This week, we're back to the Bike Authority series, at Cahoon Park in Bay Village. If history holds, this should be a decent race for me. My second 'cross race was on this course, and my only taste of victory was here also. Both those races were wet, but not as wet as it was supposed to be this Saturday. Forecast calls for rain and 45-50 degrees.... and they get it right. I've grabbed more clothes than I possibly can need, and more gear as well. I've got 2 bikes, and an extra wheel set, and I've even brought the trainer. Have I become a true racer? I am contemplating warming up on a trainer instead of just riding around for a while?
Rain on the trip in... this IS cyclocross weather. How am I going to handle this? I arrive at about 11:45, the precip has reduced to a light drizzle, if at all. The course is right on the lake so there is still some wind. I get signed in and get to watch the B/C races start. We have the usual suspects +1. Rick, Pat, Linda and Gary are joined in the B race by Norm in from east coast action and Don is out working the C race.
Word is Rick brought the easy-up, but I don't see anything. So I find a protected spot under the concession stand roof with Ernesto and Nate Ziccardi and setup there. It turns out, I didn't bring a road wheel with me, so I throw the backup bike on the trainer, and yell at my teammates as the race goes by the front door.
Results are up at http://www.teamlakeeffect.com, Norm was our best place finisher in fourth(?) with the rest of the team doing well in dealing with the mud and notorious sledding hill run up/cobble climb combo. Many pained faces were out in the early race.
Sitting on the trainer, I asked Ernesto if he had seen the course yet. He wasn't hip on getting to wet before the race, so was going back and fourth on doing a prelap. I had pretty much made up my mind already, so after 30 minutes on the trainer, and with the last B racers crossing the line, I took the Surly out for a lap. I found the team tent as I pulled out for the prelap. Brett was on his trainer getting ready for the A race... while the rest of the team was changing and getting into the "recovery" drinks.
The Surly is my pit bike, and I really only wanted it there for emergencies. But I also wanted to get a feel for it on the course, so what the heck, it needs a cleaning anyway. First thing I notices was the Ritchey Speedmax tires were over inflated for this muck. Second thing was, I need to look for the course. It was different enough that I lost it a few times, and had to sit up to find the markers. I made it around, and was glad I did the lap, just for a bit of extra confidence. Back at the van, I dropped the pressure in my tires as low as I comfortably could. Threw the Surly and extra wheels in the pit, figured out my clothing and lined up.
Race
On the line, I contemplated leaving the jacket on for the race... except I knew I'd be working hard in a minute, and then overheat. So I threw it off, and went under dressed for a normal road ride, but with hopefully enough for a 50+ minute all out cross race. They sent the A field, and the 6 master's moved to the line. The A race TOOK OFF! The 6 of us were so busy watching the A race leave, and talking about how fast they were going that I forgot we were going at 30 seconds. GO! What? I'm not ready!!!! 30 second send off, is really fast when you don't pay attention!
So I'm sitting in last wheel from the gun. OK, it's fine, there are only 6 of us, and there's nothing super technical until we get to the sledding hill about half way through the course. So I sit on the wheel, all six of us lined out for lap one. Brent on the front followed by 4 Lake Effects, and me. I'm a little nervous, since my goal is to get in front of Bill again today, so I'm hoping this isn't a team tactic.
Around the grass/pavement transitions, there's no changes until we hit the hill. On the run up, I passed 3 of the 4 Lake Effects. Back down the other side, and I'm passed back into fourth. We hit the mud climb before the cobbles, and I cut it just right on the left through the switchback to gain another spot, and I'm third. Well to the top anyway. On the pavement at the top, I'm passed by 2 before the triple barrier, and I'm chasing on the sidewalk. We lost Derrick on the climb, so the race is down to 5 of us.
Down the sidewalk, and up the off camber climb, Brent and Jeff gain a gap when Rudy goes a little wild behind them. Then, somehow Rudy and Bill gain a gap on me going through the fields. I manage to peg the gap, and keep telling myself not to panic. Bill will come off Rudy's wheel soon, and I have to be ready to press whatever technical advantage I can to get back to him then.
It doesn't take long, at the start of the second lap, Bill starts fading back to me. I passed the start finish at 8:25... so I'm chasing Bill doing math. Yes, instead of some rockin tunes, I do math during a race. (What a geek!) Let's see 8+ minute laps... we'll do 6 laps. K... bring back Bill. I managed to catch him on the second sled hill run up. He goes to the left (the preferred side from what I'm told) I go straight up the middle. I must have passed him before the mud hill, though its a bit foggy now. Pressure to the top, and I've got a small gap.
