I'm not as funny as JPows and I neither sing nor dance in this episode, but I thought it was pretty entertaining. Here it is. Hope you enjoy!
UnderTheBarriers #1 from Kim Bailey on Vimeo.
Race report, etc. to follow!
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Under The Barriers Episode 1
Kim Bailey's easily one of the coolest people I've had the pleasure of dealing with this 'cross season. She's the closest I have to a 'local' teammate, she's welcoming, and has done way more for me than I deserve! Plus, her dog is pretty awesome. I crashed with her last weekend before the race in Winston-Salem, and she had the idea for a spoof/homage to "Behind the Barriers".
I'm not as funny as JPows and I neither sing nor dance in this episode, but I thought it was pretty entertaining. Here it is. Hope you enjoy!
Race report, etc. to follow!
I'm not as funny as JPows and I neither sing nor dance in this episode, but I thought it was pretty entertaining. Here it is. Hope you enjoy!
Race report, etc. to follow!
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Rambling and planning
Today's my birthday! Woohoo! I don't really make a big deal about my birthday... it's not exactly like I was actively involved in the process. In actuality, I turned around and tried to head back in. But I do like free stuff, and my favorite acquisition this year so far has been a 2001 Specialized Hardrock... even though that wasn't a birthday present.
I'm not a real big fan of Specialized as a company. It's the punk rocker in me that rebels against the norm. Plus, "innovate or die" is a stupid slogan. But, I've been looking for a mountain bike for a while and I didn't have to exchange any cash for this. I love a good trade.
Basically, I like road riding, but road racing irritates me. It hurts. Traditionally, I'm not fast, and I just get frustrated. I enjoyed the USA Crits Speedweeks. Not racing it, but traveling to watch the pro races-- standing on the side of the road and screaming at TMK in South Carolina's smallest towns, driving 3:30 to Athens to stand in the rain ALL DAY was a lot of fun! But actually participating in these races was less than exciting.
On the flip side of this, I LOVE RACING CYCLO-CROSS. I love training for 'cross, I love being in the dirt and the grass, I love driving my bike a lot more than pedaling it, I love the cold, I love how much it hurts. Most importantly, I love how fun it is even when you suck. Getting dropped in a road race is depressing, but since the field blows up so much in a 'cross race there isn't really any "getting dropped". I'm looking for a spring time competition that can be as fun and motivating as 'cross is in the winter.
I'd rather spend 3 hours in the woods on my 'cross bike any day over riding 3:30 to Lake Murray on my road bike. The 'cross bike isn't the best equipped bike for the trails though. I'd like to try other trails around here and I'd like to be able to hammer them a little bit harder. I'd also like to be able to ride with other people and go to other trails (FATS, Pisgah, Dupont) and not feel under equipped. This is where the mountain bike comes into play.
For awhile I resisted the urge to take up mountain biking. I thought road racing was more beautiful, classical and I enjoyed the persona of a roadie much more. After racing a season on the road, I'm looking for something a little bit different.
So now that I've got a mountain bike, I'm looking at mountain bike races in which I can participate. Winter short track in Charlotte is the obvious choice. NC Cyclo-Cross wraps up on January 23, and there are short track races every Sunday after that until February 13 (and then there's more 'cross racing in Knoxville on February 20 and 21!!!!). Short track is an obvious transition from 'cross. It's short, fast and hard! I'm pretty much committed already! After this is gets a little bit hazy.
Last year I stopped racing at the beginning of May. Took May off and started training the second week in June. This meant I got May to rest, relax and enjoy time as a normal person. Plus I have a girlfriend that likes to spend the occasional weekend with me. Next year's training is even more important to me. I want to start racing 'cross in September next year and then go to collegiate nationals in January (2012). So getting some solid training in before this seems like a pretty good idea.
However, we have a Southern Regional Series for mountain bike racing (http://www.southernclassicmtb.org/). It runs March-August. The races are pretty spread out. So it may be possible. Plus, one of those races is a 10 minute bike ride from my house... DUH! It's tempting to keep racing through the summer. You know, like most normal bike racers. But I'm not a normal bike racer. I'm a CROSS racer, so I should probably use some of that time to be training, not just racing. Who knows.
There's also no reason to QUIT road racing. I just don't think I'm going to put as much emphasis on it as I did previously. There's no reason I have to choose one over the other, is there?
So my new challenge is to try to figure out how to transition from 'cross into winter mountain biking in February, then to cross-country racing in the spring (maybe with the occasional crit and spectating at Speedweeks), and then how to fit in training for the 2011-2012 'cross season. I'm not very good at making decisions.
I imagine this reads like I have no idea what I was trying to say. I don't really. This should be funny to read in the morning.
I'm not a real big fan of Specialized as a company. It's the punk rocker in me that rebels against the norm. Plus, "innovate or die" is a stupid slogan. But, I've been looking for a mountain bike for a while and I didn't have to exchange any cash for this. I love a good trade.
Basically, I like road riding, but road racing irritates me. It hurts. Traditionally, I'm not fast, and I just get frustrated. I enjoyed the USA Crits Speedweeks. Not racing it, but traveling to watch the pro races-- standing on the side of the road and screaming at TMK in South Carolina's smallest towns, driving 3:30 to Athens to stand in the rain ALL DAY was a lot of fun! But actually participating in these races was less than exciting.
On the flip side of this, I LOVE RACING CYCLO-CROSS. I love training for 'cross, I love being in the dirt and the grass, I love driving my bike a lot more than pedaling it, I love the cold, I love how much it hurts. Most importantly, I love how fun it is even when you suck. Getting dropped in a road race is depressing, but since the field blows up so much in a 'cross race there isn't really any "getting dropped". I'm looking for a spring time competition that can be as fun and motivating as 'cross is in the winter.
I'd rather spend 3 hours in the woods on my 'cross bike any day over riding 3:30 to Lake Murray on my road bike. The 'cross bike isn't the best equipped bike for the trails though. I'd like to try other trails around here and I'd like to be able to hammer them a little bit harder. I'd also like to be able to ride with other people and go to other trails (FATS, Pisgah, Dupont) and not feel under equipped. This is where the mountain bike comes into play.
