Monday, November 14, 2005

Bike Authority Cyclocross Series 2 - Boughton Farm

November 13, 2005

http://www.teamlakeeffect.com/

It ain't easy racing A's. I've got a total mind change going here. Last year, I was at the front (well, almost) for most of the races. I was chasing guys that were super strong, and working on consistancy to take the series points race. This year, my goals are to do the best I can, and do my level best to finish on the lead lap. No small feat either. Last week I made it because the laps were 2.1 miles long and I only made it by a short disance.

This week, we're at Boughton Farm. This is at least the third (fourth?) time I've raced here in three seasons. It's a real working farm, with cabbage, peppers and pumkins in the fields. We race around the tractor paths, and through the wood stands between the fields. The trails are pretty rutted up from both flowing water, and tractor wheels, but there are good lines, if you plan ahead.

The Course 

The course starts going through and around the north field. The trail through is pretty rutted up, so you have to concentrate almost as soon as your moving. Coming around the back of the field is the first of two nasty false flat rises. Over the rise on the back end, we twist between the fields and into the first barrier set. This time, I think they had regulation height, because they sure seemed high.

After the barriers, we finished the north field, and started down the south. We twist south through a couple of single track sections... very tight single track, with a barrier set on a short incline between them. This set was very spread out, so we were running the bike between the barrier jumps. A few more  turns through the woods, and we head around the south end of the field into the second false flat rise. This one was a little moist, so tended to suck the life out of the wheels. We finished the lap with four field crossings that were pretty fast hard pack before taking the tractor road back to the finish line.

Again we were looking at a long course close to 1.8 miles. This is good for me as it would help me hold off getting lapped by the stinking fast A racers.

Very little rain this week, so the course was mostly dry. Being mostly flat, I turned it into another family outing. The kids would race the C race, then hang out while I did the A's. It was really nice to see the junior turn out this week. I think there were about 10 under 16's out there today.

B/C Race 

So, the format for this is a 12:00 start time for the B race, then they let the C's go a few minutes later. SnakeBite had 3 in the B field. Brett coming off a third place last week, Pat was looking for a top 10 this week after just missing it last week, and Todd couldn't resist racing in his backyard. There has been really good turn outs with 42 Bs last week, and 43 this week.

50 degrees or so and overcast, threatening skies with some nasty winds. We'll see if we get any true cross weather.

Off they went, and the first wreck happened about 500 meters from the start. Lots of B's learned about the importance of the hole shot there.  Turns out last weeks winner went down hard, and took a trip to the ER to check for a broken collar bone. 

One lap in, and Brett is off the front with Matt from Lake Effect. Pat and Todd are in the first chase group, though they wouldn't see Matt or Brett again. Brett worked hard, but Matt got the gap and Brett finished second. Pat raced hard for a top 10 with Todd following close behind.

My kids did alright. All three were lapped by the B's before they finish the first lap. My youngest had the hardest day, sliding out on the tractor road close to the end of the first lap, she called it a day. The other two finished the second lap, one down on the C race winner.

 A Race

On to my main event. I did some warm up laps with Jeff from Honey-Stinger and Ryan from Spin. We were down a few A racers as some of them decided to try their hand in the B field, so the three of us would be close to back markers if we didn't improve much on last week. It was me, Ryan and Jeff finishing at the back of the lead lap. 50+ degrees, and I was hot with the base layer and arm warmers, so I dropped them before the start. Then lining up, we're all getting cold.

Usual suspects are out, in a field of about 20. John Lorson from Orrville moved into the A field this week. He set up a geared bike for the race, and was warning us it was s shake down cruise so watch out for falling parts. Brett was getting crazy (like I have been) and jumped in for a double does of pain.  

At the wistle, we're off. I'm not going like crazy, after seeing the first lap wreck in the B's, I want to make it through the day unscathed. I had some lines picked out, and intended on starting smooth, and moving up through the field. I've been feeling good in training this week, so I'm hoping for a better result than my 12th last week, at least percentage wise.

At the north end of the first field, the first casualty is in, Shawn Adams is running the bike with a broken chain. Tough way to start the day, as he's been going really well this year. Through the first false flat, and Ryan comes by me... it's a long race, so I'm wondering if he's going to blow up again like last week. Jeff is still on my wheel, and we've got a few guys behind us including Brett. I'm keeping Ryan close, as we start to settle into sorting out the field.

Then the carnage starts. Lorson drops his chain for the first of many times. So we pass him. Then Steve from Solon gets caught up with a mechanical, and we're by him. So I'm moving up on the field because of mechanical difficulties, but I'll take that.

Coming through the second false flat, it's looking like Ryan is already into difficulty. So I decide to try my luck at the front. Through for the first lap, and I'm sitting around mid pack. I pushed it a bit more through the start/finish and opened a small gap on Ryan and Jeff. Making the turn through the fields, I glance back to check the gap, and find myself in an erosion rut... I make it out quickly, and take note to find the lines before checking behind me.