Now I go into the Paris-Roubaix strategy. Apply pressure on the hard parts, and recover on the flat pavement. So the recovery section at the top of the cobble climb before the triple barriers. I caught the guy at the tail of the A race on the sidewalk, (single speed with the wrong gear) and start to work the gap as best as I can. At the top of the off camber climb, I see that I'm gaining on Brett. Either I'm going well, or Brett isn't, cause I shouldn't be making up much time on him at all. So I yell at him to get moving. What else is a team mate supposed to do?
Speaking of team mates. We've got some rabid fans on the team! Got to love getting yelled at every lap. The sound of the horn, the cowbells and the chants! The feel of the Belgian beer tent... sounds and smells, it's a multi sensory extravaganza! All courtesy of the SnakeBite Racing B/C cyclocrossers! We've got a great team for 'cross! Here's mud in your eye... literally!
So, from now on it's status quo. At the line at lap 2 I see the card says 3 to go. 3 to go seems really short, but maybe math while in the red zone isn't such a great idea. So I do more (I know)... 8:15 x 5 is still under 45 minutes, they must not have set the cards yet. Third time up the run up, third time up the ride up, and I'm getting sloppy. Right before I hit the mud ramp, my foot comes out of the pedal, so I don't shift right, and I bog down at the top. I managed to get it moving again on the paved portion, and make it to the top. Scott Thor and Rick Parr are there, and I'm 20 seconds back... from who? The leaders, or the next guy up the road, my race or the A's? Well, I don't know if it matters, my goal is to stay in front of Bill. I think the next three guys are at the next level up, so my bringing them back is not high on the list of possibilities until I can see one of them up the road.
Through the barriers, and I see Bill just emerge at the top of the climb. NEW GOAL! Idon't want to see him there next lap. On the off camber climb, Brett is still right there. So I yell at him again! Maybe I can catch Brett! Through the line, and I see they've reduced it to 2 laps... so I ask as I go through... 2? They say yes.... OK, start to pick it up then. This is going to be a short race.
Through the run up and the mud ramp again. Not much better, I've got to get this working to maintain my gap! Through the barriers, and I don't see Bill... this should work! At the off camber, Brett is still right there. So this is good, I'm maintaining Brett's pace. Hopefully that will push him a bit also. I don't bother yelling this time. Twice is enough. One lap to go.
Bill is pretty far back, but I don't want to screw this up. So maintain a good pace, key on maintaining pressure. The run up is fine, but the mud ramp is a mess. I end up coming off the bike 3/4 up the hill and running it. Well that won't help! Once off the bike, there's no place to remount until the top of the pavement, so I ran the whole way up. Remount and try to push at the top... but I still need to recover! So recover it is, then I'll push like every other lap. Through the barriers, and Bill is still out of sight. Nice! Going down the sidewalk, I can see Bill running up the mud hill, that's a good sign for me.
This time, I can't see Brett at the top of the off camber. I guess I lost some serious time on that last running of the climb. Well, I'll just hold it and be fine. No panic, no more mistakes. Verify that this is the end and I'm through in 4th. Best finish yet.
Post
Overall a "good day" on last weeks scale Orrville 2006, I beat Bill who I'd like to stay competitive with. Once the race was done, I instantly started to get cold. Dry clothes helped, but I was dreaming of a cup of something hot and a warm fire. So that's the night plan... and some pizza to make it complete.
Special thanks to Gary for this weeks pics. It doesn't matter how good you are, as long as you look good doing it. Well, I guess in 'cross, at least in my case, as long as you make it look like it hurts... Though, I really felt better today, than I have all season.
There's other stories on the day out there.
Scott Thor had a similar race time as mine, so I'm hoping the form is coming around again after losing 3 minutes on him in Orrville last week. ScotThor.com
It sounds like Ernesto should have gone out on a prelap, since he made a wrong turn on the first lap, and had to chase because of it sologoat.blogspot.com.
Props again to the team mates for making the cross scene complete. They're out there after their race, screaming for us. The Belgian Ale may help... "BEER IS GOOD!" I even got props from some of the other racers. It's nice to have some fans!
Next week, the fields of Broadview Heights. How wet will it be? How much single track will we see?
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