For awhile I resisted the urge to take up mountain biking. I thought road racing was more beautiful, classical and I enjoyed the persona of a roadie much more. After racing a season on the road, I'm looking for something a little bit different.
So now that I've got a mountain bike, I'm looking at mountain bike races in which I can participate. Winter short track in Charlotte is the obvious choice. NC Cyclo-Cross wraps up on January 23, and there are short track races every Sunday after that until February 13 (and then there's more 'cross racing in Knoxville on February 20 and 21!!!!). Short track is an obvious transition from 'cross. It's short, fast and hard! I'm pretty much committed already! After this is gets a little bit hazy.
Last year I stopped racing at the beginning of May. Took May off and started training the second week in June. This meant I got May to rest, relax and enjoy time as a normal person. Plus I have a girlfriend that likes to spend the occasional weekend with me. Next year's training is even more important to me. I want to start racing 'cross in September next year and then go to collegiate nationals in January (2012). So getting some solid training in before this seems like a pretty good idea.
However, we have a Southern Regional Series for mountain bike racing (http://www.southernclassicmtb.org/). It runs March-August. The races are pretty spread out. So it may be possible. Plus, one of those races is a 10 minute bike ride from my house... DUH! It's tempting to keep racing through the summer. You know, like most normal bike racers. But I'm not a normal bike racer. I'm a CROSS racer, so I should probably use some of that time to be training, not just racing. Who knows.
There's also no reason to QUIT road racing. I just don't think I'm going to put as much emphasis on it as I did previously. There's no reason I have to choose one over the other, is there?
So my new challenge is to try to figure out how to transition from 'cross into winter mountain biking in February, then to cross-country racing in the spring (maybe with the occasional crit and spectating at Speedweeks), and then how to fit in training for the 2011-2012 'cross season. I'm not very good at making decisions.
I imagine this reads like I have no idea what I was trying to say. I don't really. This should be funny to read in the morning.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
CBC Cyclo-Cross 12/5
I have an exam I should be studying for. Instead I will continue my blogging marathon over a bowl of tortellini-- my personal favorite variety of stuffed pasta.
Let's hop in the cyclo-cross time machine and go back to 12/5/09. I loaded up the car and made the drive to Greensboro, NC for a race at the Bur-Mil Park and it was good. It was muddy and gross and cold-- in the 30's. Only ten people lined up! I killed the wet stuff, rode in shorts and short sleeves, crashed carrying my spare wheels to the pits, and finished on the podium. I won some wool socks and a mini-pump. I carry that pump with me on every ride now!
It seems fitting that on the day that one upgrade point I earned in Greensboro "expired", I would earn my second ever upgrade point.
Lunch related interjection- how does a microwave choose which pieces of pasta to overcook and which to leave frozen?
I loaded up the Suzuki RENO (Really Enraging, Never Own one) and shipped down to Charleston for the last race of Charleston Bicycle Company's inaugural cyclo-cross series. The course was a good mix of pavement, grass, sand and single track complete with two back to back run ups. The only down side-it was SHORT. We were going to do a lot of laps, which would be tiring.
The race was a combined 1/2/3/4 race, but the 1/2s and the 3/4s would be scored separately. I was scared that I would try to ride with the fast group of 1/2s and end up blowing up, and that the 45 minute race (15 minutes longer than normal) would kill me.
Fortunately, 45 minutes didn't kill me but doing 10-11 laps on that short course almost did.
The first sand pit was deep, and apparently the ruts got filled in every lap. It was rideable, but you were grinding and mashing at the end. Lots of people, myself included, were getting bogged down and dismounting about halfway through. For a couple of laps part of the course tape was down, so you could ride the grass longer and carry more speed into the sand. Too bad somebody found out and fixed it.
The hills were rideable too, though apparently not for me. The people who were riding were mashing and grinding (again) at the top. I thought it was just as fast to run, but since the bottom of the first run up was a u-turn into the next one, people who rode were faster at the bottom and then coming into the next hill.
The u-turn at the bottom especially kicked my ass. I was usually still trying to get into my pedals at the bottom and going so fast that I was slipping, sliding and skidding through the turn everytime.
All in all, I felt pretty good. Lots of riding alone again since the field got pretty strung out. The leader of the 1/2 race lapped me, and I was passing a lot of slower lapped guys. The entire race, I could see one guy just a few sections in front of me and two guys a few sections behind me. A few times I could see my chasers literally a corner behind me, and ceded my position to being caught. But, those two never got me. I don't know what I did to stay away from them, but I did.
Came across the line 7th on the course-- 5th in the 3/4 race. Obviously, my best finish of the season, but I was shooting for a podium. Oh well!
I'm really excited that I felt so good for 45 minutes of racing. Makes me even more excited to go up a category... eventually. I know Charleston is a smaller pond than North Carolina, but I'm still pretty happy with myself.
Let's hop in the cyclo-cross time machine and go back to 12/5/09. I loaded up the car and made the drive to Greensboro, NC for a race at the Bur-Mil Park and it was good. It was muddy and gross and cold-- in the 30's. Only ten people lined up! I killed the wet stuff, rode in shorts and short sleeves, crashed carrying my spare wheels to the pits, and finished on the podium. I won some wool socks and a mini-pump. I carry that pump with me on every ride now!
It seems fitting that on the day that one upgrade point I earned in Greensboro "expired", I would earn my second ever upgrade point.
Lunch related interjection- how does a microwave choose which pieces of pasta to overcook and which to leave frozen?
I loaded up the Suzuki RENO (Really Enraging, Never Own one) and shipped down to Charleston for the last race of Charleston Bicycle Company's inaugural cyclo-cross series. The course was a good mix of pavement, grass, sand and single track complete with two back to back run ups. The only down side-it was SHORT. We were going to do a lot of laps, which would be tiring.
The race was a combined 1/2/3/4 race, but the 1/2s and the 3/4s would be scored separately. I was scared that I would try to ride with the fast group of 1/2s and end up blowing up, and that the 45 minute race (15 minutes longer than normal) would kill me.
Fortunately, 45 minutes didn't kill me but doing 10-11 laps on that short course almost did.
