't sure.
 
extremedave said:
Oh, that was you with the trashed brakes on the Subaru. That offended my professional sensibilities. :D
Now that I know the car I'll say hi walking the dogs saturday mornings. Figured it's you but wasn't sure.
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Hahaha yes that was me. Seems I've got my pads sticking which ground my rotor to a pulp. That was me last night in the cold replacing the pads and rotors to fix that horrendous mess. Now it's working well. You're in the neighborhood?
 
I'm wondering now how much faster a FS would be on that course. My HT does well but I was definitely dancing over some of those bumpy sections wishing I could just stay in the saddle and grind it out. I'll probably bring out the FS for round 3 for some comparison since I'll be doing both races. It'll be fatty first and then the crazies second. That's gonna be REALLY painful :)
 
xc62701 said:
Hahaha yes that was me. Seems I've got my pads sticking which ground my rotor to a pulp. That was me last night in the cold replacing the pads and rotors to fix that horrendous mess. Now it's working well. You're in the neighborhood?
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No, your morning rides out of Gardner Field. Teddy the little punt dog usually barks at you.

Good, btw. We see the pads hang up in the brackets a lot. Love NJ salt.
 
xc62701 said:
I'm wondering now how much faster a FS would be on that course. My HT does well but I was definitely dancing over some of those bumpy sections wishing I could just stay in the saddle and grind it out. I'll probably bring out the FS for round 3 for some comparison since I'll be doing both races. It'll be fatty first and then the crazies second. That's gonna be REALLY painful :)
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exactly 48 seconds per lap by my calculation

Yesterday for example with the ground frozen and really bumpy...I really enjoy the suspension going uphill. And ya, thats going to hurt....I keep saying im going to do both races, then I change my mind.
 
UtahJoe said:
exactly 48 seconds per lap by my calculation

Yesterday for example with the ground frozen and really bumpy...I really enjoy the suspension going uphill. And ya, thats going to hurt....I keep saying im going to do both races, then I change my mind.
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I'm betting with the same effort it would seriously be 15 seconds. I know there's stuff I can rip faster but I just can't on my HT. So I'll try that out this weekend. Since I'll be dragging ass by at least 30 seconds each lap then the -15 for the FS should get me back to +15 for each lap. I'm definitely going to race the fatty and that will be my big effort for the day.
 
The past couple of mornings my right calf has been twingy. I was thinking about why it may be and just realized that I probably still have a decent imbalance after ACL replacement surgery. I'm going to break out a tape measure later today and get to the details but I'm thinking that's the case. Nothing like early season V02 max efforts to find out your weaknesses. At least it's my right leg that is dominant so that should come back to equalize.
 
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