November 6th, 2004
An extra race this weekend! The Bike Authority series is going on hot and heavy. 6 races in 6 weeks. But with daylight savings time, my training milage has plummeted. So, what the heck. Orrville Cycling team is putting on the first annual (I think) cyclocross race in Orrville, Ohio. So where is that? Turns out it's about an hour away close to Wooster. I get the hall pass for the day, and head down.
The race starts early for 'cross, C race at 10:00, B's at 10:45 and A's close to noon. Very nice for me, since I could be home from the B race by 1:30. I load the kids into the car at 8:30 and we're off. After some MapQuest fun (sometimes it's good, others..), we arrive around 9:50. The kids find the playground, while I get outfitted.
The Course
The course covers a park with some flat trails. The start is near a baseball diamond. There is a tight turn around the field about 30 yards after the start. We head along the field and parking lot, and 180 around a small wooded strip running along the parking lot. Back along the strip, we head to the run up... In the middle of a large field, there is a 20-30 foot high mound. It looks to be about 50 foot in diameter at the base, and is only there to provide a hill. It is grass covered, so it's been here a while. There is a single barrier at the base, to force the dismount. Run up to the top, and you remount as you start the descent down the side.
We continue to traverse the field and enter a wooded section. The course goes along the "long loop", then heads down a hill to a bridge crossing a creek. Up the other side through the woods, that leads to a lake. We circle the lake, and cross another bridge to get to the next field section. Another bridge leads to a small ridable hill. Over the hill, there's a long field before the next barrier. A single that forces the dismount before we run down a 10 foot gully, across the creek, and climb the other side. On the top, we hit the side walk for 100 meters or so, then turn through the lot that leads back to the park. We thread between some more fields, and back into a small wooded section.
Through the woods, there's an exceptionally wet mud puddle at the end leading back to the fields. We head along a fence that leads back to the last wooded section, with a small log crossing, and some swoopy up and downs before we hit the start finish. The course is about 1.5 miles, mostly flat. Actually, my daughter may have like to race this... except for the two barrier sections. She would have had company as the Miranda girls raced... maybe they'll do Boughton Farms together.
The Pre-Race
Since we arrived late, I didn't get a good warmup in. I got to the line as the C's were finishing up. Looked at the clock, and saw 10:34 so I figured one lap would be about it. So off I went.
The day was beautiful, about 60 and clear with a bit of wind. The course was damp though... with some sections being really wet. The first time I hit the run up, I immediately wished I had put my toes spikes in... Both run ups were just wet enough to be slippery. No great trouble, but I'd be doing the runs slower than I could with good footing.
No great worries about the course, it's time to line up. There's a field of 10 for the B race. Who's here? Obviously, there are a couple of Orrville riders, Pat and Linda Miranda from Snake Bite, and Phil Hines. I have no big goals for today, since my target race is tomorrow. So today is practice, and fun. I want a good start... but I'm not going to bury myself and then do poorly at the Bike Authority race. It's to bad the race days weren't switched.
The Race
10 on the line, and the official is calling names. Except the Phil isn't here yet. 10:45.... 10:50. We can see him in the lot about a quarter mile away... finally at 10:55 the official says we'll start without him, and he rolls up just then. We give him grief, count down and we're off.
The hole shot is to get to the fence opening first. First one through the opening doesn't have to wait for anyone else to get through. So I hit it, and make the shot. I start with a reasonable pace, nothing crazy but with some pressure. I've got Chris from Orrville and some others I can't tell. As we hit the run up, I do see some damage being done, but I don't know who's with me. Up and over and into the woods. I'm leading the whole field around within my comfort zone. I'm continually telling myself to go easy, I can't blow before tomorrow. Whatever place is fine.
Through the second bridge, I hit the front lip pretty hard, and wonder if I'm under inflated... remember to hop that from here on out. I'm on the front for the whole first lap, thinking... "I hope I know the course well enough." sure enough, heading into the last wooded section, I mess it up, and find out I've got Chris from Orrville, and Phil with me. They both follow me wrong, we stop, jump back on the course. Phil tells me I'm fired as the leader... to which I respond he can pull whenever he'd like. I lead it through the start finish for the beginning of lap 2.
I'm not thrilled about holding the lead through out the race, so as we head to the run up, I back it off and let the two of them come around. I'm not here for place, and there is a huge gap to Pat Miranda in fourth. I just jump onto Chris's wheel, and let them lead me through the second lap. Chris is doing fine, though it looks he's not looking very smooth through the muddier power sections. He's also giving Phil a bit more gap than I like. But it stays like this through the second lap.
As we it the S/F, the board has us at 30 minutes to go... so we're running 7.5 minutes a lap or so. Chris decides now is a good drink time, and I decide to pass him... and maybe catch Phil. I guess Chris had some trouble getting a clean drink, so I opened a really big gap on him before we hit the run up. Sitting second, I'm not far behind Phil, but I want to stay in my comfort zone. Second is good.
Pretty much status que from here. I'm keeping a constant gap on Phil, and the gap to Chris seems to be opening. The wind is a factor in some spots, and I wouldn't mind catching Phil to work the finish together, but it seems like to much work for a "fun" race. Laps 3 through 5 are just settle in and keep the gap constant. On the 5th lap Phil opened up a little. As we hit the sidewalk, I see him off the bike pulling something out of his bike. He hops back on and the gap is down to what it was before.
Sixth lap, and the bell is ringing. Phil is close enough that I could bury myself, but I just accept my position. I'll take second, and save it for tomorrows race. I'm just here to keep Phil honest. As I pass Phil's wife, I tell her this is the last lap. I do the same for the race official at the sidewalk. Then bring it home... I'm just concentrating on being technically clean.
Finish
Phil must have thought I was going to bury it to the finish. I had him well within site, until the last wooded section... I expected to see him once more before the finish, but he wasn't there. As I pulled through, he was on the fence, and could hardly talk.... man, maybe I should have pushed. I pretty much kept the whole race within a comfort zone, if I would have buried myself could it have been the win I've been looking for? After he'd caught his breath, Phil said he'd have given the win to me, if he knew I was the one chasing him... I was perfectly happy with second. I'd rather beat him racing, than him "giving it away".
Chris pulled in about a minute later for 3rd, and I think Pat Miranda came in for fourth. Pretty good turn out for their first cross race. The course was pretty nice, except it was a bit of a drive. We'll see how next year goes. If it fits the schedule at all, I may be back.
Post
The A race had 6 starters including Phil That's good for me, since it means he won't be at Sunday's race. Brent Evans from Color Me Safe took the win in front of Shawn Adams from Summit. Phil pulled out after 3 of 10 laps.
So, it's time to recover for Sunday's race. I felt totally within myself on this race. My Heart Rate Graph pretty much bears it out. A pretty hard start, and then the rate drops down to a nice effort for the hour. We'll see how it effects the other race.
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