The first sand pit was deep, and apparently the ruts got filled in every lap. It was rideable, but you were grinding and mashing at the end. Lots of people, myself included, were getting bogged down and dismounting about halfway through. For a couple of laps part of the course tape was down, so you could ride the grass longer and carry more speed into the sand. Too bad somebody found out and fixed it.
The hills were rideable too, though apparently not for me. The people who were riding were mashing and grinding (again) at the top. I thought it was just as fast to run, but since the bottom of the first run up was a u-turn into the next one, people who rode were faster at the bottom and then coming into the next hill.
The u-turn at the bottom especially kicked my ass. I was usually still trying to get into my pedals at the bottom and going so fast that I was slipping, sliding and skidding through the turn everytime.
All in all, I felt pretty good. Lots of riding alone again since the field got pretty strung out. The leader of the 1/2 race lapped me, and I was passing a lot of slower lapped guys. The entire race, I could see one guy just a few sections in front of me and two guys a few sections behind me. A few times I could see my chasers literally a corner behind me, and ceded my position to being caught. But, those two never got me. I don't know what I did to stay away from them, but I did.
Came across the line 7th on the course-- 5th in the 3/4 race. Obviously, my best finish of the season, but I was shooting for a podium. Oh well!
I'm really excited that I felt so good for 45 minutes of racing. Makes me even more excited to go up a category... eventually. I know Charleston is a smaller pond than North Carolina, but I'm still pretty happy with myself.
A little November Round Up
I am a LAZY blogger. So instead of posting blogular reports about the North Carolina Grand Prix and the Georgia 'Cross Series in Palmetto, I'll just try to sum it up now. Roughly two and a half weeks later.
North Carolina Grand Prix 11/20-21
I really like this race! It's a super awesome course, and getting to stick around to watch the Elite races is pretty sweet.
On Saturday, I lost the race before the race. I ended up lined up on the third or fourth row right in the middle of the group. That wasn't a lot of fun.
I made up a good bit of ground after my somewhat poor start. I felt good over most of the course. There weren't any super tricky parts or anything that tripped me up. I love the double stair steps and I was actually able to ride the "wall" this time.
I got the bell and could see the group in front of me at the end of the start stretch. I started turning myself inside out to try to bring those guys back. I didn't know at the time, but that group would have put me in striking distance of the top ten. Never could bring them back and ended up 15th.
Sunday was a bit different. I usually feel better the second day of racing than the first. I guess I worked really hard yesterday, because I was TIRED down the stretch.
Started way strong-- top tenish. But it was like the front group had a big elastic band tied to our backs because we got hit like a tidal wave by 30 riders behind us who wanted to be in the front.
That's when the crashes started. Every corner for the first half lap. Seriously.
Anyway, I pushed hard to make up the ground I lost (my friend Joey, the Cycle-Smart Grassroots Bouncer, said he counted me back as far as 25th). One difference today was that I could not make it up "the wall". It was frosty/dewy in the morning, and I was spinning my back wheel at the top. Going down and sliding to the bottom seemed slower than running to me. The wooded climb also made me hurt today. I guess the fatigue from yesterday made it a bit tougher. I was hurting up the hill and then wishing I had some extra time to recover after.
The group in front of me was much closer today than yesterday, and I caught them at the bottom of the wall on the last lap. However, the group behind me caught me at the exact same time. There were five of us coming into the sprint. Went into the last corner in 4th wheel, and the guy in front of us started to slide out in the corner. I guess that was his strategy because he KILLED IT coming out of the corner. I tried to sprint, finished 18th.
Georgia 'Cross Series (Palmetto, GA) 11/28
The course was super tough. It really favored the mountain biker at heart. We started on a grass stretch and twisted into a long downhill gravel road. You better be in a good position going into the turn headed into the woods, because you weren't passing anybody from there. Lots of single track, some shortish climbs and then fast downhills. About halfway through the course there was a long run-up (for me). It was rutted and eroded and clay. I couldn't ride it, and I was able to make up a good bit of ground running.
After the run-up, it really opened up-- started to ride like a 'cross course. There was one more long uphill and then the best part of the course--the cow crap. We were riding on a farm (there were cows standing beside one part of the course), and a good many of the grassy sections had hoof-print pot holes and lots of cow crap.
The race was pretty uneventful. It rode like a mountain bike race but still hurt like a 'cross race. Lots of me riding alone, assuming that I was last.
I managed to catch two people in front of me coming into the finish, putting myself in another sprint situation. I took a really good, fast line coming to the finish line, but just got out powered by one of the riders. Came across 7th, not too badly.
North Carolina Grand Prix 11/20-21
I really like this race! It's a super awesome course, and getting to stick around to watch the Elite races is pretty sweet.
On Saturday, I lost the race before the race. I ended up lined up on the third or fourth row right in the middle of the group. That wasn't a lot of fun.
I made up a good bit of ground after my somewhat poor start. I felt good over most of the course. There weren't any super tricky parts or anything that tripped me up. I love the double stair steps and I was actually able to ride the "wall" this time.
I got the bell and could see the group in front of me at the end of the start stretch. I started turning myself inside out to try to bring those guys back. I didn't know at the time, but that group would have put me in striking distance of the top ten. Never could bring them back and ended up 15th.
Sunday was a bit different. I usually feel better the second day of racing than the first. I guess I worked really hard yesterday, because I was TIRED down the stretch.
Started way strong-- top tenish. But it was like the front group had a big elastic band tied to our backs because we got hit like a tidal wave by 30 riders behind us who wanted to be in the front.
That's when the crashes started. Every corner for the first half lap. Seriously.
Anyway, I pushed hard to make up the ground I lost (my friend Joey, the Cycle-Smart Grassroots Bouncer, said he counted me back as far as 25th). One difference today was that I could not make it up "the wall". It was frosty/dewy in the morning, and I was spinning my back wheel at the top. Going down and sliding to the bottom seemed slower than running to me. The wooded climb also made me hurt today. I guess the fatigue from yesterday made it a bit tougher. I was hurting up the hill and then wishing I had some extra time to recover after.
