Can I get a freakin race report?

Robin

Well-Known Member
whoa - 2 tags in one post today for me. Good thing for that "notification" thingy.

I decided to race the Master's category this year - and it's been the best decision I've made. I'm actually racing - not riding by myself in no-woman's land. I'm learning what/how to use strategy and having women around me. This is awesome.

Day 1 - out of the start, I was 3rd going up the little bump near the MTBNJ/EE tent area. Erin went down on the corner, me and another girl got around and shortly after that, I was in the lead. I knew another woman was on my wheel - and I tried to work with her...but it didn't happen (she fell off/vanished). I was out there by myself for 4.5 laps, when entering the "woods", I looked over my shoulder and saw a train of 3 women coming for me. FCKKKKKK. Erin was in that train, and with her power, I knew she would catch me on the last portion of the course. And she did - I finished 2nd.

14264901_10155292645017942_4385881527421081824_n.jpg


14359119_10210203846234774_7919861671465221513_n.jpg


Day 2 - the log was still in our race and while I considered hopping it, I opted for the safe choice. It started to rain as we were waiting for our countdown. This would make our race...interesting. I had a great start, moving into 2nd, behind Erin just after the "mud pit" (which was dry our 1st lap). I tried to stay on Erin's wheel for as long as I could. On our last lap, Erin put a gap on me...and I had a gap on 3rd. I don't remember much of the race, other than hearing @pearl yelling for me as I approached the finish, placing 2nd again.

14370209_10209331626121569_8528557168844624043_n.jpg



14364682_10210214416699029_6416735334138929265_n.jpg


Watched the rest of the day and saw lots of people - nice surprise to see the Pearl's and MTBNJ crew! Loving the new SPRINKLES kits - they are SHARP! Lance and I sat at the barriers for the 35+ race because we wanted to watch the gazelles (i.e. @Delish and others) run through the barriers. Damn...that is something else.
 

The Squirrel

Well-Known Member
Nittany Day 2 – M35+ (a.k.a. the sort of old men)
@The Squirrel @Robin @Dominique @TriChick and others - what say you?

I was a bit more nervous about Nittany than I was about Granogue. Even though I now know the level of suffering I should expect the course was not going to play into my strengths. I hardly have the horsepower that most others have and pray for a more technical course, so I can take advantage of others mistakes.


My panic started over a week earlier as I was watching the weather. With a storm coming, I decided that I should run to the store and buy a pair of PDX’s so I was ready for the deep mud. They came in on Saturday and I ran to Montclair to pick them up. Montclair is a black hole for me as I either get lost coming or going. Saturday, the gods smiled and allowed me safe passage in both directions. When I got home, I fired up the computer to figure out which way the treads go when I got an email from @Hotsause who said skip the mud tires. I lost a lot of sleep over this decision…


Up at 4, ready by 5:45a, @Hotsause and I are on our way, the whole time I’m looking out the window and praying the whole tire thing was going to work out. We arrive early enough to get a few laps in before the first race, which I need. We roll back to the car and I make my big mistake. I grab a Vega bar and woof it down. After I ate it I knew there was going to be a battle in my gut for the whole race.


We line up for the 4/5 and I’m in the 4th row. This was far better than my Granogue start. I know I’m going to bleed places especially at the start, so being a little farther up leaves me in a good place at the first pinch point. I start well with a quick clip, am doing good and all of a sudden a rider just explodes to the left of me. I can’t account for anyone else, but I got by and in good position at the swamp. After the first lap my stomach was a mess and I felt horrible for the remainder of the day and it had its toll on my psyche and energy the entire race.


I really got beaten up with all the bumps and roots. Between that and the long straights on the back I lost a lot of places. I had very few issues with all the turns, obstacles, and the off camber stuff. I actually felt a little pride in protecting my place through all the turns before the barriers. I had good lines all through there. Two laps to go there was someone in front of me and behind me. This seemed to be my battle as we switched places a few times, mostly because one of them would go down in a turn. In the end, I burned all my matches on the straights and ended up 81st out of 89 starters, last of the lead lap, which was better than Granogue (96th/117, pulled on last lap).


Got back to the car and the skies opened up and dumped on us. I guess the CX angels were looking out for me on Sunday as well.

Took a nice shower, strolled the grounds, watched some real racing and stopped by the MTBNJ tent. All and all, a great day.


I’m looking forward to Marty’s in two weeks. Maybe I’ll get to use my PDX’s.
 