About half way through the second lap, Mike Gorman from StarkVelo comes around me, and I decide to try and stick with him for a bit. It's work, but I open the gap on Ryan and Jeff some more before I fall off Goreman's pace. He's reelling in Ross from Solon faster than I can get there. So we're moving into the stable part of the race.

2 laps of 8 down, and I've got a gap behind and one ahead. Gorman is opening it up on Ross, and it looks like I'm closing in on him.

3 laps in, and Ryan is gone from behind me. Jeff is being persistant, but not really moving up on me much. At one switch back, he tells me Ryan went down. Gorman is gone, but I'm holding the gap to Ross steady. I think I can pull him back. So that's my goal now. I'm close enough to watch his barrier form, and he does not look comfortable. So I should be able to make up ground through the technical stuff... oh, if only there were more than two dismounts.

On the fourth lap, I drop my chain on the second barrier set. I get it reset lightning fast, but that doesn't help me mentally. Now I've lost ground I already had, and Jeff has a little bonus. 'Cross is the sport of limiting losses, and I just lost more than I'm used to.

Then things start getting interesting. At the end of the fourth lap, I see Goreman going backwards. Ross catches him, and I'm closing in. He's been known to have back trouble, and it looks to be back big time. At the start finish, I pass him as he's climbing off.

Behind me Steve from Solon has pulled Jeff back in. The only reason he's back there is a mechanical, and he's slowly making progress. By 3/4 of the way through the 5th lap, he's caught me. As he comes around, I tell myself "there is no way I'm giving up on this guy. He's going to have to work for this place." I sit on his wheel and work to stay there. 

Through the start finish, I'm doing alright holding on. This might work out, but now I've got a problem. I'm hoping Steve will pull me up to Ross, but they are on the same team. Will he do it? I start to wonder if he's going all out, so I come around and pull for a while. Steve is right there. Then he comes around again. Ross calls out that he can take me... so I dig a little deeper. 2 laps to go, and I'm still on his wheel through the start finish. I get a better line in the field, and push hard to get a gap... and I do!

Actually, I'm quickly pulling Ross back in! I catch him at the barriers. Of course, I flub the one that will put me in front. So I'm following him through the single track. I'm actually able to hold on for the two tight sections, which surprises me, as Ross is an expert mountain biker. I again blow the chance to pull ahead of him on the second barrier set. Then heading into the south end of the field, he starts to open the gap again. I've been railing, and figure a little recovery time is in order. Oh I hope we're getting close to the end!

Sure enough, one to go... now I want to try to close that gap up again. It looks like Steve is pretty far back, so I'm not going to worry about holding this place, I only want to recatch Ross. But he stays clean through everything, and holds me off. I'm well ahead of Steve for 10th place. A top 10 in the A's!

Post 

After coming through the line, my youngest comes up with a pack of M&M's for me. So I even get some spoils for my work. Very nice having the family cheering me on throughout the race.

10th place is good for me. I'm hoping to continue to improve throughout the series. I was very pleased that I could hold onto Steve as he came up to me. Unfortunately, that probably means I have to work on my mental aspects. I held on, and was able to drop him. Could I have gone harder, and maybe picked up another place earlier? Kind of like Kivalev being able to follow Ullrich in the tour time trial. 

Talking to Jeff afterward, he again held off Paul Martin so he finished on the lead lap. He said he knew that once Steve caught me, we would be gone. So he tried like crazy to hang on. Nice to learn that Jeff knows me that well... and knows I wasn't going all out I guess.

Every week is a learning experience. So I've got some things to take away from this week. I probably should have shouldered the bike through the long barrier set. I ended up carrying a bottle that I didn't touch until I climbed off. The only reason it was there was that I didn't expect to have to carry any section. Of course, I didn't think of the carry until hours after the race was over, and I was analyzing the dropped chain.

Starting about the fourth lap, I had some serious hand numbness going on. Only the right hand, but it was almost dead numb. Looks like I've got some work to do on my position, or something. I tend to ride in the drops, but was forced to the hoods more than I wanted to be in the second half of the race. Could that have given me enough for a place? It did pretty much stop once I dropped Steve, so I was happy I didn't loose a place because of it. 

Here are the stats:
8 laps
1.8 miles/lap
Min/Avg/max HR  158/168/175 (ouchies, my max isn't that far off)
1:05:10
14.8 miles

Paul Martin won in 59:+, so I was only about 6 minutes off the winning pace. It's a goal... I was about 15 seconds back from 9th, and about a minute back from 8th. More work for me this week.

Next weekend, back to Bay Village, and the sledding hill run up. Whoohoo! Hopefully, we'll have more barriers than last week.

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