The group in front of me was much closer today than yesterday, and I caught them at the bottom of the wall on the last lap. However, the group behind me caught me at the exact same time. There were five of us coming into the sprint. Went into the last corner in 4th wheel, and the guy in front of us started to slide out in the corner. I guess that was his strategy because he KILLED IT coming out of the corner. I tried to sprint, finished 18th.
Georgia 'Cross Series (Palmetto, GA) 11/28
The course was super tough. It really favored the mountain biker at heart. We started on a grass stretch and twisted into a long downhill gravel road. You better be in a good position going into the turn headed into the woods, because you weren't passing anybody from there. Lots of single track, some shortish climbs and then fast downhills. About halfway through the course there was a long run-up (for me). It was rutted and eroded and clay. I couldn't ride it, and I was able to make up a good bit of ground running.
After the run-up, it really opened up-- started to ride like a 'cross course. There was one more long uphill and then the best part of the course--the cow crap. We were riding on a farm (there were cows standing beside one part of the course), and a good many of the grassy sections had hoof-print pot holes and lots of cow crap.
The race was pretty uneventful. It rode like a mountain bike race but still hurt like a 'cross race. Lots of me riding alone, assuming that I was last.
I managed to catch two people in front of me coming into the finish, putting myself in another sprint situation. I took a really good, fast line coming to the finish line, but just got out powered by one of the riders. Came across 7th, not too badly.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Greenville/North Carolina weekend (drink everytime you see a hyphen)
Like always, I've waited forever to post my weekend wrap-up. In fact, I've almost finished packing for my NEXT race, before blogging about my last one.
Basically, I took a few weekends off. Got sick. Trained a lot. Went out of town with my girlfriend. Got pumped to race again.
Saturday- State Cyclo-Cross Championships, Greenville, SC
Unfortunately, the week before the race was the busiest week I think we've ever had at work. I was resting on the bike, but working my ass off at work. I was tired, sore, and missing out on riding time by staying late in the afternoons. My back is still pretty sore from unloading boxes.
Same course as the last races in Greenville. A few changes. Instead of the straight ride into the run-up, there was a pretty awesome drop, u-turn back uphill, u-turn back downhill, u-turn into the run-up. That's a lot of hyphens! This section was rather tricky-- for me at least.
Got off to a pretty lame start. We went down a long gravel road into the first set of barriers and then a u-turn (hyphen!) onto a golf cart path that was too fast to spin my 40x12. I just didn't hit the line hard enough, and run into some trouble when someone crossed my front wheel as I was dismounting.
Tracked my way back up through the pack. Leveled off somewhere in the 10-7 position. Passed one guy that I raced really close with back in October and told him we belonged at the front. He passed me later.
Raced most of the day with a giant snot and/or drool bubble on my face. A few people had some bad luck. Plenty of flats today. Ended up 6th. One spot out of the money- shit!
Sunday-North Carolina Cyclo-Cross Series, Charlotte, NC
Huge turnout for this one! 60 Cat. 4s lined up at the start. Started the day with a broken spoke on my rear tubular wheel. Looked like I was running the Grifo XS file treads on the back. It made things a little bit slick.
Got off to a much better start. Somewhere in the top 10. The leaders had already gotten away. I could still see them, but I wasn't putting much hope into bringing them back.
On the secondish lap I botched a dismount. I think the all of the sand from this weekend was interfering with my pedal. I stayed up, but kind of laid the bike down on its left side. As I was running up the hill, my bike felt really heavy. The rear brake had gotten jammed under the back wheel. I lost roughly ten spots fixing it and getting going again.
Nothing exciting after that. I felt awesome riding the sand-- I usually can't do that. The Grifo XS wasn't the greatest for getting through the sand and on the last lap I just didn't have enough momentum to get through it and kind of tumbled down.
Finished 20th. A dude from Duke crashed in front of me twice on the last lap. This was pretty irritating since I was just hitting that "ALRIGHT LAST LAPPPPP LET'S FUCKING DO THIS" energy surge I get sometimes. I probably could have gotten away with a top 15. I definitely think I could have gotten away with a top 10 if I didn't do things like fall over or kill my bike.
Literally just registered for the North Carolina Grand Prix. I really enjoyed this race last year. I told myself earlier that two top tens this weekend would be enough for me to want to upgrade. Maybe just one top ten and a top five at the Georgia race on 11/28. However, coach said something about fighting for podiums, and other people upgrading too quickly. Makes a lot of sense, and I wish I didn't agree-but I do. I don't understand how my goal to upgrade keeps getting delayed--being slow probably has something to do with it-- I'm just ready to get out of the 4's.
Alright--bed-time. Departing for Hendersonville tomorrow.
Basically, I took a few weekends off. Got sick. Trained a lot. Went out of town with my girlfriend. Got pumped to race again.
Saturday- State Cyclo-Cross Championships, Greenville, SC
Unfortunately, the week before the race was the busiest week I think we've ever had at work. I was resting on the bike, but working my ass off at work. I was tired, sore, and missing out on riding time by staying late in the afternoons. My back is still pretty sore from unloading boxes.
Same course as the last races in Greenville. A few changes. Instead of the straight ride into the run-up, there was a pretty awesome drop, u-turn back uphill, u-turn back downhill, u-turn into the run-up. That's a lot of hyphens! This section was rather tricky-- for me at least.
Got off to a pretty lame start. We went down a long gravel road into the first set of barriers and then a u-turn (hyphen!) onto a golf cart path that was too fast to spin my 40x12. I just didn't hit the line hard enough, and run into some trouble when someone crossed my front wheel as I was dismounting.
Tracked my way back up through the pack. Leveled off somewhere in the 10-7 position. Passed one guy that I raced really close with back in October and told him we belonged at the front. He passed me later.
Raced most of the day with a giant snot and/or drool bubble on my face. A few people had some bad luck. Plenty of flats today. Ended up 6th. One spot out of the money- shit!
Sunday-North Carolina Cyclo-Cross Series, Charlotte, NC
Huge turnout for this one! 60 Cat. 4s lined up at the start. Started the day with a broken spoke on my rear tubular wheel. Looked like I was running the Grifo XS file treads on the back. It made things a little bit slick.
