The Fields in Broadview Heights - 11/18/2007

The Bike Authority series continues this week, after a month of racing at other locations, we're back to the Fields in Broadview Heights. Team Lake Effect has again put together a nice course here. 40 and partly cloudy meant there were clothing challenges, and the wet turf meant it would be cyclocross not a grass crit on this day.

Course
The start was about 50 meters from the bottom of the major hill. During warm up it was ridable, but I figure after the early races, it would be a run up for most of us. Pavement at the top, lead to a tight turn transition to grass, around the edge of a field, back to pavement leading to the "Cannondale C" decent, and nice, sweeping left hander that would be no problem except that it was on the hill that we just ran up, and the grass was wet, so caution was in order.

A loop around the lower field, switchback into the short run up. Into a pair of sweeping 180s, then through the finish line, and straight into the woods. There were two log crossings. One was ridable, one was barely ridable, most (escept the mountain bikers) were running it. Lots of twisty bits in the woods, but much wider than single track. Once out of the woods, we went around and between the next two soccer fields, one switchback before the log/parking lot transition, and around another soccer field, back to the parking lot. Then a nice fast paved downhill with a curb hop to get back to the start location.

Pre
I got there super early, and had enough time to do some warm up laps before the first race went off. Rain during the week had made the usual places squishy, though it seemed some drainage work was done since last year where some typically bad locations were much dryer this time around. There were still plenty of mucky spots. I sat on the trainer while the B race went off to make sure I was warm enough, then took the race bike around a couple more laps to see how the course had held up to the pounding, and check my tire selection and pressure.

At the Spin race, I'd gone with the Michelin Muds and been pretty unhappy with the whole race. This week, I wanted to go with the Tufos but was concerned how they'd handle the squishy stuff. A couple of laps had me confident that I would only have to watch a thick, soft, uphill spot in the woods, everything else seemed alright, including the wet corners of some of the field traverses. I like the Tufos when they run well, so I figured I'd give it a go, and just be ready for the two wheel float through some of the tricker sections and corners.

Race
With 21 A's and 7 masters, we had one of the larger A fields. We lined up 3 deep and about 15 wide. With the run up this close, I figured a good start was the best strategy... I got onto the front row and we're off.

Not the best start, but not to bad, I'm in 10th or so at the top. The typical guys are at the front, Ernesto, Shawn, Twinning and Paul Martin. Over the upper field crossings, I move into 8th or 9th with someone on my wheel... not sure who it was now, but Brent and Noah Metzler are just a little bit ahead. We make the C descent, and this is where the two wheel slide comes into play... as soon as the tires let go, release the brakes, and let it fly.... much better than last weekend.

I'm feeling pretty good, not full on heart rate, so I give it another push. Around the second run up, and I pass Rudy... sitting second in the Master's field now. At the top, I drive some more... still a small gap to Brent and Noah as we head into the woods, and I'm told I'm in 7th with Ross on my wheel. He's a better mountain biker than I am, but even with him riding and me running the log, he wasn't coming around, and we closed the gap to Brent and Noah. I got around Noah at the squishy part, and then finished the woods on Brent's wheel. Something must have happened to Ross in the woods, cause by the time we got into the fields it was Brent, Noah and I... and I'm feeling good.

Second lap, up the run up, I'm dangling just off Brent and Noah. Behind Zak is alone chasing, then it's a group of 4 with Rudy and Matt Weeks, Dan Quinlin, and Ross. I need to hang with Brent and Noah for as long as I can... through the woods the second time, I close the gap up to them a bit... but they open it in the fields.

We made the hop to the run up for the third time at 17 minutes even, so I'm running 8.5 minute laps. On the run up, I closed the gap a bit again, then missed the pedal and did a little too much recovery on pavement at the top and it opened right back up again. Hey, I've got to keep racing here! I'm in a decent spot, with a good gap back to Zak and even more to Rudy (who's in my race).

In the woods, with all the switchbacks, I could see Zak closing in a little. So I decides to push some more. Once in the field, I decided to take the line through the muddiest corner close to the tape, and I hooked a stake with my bars. If this had been one of the nice new plastic stakes, I'm sure it would have bent, maybe come out of the ground and just messed up my line. But this was a wooden stake, and I assure you it was well secured, because it launched me into the mud. I probably slid 10 feet.