MadisonDan

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
81st would mean you're Mark, which also means you finished on the lead lap! Nice job @The Squirrel

Marty's is in 4 weeks though... Next weekend is Town Hall, then Hippo/Caffeinated, then Cooper River, then Marty CX.....

Good write up... pre race food takes a few tries to dial in...
 

The Squirrel

Well-Known Member
81st would mean you're Mark, which also means you finished on the lead lap! Nice job @The Squirrel

Marty's is in 4 weeks though... Next weekend is Town Hall, then Hippo/Caffeinated, then Cooper River, then Marty CX.....

Good write up... pre race food takes a few tries to dial in...

Yes I am.

I meant Caffinated...And you'd think the post-it on my keyboard would have helped me there!

BTW, who was the guy all in black near the back of the mtbnj tent heckling? He lost it a bit when I came by him and threw my hands up in the air in my pre-finish victory celebration.
 

Delish

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
After the first lap my stomach was a mess and I felt horrible for the remainder of the day and it had its toll on my psyche and energy the entire race.

Cross Gut. I get it almost every race.

Sounds like you had fun nonetheless. See you next time
 

The Squirrel

Well-Known Member
Maybe it was all the blood leaving my head and going to my legs, but the carnage seemed much more severe from the side. Maybe there were flying body parts after he got plowed by the racers behind.
 

Santapez

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
-The podcast should be audio and available via RSS so it automatically pops up on people's phones. If people have to go search for the next one it won't be popular and interest will die out.
-Sean needs to MC it.
-At some point there needs to be a guest who's last name starts with Van Der. They don't need to ride bikes.


I was tempted to completely make up a Nittany race report even though I was 100 miles away. 90% sure nobody would have called me on it.
 

Norm

Mayor McCheese
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Just upload to YouTube with a still image maybe? I have no tech skills but that seems like an easy solution.

For sure it is. But I feel like people don't like when a video just has audio and a still picture. But for sure this is an easy solution that we could whip up quickly. And really we could even then put in video clips as well, which would be an added bonus. You know, like videos of 8 people sitting under a tent. MUCH EXCITE!
 

rsinger814

Well-Known Member
Sorry I'm away from my computer right now, leave me a message and I'll respond when I get back.

Anyway, packed everything up Friday night, made some over night oats (chocolate peanut butter) in a mason jar. Easy to grab and go for the early morning race. Hammer that down, a banana, and iced coffee.

We are arrive at Nittany around 7:30, hit registration, grab my bike and jump on the course for some laps. I pick out some of the lines and I'm feeling good. Head back to the car and talk to Keb about my the course and as I'm talking about it I start to feel the nerves coming on. Try to get down some more water and ride down the road to take my mind off of this whole race thing. I don't know what to expect, it's my first MAC race. I'll be happy with top 20.

10 minutes to go, they start calling people up and realize I'm close to the front. 2nd ROW, SWEET! I choose the left side to have the inside for the first turn. Whistle sounds, and we're off. Around the first turn and I'm sitting in 5th. As we get to the turns in the upper field, I quickly realize most I'll be faster through the turns. I make a few passes, now in 3rd. Am I going out too hard? I don't know if I should be up here. Heart rate doesn't leave the mid 180s.

This feels good, so I sit in behind Patrick on King Kog and Stephen on CRCA. Stephen is has power on the long straights, I won't be able to out sprint him. 3rd lap we pass some King Kog guys handing up marshmallows, Pat skips it, I go wide and snag one, this gives me Mallow Power and I make the pass on Pat, yelling "Marshmallow Power!"

Stephen is only a few bike lengths a head, he has been taking the lower line on the off camber u-turn. I take the inside line for 1st place.
IMG_1092[1].JPG


Picture of the pass for 1st!

I finally get around to the start/finish and see 2 laps to go. I hope I can hold him off. I know he will crush me on the straights, so I hammer down through all of the turns and open up a gap.

On the same off camber turn, a guy is shouting "Dollar for 1st place!" so I snag that too and stuff it into my jersey pocket. Last lap now and all I have to do is be smooth, so I focus, and it's uneventful. I come through the line in 1st! What a relief, I didn't blow up!
IMG_1088[1].JPG

IMG_1091[1].JPG


Chat with @The Heckler for a bit and have to dart off to a wedding! Stoked on CROSS!
 

MadisonDan

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Sorry I'm away from my computer right now, leave me a message and I'll respond when I get back.