Got off to a much better start. Somewhere in the top 10. The leaders had already gotten away. I could still see them, but I wasn't putting much hope into bringing them back.
On the secondish lap I botched a dismount. I think the all of the sand from this weekend was interfering with my pedal. I stayed up, but kind of laid the bike down on its left side. As I was running up the hill, my bike felt really heavy. The rear brake had gotten jammed under the back wheel. I lost roughly ten spots fixing it and getting going again.
Nothing exciting after that. I felt awesome riding the sand-- I usually can't do that. The Grifo XS wasn't the greatest for getting through the sand and on the last lap I just didn't have enough momentum to get through it and kind of tumbled down.
Finished 20th. A dude from Duke crashed in front of me twice on the last lap. This was pretty irritating since I was just hitting that "ALRIGHT LAST LAPPPPP LET'S FUCKING DO THIS" energy surge I get sometimes. I probably could have gotten away with a top 15. I definitely think I could have gotten away with a top 10 if I didn't do things like fall over or kill my bike.
Literally just registered for the North Carolina Grand Prix. I really enjoyed this race last year. I told myself earlier that two top tens this weekend would be enough for me to want to upgrade. Maybe just one top ten and a top five at the Georgia race on 11/28. However, coach said something about fighting for podiums, and other people upgrading too quickly. Makes a lot of sense, and I wish I didn't agree-but I do. I don't understand how my goal to upgrade keeps getting delayed--being slow probably has something to do with it-- I'm just ready to get out of the 4's.
Alright--bed-time. Departing for Hendersonville tomorrow.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Greenville Spinners' Cyclo-Cross Weekend
Returning to the promised land. The plot of grass, hills and sand that was formerly the Mill Stone Golf Village is where I raced my first real 'cross race last season, and the site of last year's state championships. This course is tough. I liked it a lot better than last year though. I'm blaming that on increased fitness... thanks Andy!
The course this year was more compact. The golf cart paths were pretty much avoided as transition areas and only half of the available space was used. I liked that much more than last years course, which kind of felt like two courses connected by the cart paths and parking lot. It was bumpy and twisty. Capped off by two sections of sand, a long grassy climb and a short, steep paved climb 200m before the finish.
Day 1:
Picked my old man up from his apartment and dragged him along with me to Greenville. Made our way out nice and early. The B race was starting at 10, so the course was completely open from the time we got there until the start of the race. Got registered, chose my tires (Grifo 32 front/Grifo XS rear), spray glued my number on, peeled it off and glued it on the right side, and then took off for one final lap.
Maybe ten minutes before the race I took off for a lap with Andy Baker. I wanted to see how the fast guys were going to ride the course and see what kind of advice he could provide. He made a comment about me being too fast to ride the B race, I told him to wait and see.
About halfway around the course, they started calling riders to the line. So I cut across the course to get back over to staging and lined up on the second row to listen to our pre-race speech. Do people really not know all of this stuff?
Got off to a strong start. Found myself in the front group of four. Ran both sand sections and found it to be just as fast and easier than trying to ride it. Murdered the barriers (they were so fast!) and ran the grassy hill, I also think this was just as fast to run, maybe that was just me.
On the second lap my group was starting to get a bit spread out, but everyone was still pretty much in contact with each other. I still had visions of a strong finish-- top five, maybe a podium, but that all went to shit pretty quickly.
On one of the off-cambers after the first sand pit my front wheel bounced up and turned hard to the right. I hit the ground primarily on my right shoulder and face. When I got up to start moving again, my rear wheel wasn't turning. The brake cable popped out of the cable stop on the top of the frame. For whatever reason in my panic on the side of the course, I couldn't get it back in to save my life. I basically went from 4th to 12th in one corner.
When I finally got back up I tried to ride hard, but my heart just wasn't in it anymore. I got caught and passed by two guys, finished as hard as I could (mostly because of my dad yelling on the sideline) and went back to the van. I was frustrated, felt like I had good legs today and I lost it in a stupid crash. That's not fast.
14th today. Bummed.
Day 2: Feel free to take a break here. Come back and read the rest tomorrow. Or get a coffee or something... I'm long-winded.
Same exact course with one addition: a barrier at the base of the grassy hill. I was so pumped about it that I was telling everyone I saw how cool it was and thanking every volunteer I saw.
I made my mind up on I-385 that I needed to take some air out of my tires today. 38 in the front and 40 in the back yesterday seemed pretty standard, but I was going to push it today. Ran 35 front and rear (both Grifo 32 tubulars). I thought it would give me some more traction in the off cambers and hopefully smooth the course out a little bit. I was nervous about my amateur gluing but there was only one way to find out how strong it was...
I know it was only 3-5 psi, but it made all of the difference, I swear.
I finished my pre-race routine a little bit earlier than normal today. That gave me time to sit at the van and get juiced up and sort of focus a little bit. I sat in a puddle of spray adhesive, but other than that it was good. When I went to line up 5 minutes before the start, the entire group was there... FUCK!
I squeezed in on the far right, on the second row. I didn't have high hopes of the guy in front of me killing the start, so I figured I was going to have to be an asshole. I got more than I gave though and got pinched off on the outside. Finally pushed my way into the single file line of riders, probably in 10th-12th place. Small groups were starting to form about 1/3 of the way through the first lap. I figured I had surrendered another day to a mediocre result all because of a shit start. Again, I was frustrated.
I started passing people as safely and quickly as I could. I didn't want to kill anyone this early in the race. I was slowing down to get through a turn or an obstacle, and then standing and going around people when it straightened out. Two or three dudes through the barriers, two or three through the first sand, a ton of dudes in the long sand section.
After the long sand section, I came up on a group of fiveish guys. My buddy Pat from Cycle-Center was in it. I was giving him shit about botching a remount after the sand, but my goal was to get up to him and hopefully the two of us could drag each other up to the next group of people. I got around his group, but I didn't see him with me. Oh well.
I finally came up on a group of two guys. I stuck with them for a majority of the race. We were 3rd-5th on the course. I had successfully ridden from my modest start, to the position where I felt like I should have been. At one point in the race, I thought that my 5th place finish was secure. We weren't catching the two guys up the road, and I thought we had put everyone else away. I rode the third lap like it was the second to last, setting up for a strong last lap. The only problem with that strategy was that at the end of the 3rd lap, the sign said 2 to go, not 1. The leaders were smashing the field so thoroughly that we did a complete lap more than we did yesterday... damn.