Back on the bike... get it moving through the mud, and Zak is gaining. When he connects, he says we should work to keep the others from catching us. I make sure I'm alright, and sit on Zak for a minute to take inventory. Back through the run up, and the others are on us up the hill. Zak is still up front, but I'm slowing down. Quinlin comes by, then Weeks. Going down the C, Matt is running the hard part. Hmmmm, that's interesting.

I get around Quinlin on the descent, but Rudy and Ross get around me. Heading into the woods Quinlin gets around me... big mistake on my part, because he is NOT good in the woods, the other 4 opened a gap through the twisty bits, and then Quinlin used his monster engine to open a gap on me out of the woods.

I've just let 5 guys pass me! Am I racing or on another Sunday in the park! So, I dig in hard and hold the gap through the first two fields. Making the switchback turn towards the log/parking lot transition, my front tire does a weird slide.. I think it's going flat! A flat!! I'm in a great position, I feel great and am ready to get back into the race, and now I have to swap my front wheel!

As I head to the log, I look back and no one is through the woods yet. So I've got a ton of space behind me. I make the parking lot, and sure enough the front tire is low. How am I going to do the pits? Since this isn't a real UCI race, and rules are not real firm, I could exit the course when I get back to the parking lot, get to the pits, grab my wheel, then get back to the course... but that would take a long time. I certainly don't want to run the whole course to the pit... that would take longer.

When I get to the parking lot, my tire still has some air, I decide to ride the course to the pits. The Tufos are tubbies of sorts, so I should be able to ride them flat, right? As long as they don't roll off the rim. So I take the corners gingerly, and make my way around. At the top of the run up, I can see I'm not really losing to much space. So just relax and get to the pits as quickly as I can. The tire holds through the C descent, and around the field, so I'm in the clear.

Once back at the top, heading to the line, I tell Gary (taking photo's) I have a flat. Gary yells to Rick, who happens to be spectating by the pits, that I have a flat. Rick asks, "front or rear"? As I come to the pit, I say front, and he hands me a wheel... and it's even my wheel (no idea how he did that). I got my wheel off, new wheel on, reattach the brake (good thinking on my part there), and head back into the woods. Back into the chase.

I figure I'm in 12th place. It's about 46 minutes in, so I've got about 20 minutes more to go. Once out of the woods, I can see Matt Weeks ahead of me, the others have left him behind. As I traverse the fields Thom Dominic is the closest behind, but I've still got a nice gap back to him. I'm still in third of the Master's and my flat hasn't lost me any real places. Time to get back to racing.

Next time around, I've closed the gap to Matt a little, I can see he's running a good deal of the woods. But with all the long switch backs, it's hard to judge how close I am until we get back to the field... and he's still a good ways ahead. 2 laps to go, so I have to start working harder. The gap back to Thom doesn't seem to have changed much.

With one lap to go, it's the same as before, but Thom seems to be moving up a bit. I have to leave everything here. As we hit the hill for the last time, I admit I will not catch Matt. At the top of the hill, though I see Quinlin coming back to me fast. I think I can get him...so I go to work, and almost immediately screw up a turn, and go right over the timbers in the field. I sure hope these tires hold up to the abuse I'm dishing out. I don't want another flat today. Last time down the descent, and it looks like Quinlin has totally given up. I pass him hard in the field, and he doesn't budge. Through the run up, I don't see anyone, so I coast it in for the finish.

Post
I'm really pleased with this race. 3rd place in the masters, 11th overall in the A race. I'm disappointed with the flat because I probably lost a minute or more to that, which was at least 2 places, and might have given me a fighting chance with Rudy. I'm not saying I'd have beaten him, but it would have been fun to go more head to head. We probably both would have gone faster then.

I'm really liking the way the Tufos handled the mud there also. I could hold my line well through some of the muddier corners, and though the rear didn't hook up well in the soft uphill section in the woods, they did fine everywhere else. I'm hoping I can get the front to hold air again... or maybe it's time to get some real tubbies... early Christmas present perhaps?

I've still got this passive racing thing going on, I should have fought for the line into the woods with Quinlin, because I wouldn't have lost that much space to Rudy, Matt and Ross there. But overall, I'm happy I raced well and was technically clean, with a few minor exceptions. Hooking that stack was not a good idea, though it was an agressive line that caused it. It was one of the better races of the season.

Gary has pics posted on his Flickr account. Be sure to look for the pics of Thom, he looks like he's having fun out there.... the rest of us look to be in pain.

Three more races in the season. I'm hoping to put three good ones together now. Next week we're back at Broadview Heights, then to Boughton Farm for the last two weeks.