Anyway, packed everything up Friday night, made some over night oats (chocolate peanut butter) in a mason jar. Easy to grab and go for the early morning race. Hammer that down, a banana, and iced coffee.

We are arrive at Nittany around 7:30, hit registration, grab my bike and jump on the course for some laps. I pick out some of the lines and I'm feeling good. Head back to the car and talk to Keb about my the course and as I'm talking about it I start to feel the nerves coming on. Try to get down some more water and ride down the road to take my mind off of this whole race thing. I don't know what to expect, it's my first MAC race. I'll be happy with top 20.

10 minutes to go, they start calling people up and realize I'm close to the front. 2nd ROW, SWEET! I choose the left side to have the inside for the first turn. Whistle sounds, and we're off. Around the first turn and I'm sitting in 5th. As we get to the turns in the upper field, I quickly realize most I'll be faster through the turns. I make a few passes, now in 3rd. Am I going out too hard? I don't know if I should be up here. Heart rate doesn't leave the mid 180s.

This feels good, so I sit in behind Patrick on King Kog and Stephen on CRCA. Stephen is has power on the long straights, I won't be able to out sprint him. 3rd lap we pass some King Kog guys handing up marshmallows, Pat skips it, I go wide and snag one, this gives me Mallow Power and I make the pass on Pat, yelling "Marshmallow Power!"

Stephen is only a few bike lengths a head, he has been taking the lower line on the off camber u-turn. I take the inside line for 1st place.
View attachment 41139

Picture of the pass for 1st!

I finally get around to the start/finish and see 2 laps to go. I hope I can hold him off. I know he will crush me on the straights, so I hammer down through all of the turns and open up a gap.

On the same off camber turn, a guy is shouting "Dollar for 1st place!" so I snag that too and stuff it into my jersey pocket. Last lap now and all I have to do is be smooth, so I focus, and it's uneventful. I come through the line in 1st! What a relief, I didn't blow up!
View attachment 41147
View attachment 41149

Chat with @The Heckler for a bit and have to dart off to a wedding! Stoked on CROSS!

Great job. Did I read that correct. Two (2) handups AND the win? Shit. Congrats on the win!
 

The Heckler

You bring new meaning to the term SUCK
Sorry I'm away from my computer right now, leave me a message and I'll respond when I get back.

Anyway, packed everything up Friday night, made some over night oats (chocolate peanut butter) in a mason jar. Easy to grab and go for the early morning race. Hammer that down, a banana, and iced coffee.

We are arrive at Nittany around 7:30, hit registration, grab my bike and jump on the course for some laps. I pick out some of the lines and I'm feeling good. Head back to the car and talk to Keb about my the course and as I'm talking about it I start to feel the nerves coming on. Try to get down some more water and ride down the road to take my mind off of this whole race thing. I don't know what to expect, it's my first MAC race. I'll be happy with top 20.

10 minutes to go, they start calling people up and realize I'm close to the front. 2nd ROW, SWEET! I choose the left side to have the inside for the first turn. Whistle sounds, and we're off. Around the first turn and I'm sitting in 5th. As we get to the turns in the upper field, I quickly realize most I'll be faster through the turns. I make a few passes, now in 3rd. Am I going out too hard? I don't know if I should be up here. Heart rate doesn't leave the mid 180s.

This feels good, so I sit in behind Patrick on King Kog and Stephen on CRCA. Stephen is has power on the long straights, I won't be able to out sprint him. 3rd lap we pass some King Kog guys handing up marshmallows, Pat skips it, I go wide and snag one, this gives me Mallow Power and I make the pass on Pat, yelling "Marshmallow Power!"

Stephen is only a few bike lengths a head, he has been taking the lower line on the off camber u-turn. I take the inside line for 1st place.
View attachment 41139

Picture of the pass for 1st!

I finally get around to the start/finish and see 2 laps to go. I hope I can hold him off. I know he will crush me on the straights, so I hammer down through all of the turns and open up a gap.

On the same off camber turn, a guy is shouting "Dollar for 1st place!" so I snag that too and stuff it into my jersey pocket. Last lap now and all I have to do is be smooth, so I focus, and it's uneventful. I come through the line in 1st! What a relief, I didn't blow up!
View attachment 41147
View attachment 41149

Chat with @The Heckler for a bit and have to dart off to a wedding! Stoked on CROSS!
MALLOW, $$$ and Top step?! That's a great day.
 
Top Bottom