On the fourth lap, my group splintered. The Greenville Spinners rider was riding the first sand pit every lap, and he gapped the other rider and myself. I then further fell off of the second guy in our group. Out of nowhere comes a Les Amis rider. So now, I have to ride an extra lap, my group has exploded, and someone caught us? Things were starting to get a bit hairy.
Les Amis (his name is Daniel Jones if you're into that sort of thing) and I went at each other for a little while. He might have been a hair faster than I was, but I think I was more skilled? Or something... I don't know. He would pass me in one section, I would get him back on the next. He got around me on one of the longer, flatter sections and I just wanted to get on his wheel but that didn't happen. I was now in 6th.
In true deja vu fashion, out of fucking nowhere comes PAT! I thought he was long gone after seeing him on that first lap. It turns out that he dropped his chain and lost a ton of ground. Dude powered his way through the course and caught back up to me. So last lap, I had Pat on my wheel, one rider in front of me. My goal today was top five, I had a fight on my hands.
Pat was encouraging me to catch the rider in front of us (mostly by saying things like "just one half lap until beer"). I was willing to do the work to get him and take my chances bringing Pat to the line. The three of us came to the run up together. I got around the first rider coming up the hill. Pat got around me on the top. I immediately jumped in behind him. After the run up, there was a long downhill paved section, sweeping right hand turn then a harder right hand turn going to that last steep hill. Pat HAMMERED this section, and when I got to the bottom of the hill, he was at the top. Maybe I could have caught him at the line, but I doubt it. So my plan backfired, Pat beat me to the line. At least I still got beer. 6th place.
I was happy today. Really happy. Even though I got a bad start, I was able to power my way through the course and get right back where I needed to be. I started in the top five yesterday and finished 14th. I started 14th today, and finished 6th. Go figure. I didn't go down today, but I still tore up my knuckle from hitting debris on the side of the course. Tape to tape, baby!
I was smooth and fast. Maybe I could have come out of the corners harder, maybe I could have started faster. Whatever. It was a pretty good day.
No races until the state champs on November 13th. Same course. I'll be ready for it.
The course this year was more compact. The golf cart paths were pretty much avoided as transition areas and only half of the available space was used. I liked that much more than last years course, which kind of felt like two courses connected by the cart paths and parking lot. It was bumpy and twisty. Capped off by two sections of sand, a long grassy climb and a short, steep paved climb 200m before the finish.
Day 1:
Picked my old man up from his apartment and dragged him along with me to Greenville. Made our way out nice and early. The B race was starting at 10, so the course was completely open from the time we got there until the start of the race. Got registered, chose my tires (Grifo 32 front/Grifo XS rear), spray glued my number on, peeled it off and glued it on the right side, and then took off for one final lap.
Maybe ten minutes before the race I took off for a lap with Andy Baker. I wanted to see how the fast guys were going to ride the course and see what kind of advice he could provide. He made a comment about me being too fast to ride the B race, I told him to wait and see.
About halfway around the course, they started calling riders to the line. So I cut across the course to get back over to staging and lined up on the second row to listen to our pre-race speech. Do people really not know all of this stuff?
Got off to a strong start. Found myself in the front group of four. Ran both sand sections and found it to be just as fast and easier than trying to ride it. Murdered the barriers (they were so fast!) and ran the grassy hill, I also think this was just as fast to run, maybe that was just me.
On the second lap my group was starting to get a bit spread out, but everyone was still pretty much in contact with each other. I still had visions of a strong finish-- top five, maybe a podium, but that all went to shit pretty quickly.
On one of the off-cambers after the first sand pit my front wheel bounced up and turned hard to the right. I hit the ground primarily on my right shoulder and face. When I got up to start moving again, my rear wheel wasn't turning. The brake cable popped out of the cable stop on the top of the frame. For whatever reason in my panic on the side of the course, I couldn't get it back in to save my life. I basically went from 4th to 12th in one corner.
When I finally got back up I tried to ride hard, but my heart just wasn't in it anymore. I got caught and passed by two guys, finished as hard as I could (mostly because of my dad yelling on the sideline) and went back to the van. I was frustrated, felt like I had good legs today and I lost it in a stupid crash. That's not fast.
14th today. Bummed.
Day 2: Feel free to take a break here. Come back and read the rest tomorrow. Or get a coffee or something... I'm long-winded.
Same exact course with one addition: a barrier at the base of the grassy hill. I was so pumped about it that I was telling everyone I saw how cool it was and thanking every volunteer I saw.
I made my mind up on I-385 that I needed to take some air out of my tires today. 38 in the front and 40 in the back yesterday seemed pretty standard, but I was going to push it today. Ran 35 front and rear (both Grifo 32 tubulars). I thought it would give me some more traction in the off cambers and hopefully smooth the course out a little bit. I was nervous about my amateur gluing but there was only one way to find out how strong it was...
I know it was only 3-5 psi, but it made all of the difference, I swear.
I finished my pre-race routine a little bit earlier than normal today. That gave me time to sit at the van and get juiced up and sort of focus a little bit. I sat in a puddle of spray adhesive, but other than that it was good. When I went to line up 5 minutes before the start, the entire group was there... FUCK!
I squeezed in on the far right, on the second row. I didn't have high hopes of the guy in front of me killing the start, so I figured I was going to have to be an asshole. I got more than I gave though and got pinched off on the outside. Finally pushed my way into the single file line of riders, probably in 10th-12th place. Small groups were starting to form about 1/3 of the way through the first lap. I figured I had surrendered another day to a mediocre result all because of a shit start. Again, I was frustrated.
I started passing people as safely and quickly as I could. I didn't want to kill anyone this early in the race. I was slowing down to get through a turn or an obstacle, and then standing and going around people when it straightened out. Two or three dudes through the barriers, two or three through the first sand, a ton of dudes in the long sand section.
