Cyclocross!
I’m having way more fun with this then with the other disciplines. Racing with the MAC Killer B’s is competitive to say the least. NJ B’s are a bit easier.
Nittany is one of the earliest CX races in the country, its the first MAC weekend, and its key to getting points early. Unfortunately, I had a slow start at Nittany (38 and 36). In a slippery muddy course, I went down a bunch, had several mechanicals, switched bikes a few times courtesy of my wife as pit crew, and that was that. Second day was a bit better, but I still fell like 3x.
Pics1
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150300950959333.352074.616184332&type=1&l=40ba4cf509
Pics2 -
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150300252739333.351858.616184332&type=1&l=b961ec8c7a
Whirlybird (26th/90), better. That was a course favoring power over handling. Usually a painful experience, and this was as painful as expected.
So the deal with callups is you need to get into top 25 to get points to get called up. Otherwise you’re sol and its order of bike reg. I was able to register early enough for most of the rest of races where it didn’t hurt too much. But it's still 5-7 rows back.
Hillbilly (NJ 12th/38), not as good as I hoped, but ok. Muddy, but pretty fun course. Strong start, but lame finish.
Town Hall Cross (PA series, 8th/27) in Masters 35+. This had a big hill, and since it kind of resembled a mini-Granogue, it was a good warmup for that. This is probably the only time I’m doing an old guys race, unless kids hockey schedule says otherwise.
Looking at the scoresheets for B races, I’m usually always the only guy over 40 in the top half of the scoresheet. Crossresults.com does a neat breakdown with charts and stuff.
So as I go through the
Cross training program I am feeling stronger and stronger. The workouts become second nature, and you come to expect the Tue/Wed suffer-fests at 6am (early enough for me). I have set my stuff up in my two secret cross training grounds. My core and arms is also a routine in the basement. I do almost every weekday ride on grass, even the openers, combined with skills practice. Running workouts are typically sacrificed due to time, not because I dislike running. Something has to give. The other thing that gets sacrificed usually is a longer weekend ride, again, with travel hockey for 2 diff teams it’s a scheduling nightmare.
Granogue, my favorite venue 33/127 and 27/124. Lots of climbing, lots of bike handling, awesome vibe and scenery. Fun, felt strong as ever, no issues. Best races so far. Happy with my placement, those fields are HUGE, and those guys are skinny.
Pics1
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150345283249333.360843.616184332&type=1&l=058be0d359
So the reality I guess is in any MAC B race with between 80-100+ entrants, I’m just fine to be in top 30, and if I’m lucky I’ll be in the points. To be in Top 20 would be an overachievement.
Morris CX (NJ) 4th/36. This was a good race, felt strong, but was annoyed somewhat with the course. It was bumpy and blah without a lot of flow. But the MTBNJ mafia was out in full force, which was awesome. Also any race where my family can make it is automatically great.
Pics -
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.294160747279757.85540.100000575017462&type=1&l=f46357c14c
HPCX (MAC) 17th / 64. Mudfest as you’ve seen. I felt good, and was extremely prepared from clothing to proper trainer warmup to equipment. Like overprepared. I even put hot water into my low-pressure spray thingie which proved invaluable in washing up in comfort after.
I ran limus on the back, grifo on the front of my good bike. 25psi in back, 23 in the front. That was pretty much as low as I can go at 171 pounds. My pit bike had bulldog tubeless, also at 25psi, with a burp-free setup. However, bulldogs don’t hold a candle to tubies, and more so to Limus.
In fact, the pressure was so low for me that at the start, my rear squished unnaturally, where I thought I had a flat, so I eased up and had a slow start. The video tells the story of the start. It was a mess.
Unfortunately, if you’re not in the front row for a race start like this you will be down 2 minutes at least during the first lap alone to the guys who are in the front.
I had fun going through the mid-pack of the field. By the end of lap one, things were sorted out. Then it was just picking off random people, and I settled into a trading match with Mike Goret, who has been my carrot in every MAC race. Mike is a pretty strong High Gear guy.
With every turn, the notion of a controlled slide while pedaling becomes key. It took a few to get used to the feel for the kind of mud this was.
At Lap 3, I made the strategic mistake of pitting to clean the bike for what I thought would be a fight to the finish with Goret (I felt good about that). This proved to be a mistake, as the video will show, due to tires. On the first uphill, I was spinning out completely, and lost contact with Goret, and a spot another guy. I think I was lucky not to lose more, but it took a lot of risk taking on the downhills, which the Bulldogs were good enough for. Once I got my good bike back, it was too late.
Anyways, 17th is the best finish in MAC B’s I had all season and probably one of the funnest races I had, probably a close tie with Granogue.
Pics-
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.297857356910096.86478.100000575017462&type=1&l=b0283c165c
Video is uploading, will come tomorrow.
I have 8-10 races to go in CX this season, and I just can’t get enough.