After the long sand section, I came up on a group of fiveish guys. My buddy Pat from Cycle-Center was in it. I was giving him shit about botching a remount after the sand, but my goal was to get up to him and hopefully the two of us could drag each other up to the next group of people. I got around his group, but I didn't see him with me. Oh well.
I finally came up on a group of two guys. I stuck with them for a majority of the race. We were 3rd-5th on the course. I had successfully ridden from my modest start, to the position where I felt like I should have been. At one point in the race, I thought that my 5th place finish was secure. We weren't catching the two guys up the road, and I thought we had put everyone else away. I rode the third lap like it was the second to last, setting up for a strong last lap. The only problem with that strategy was that at the end of the 3rd lap, the sign said 2 to go, not 1. The leaders were smashing the field so thoroughly that we did a complete lap more than we did yesterday... damn.
On the fourth lap, my group splintered. The Greenville Spinners rider was riding the first sand pit every lap, and he gapped the other rider and myself. I then further fell off of the second guy in our group. Out of nowhere comes a Les Amis rider. So now, I have to ride an extra lap, my group has exploded, and someone caught us? Things were starting to get a bit hairy.
Les Amis (his name is Daniel Jones if you're into that sort of thing) and I went at each other for a little while. He might have been a hair faster than I was, but I think I was more skilled? Or something... I don't know. He would pass me in one section, I would get him back on the next. He got around me on one of the longer, flatter sections and I just wanted to get on his wheel but that didn't happen. I was now in 6th.
In true deja vu fashion, out of fucking nowhere comes PAT! I thought he was long gone after seeing him on that first lap. It turns out that he dropped his chain and lost a ton of ground. Dude powered his way through the course and caught back up to me. So last lap, I had Pat on my wheel, one rider in front of me. My goal today was top five, I had a fight on my hands.
Pat was encouraging me to catch the rider in front of us (mostly by saying things like "just one half lap until beer"). I was willing to do the work to get him and take my chances bringing Pat to the line. The three of us came to the run up together. I got around the first rider coming up the hill. Pat got around me on the top. I immediately jumped in behind him. After the run up, there was a long downhill paved section, sweeping right hand turn then a harder right hand turn going to that last steep hill. Pat HAMMERED this section, and when I got to the bottom of the hill, he was at the top. Maybe I could have caught him at the line, but I doubt it. So my plan backfired, Pat beat me to the line. At least I still got beer. 6th place.
I was happy today. Really happy. Even though I got a bad start, I was able to power my way through the course and get right back where I needed to be. I started in the top five yesterday and finished 14th. I started 14th today, and finished 6th. Go figure. I didn't go down today, but I still tore up my knuckle from hitting debris on the side of the course. Tape to tape, baby!
I was smooth and fast. Maybe I could have come out of the corners harder, maybe I could have started faster. Whatever. It was a pretty good day.
No races until the state champs on November 13th. Same course. I'll be ready for it.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Georgia 'Cross: Augusta 10/10
I'm writing this more than a few days after it happened, and with moderate amounts of beer in my belly, so take that into account as you read.
Adam says: "No jumping, Justin. Only lifting of the legs, like Edwin Moses. NO JUMPING!" And I thought I had my technique down...
AUGUSTA 'CROSS 2k10!
Let me start by saying that Saturday was a complete bust. I woke up early and made my way towards Rock Hill for another training race (on the site of the future permanent cyclo-cross course-funding was approved Monday), about 15 minutes from Rock Hill my car started shaking and my check engine light came on. After consulting my resident mechanic/step dad we decided it best to turn around and head home... I was going to be late anyway.
So Sunday I woke up, not as early, packed the borrowed van (since my car wasn't making it out of state) with beer and bikes, grabbed the Cycle-Smart bouncer and headed down to Disgusta, GA for the second race of the Georgia 'Cross Series.
This was a bit of a different experience for me in that: 1. I had a teammate here; 2. There were people to hangout with whom I actually knew. CRAZY!
In all honesty, I was kind of taking the Georgia racing scene a bit lightly. I mean, I race in the NCCX! Those guys are hard as fuck! But, Georgia racing is nothing to scoff at and the boys and girls in Augusta set up a great course and there was plenty of competition.
The course started on an uphill pavement section, turned right off of the pavement towards an awesome run up, around a baseball infield, TWO sets of barriers, back around towards the pavement. The start/finish stretch was LONG, and this would prove to be bad for me later. There were nice transitions from the grass to the pavement, including two gravel sections that made things entertaining. The course wasn't about being punchy out of the corners, but getting through the obstacle, getting back up to speed and holding it for a long time. There were tons of sections where you'd go from 20mph to a near stop to navigate a turn.
I've been told to focus on my starts lately, so today I had plans to rape, pillage and burn everything once the whistle blew. Only problem: as I was ending my last lap of warm up, everyone had already lined up. We still had plenty of time before the start-- or at least we thought we did, my C-S teammate missed the start while making a bathroom stop. I assholed my way up to the second row and when we got going, I acted like I was running from the devil. A crash in the second turn made my job a little bit easier and after the run up I was in sixth and in the second group on the course.
By this point, I had glory in my eyes, I was planning on getting around the two dudes in front of me and bridging to the front group. At which point, I would work with them for the majority of the race before gapping them and winning on the last lap. Unfortunately, I never bridged up and about halfway through lap two I was feeling the effects of my start. I probably could have warmed up better...
Coming to the second turn on lap three, I had already been gapped, and I was looking for a faster line through the pinestraw. Except that trying to avoid the big ruts of straw put me in deeper piles of straw and sent me to the ground. Shortly after this I was caught and began losing places.
The more and more tired I got, the sloppier I got. At one point on the last lap, I literally could not get out of my left pedal coming to the first set of barriers. I slowed way, way down to get through the barriers cleanly. After the first two trips up that mountain of a run up, I was getting sloppy there too. Mistiming my dismount and taking longer to remount. Funny the things you start to do when you're tired.
On the last lap, I was riding in front of two of the ACC guys. One of them got around me on the pavement and his tire blew out just after transferring to the grass. I don't know what kind of pressure you have to run to make your tire explode like this, but it happened twice today... wtf?
The second dude bitched at me once about riding my brakes. My response was to ride the rest of the lap like a total asshole. Every time I felt him start to come around me I cut him off. I would have been happy putting him into the tape. Rubbin's racin, right? Plus, if I was so slow, why didn't he get around me? I led him all the way to the pavement on the start/finish stretch. I was basically just leading him out though. I kind of saw it coming and I was hoping to get on his wheel whenever he came around me to try to sprint at the line. When he passed me though, he made it seem like I was standing still and grab his wheel I did not.
Limped across in 12th. Not a terrible day. I would have been happy with 12th at this point last year, but I came into today with plans to finish top 5 (upgrade points!!!), so after such a strong start and such high goals, 12th was kind of disappointing.
Once I got across the tape I looked for a soft patch of ground and fell over. Dry heaved a couple of times and coughed a lot... so at least I know I gave it pretty much everything I had. Got back to the car to talk shit, tell lies and hangout for the rest of the day. Had a recovery New Belgium 1554 and gave out beer hand ups (just down the course there was a group giving out donuts, awesome). I've said it before, even on a bad day 'cross is more fun than any other racing discipline.
Greenville this weekend. I hate that golf course. It's going to be a hilly grass crit with sand. I don't like any part of that at all. After that I'm staying home for three weekends to get pumped for the State Championships and the North Carolina Grand Prix. Still hoping to race the 2/3 race at NCGP, but we'll see how it goes. I may just plan on upgrading after NCGP, before the big block of winter racing in December and January.
Still nine points till CX3.
Fellow Columbia 'cross enthusiast Mark Merrills' account is found here:
http://colabike.blogspot.com/2010/10/my-leg-hurts.html
And here's a helmet cam from the first race of the day, the masters race:
http://www.vimeo.com/15757717
Adam says: "No jumping, Justin. Only lifting of the legs, like Edwin Moses. NO JUMPING!" And I thought I had my technique down...AUGUSTA 'CROSS 2k10!
Let me start by saying that Saturday was a complete bust. I woke up early and made my way towards Rock Hill for another training race (on the site of the future permanent cyclo-cross course-funding was approved Monday), about 15 minutes from Rock Hill my car started shaking and my check engine light came on. After consulting my resident mechanic/step dad we decided it best to turn around and head home... I was going to be late anyway.
So Sunday I woke up, not as early, packed the borrowed van (since my car wasn't making it out of state) with beer and bikes, grabbed the Cycle-Smart bouncer and headed down to Disgusta, GA for the second race of the Georgia 'Cross Series.
This was a bit of a different experience for me in that: 1. I had a teammate here; 2. There were people to hangout with whom I actually knew. CRAZY!
In all honesty, I was kind of taking the Georgia racing scene a bit lightly. I mean, I race in the NCCX! Those guys are hard as fuck! But, Georgia racing is nothing to scoff at and the boys and girls in Augusta set up a great course and there was plenty of competition.
The course started on an uphill pavement section, turned right off of the pavement towards an awesome run up, around a baseball infield, TWO sets of barriers, back around towards the pavement. The start/finish stretch was LONG, and this would prove to be bad for me later. There were nice transitions from the grass to the pavement, including two gravel sections that made things entertaining. The course wasn't about being punchy out of the corners, but getting through the obstacle, getting back up to speed and holding it for a long time. There were tons of sections where you'd go from 20mph to a near stop to navigate a turn.
I've been told to focus on my starts lately, so today I had plans to rape, pillage and burn everything once the whistle blew. Only problem: as I was ending my last lap of warm up, everyone had already lined up. We still had plenty of time before the start-- or at least we thought we did, my C-S teammate missed the start while making a bathroom stop. I assholed my way up to the second row and when we got going, I acted like I was running from the devil. A crash in the second turn made my job a little bit easier and after the run up I was in sixth and in the second group on the course.
By this point, I had glory in my eyes, I was planning on getting around the two dudes in front of me and bridging to the front group. At which point, I would work with them for the majority of the race before gapping them and winning on the last lap. Unfortunately, I never bridged up and about halfway through lap two I was feeling the effects of my start. I probably could have warmed up better...
Coming to the second turn on lap three, I had already been gapped, and I was looking for a faster line through the pinestraw. Except that trying to avoid the big ruts of straw put me in deeper piles of straw and sent me to the ground. Shortly after this I was caught and began losing places.
The more and more tired I got, the sloppier I got. At one point on the last lap, I literally could not get out of my left pedal coming to the first set of barriers. I slowed way, way down to get through the barriers cleanly. After the first two trips up that mountain of a run up, I was getting sloppy there too. Mistiming my dismount and taking longer to remount. Funny the things you start to do when you're tired.
On the last lap, I was riding in front of two of the ACC guys. One of them got around me on the pavement and his tire blew out just after transferring to the grass. I don't know what kind of pressure you have to run to make your tire explode like this, but it happened twice today... wtf?
The second dude bitched at me once about riding my brakes. My response was to ride the rest of the lap like a total asshole. Every time I felt him start to come around me I cut him off. I would have been happy putting him into the tape. Rubbin's racin, right? Plus, if I was so slow, why didn't he get around me? I led him all the way to the pavement on the start/finish stretch. I was basically just leading him out though. I kind of saw it coming and I was hoping to get on his wheel whenever he came around me to try to sprint at the line. When he passed me though, he made it seem like I was standing still and grab his wheel I did not.
Limped across in 12th. Not a terrible day. I would have been happy with 12th at this point last year, but I came into today with plans to finish top 5 (upgrade points!!!), so after such a strong start and such high goals, 12th was kind of disappointing.
Once I got across the tape I looked for a soft patch of ground and fell over. Dry heaved a couple of times and coughed a lot... so at least I know I gave it pretty much everything I had. Got back to the car to talk shit, tell lies and hangout for the rest of the day. Had a recovery New Belgium 1554 and gave out beer hand ups (just down the course there was a group giving out donuts, awesome). I've said it before, even on a bad day 'cross is more fun than any other racing discipline.
Greenville this weekend. I hate that golf course. It's going to be a hilly grass crit with sand. I don't like any part of that at all. After that I'm staying home for three weekends to get pumped for the State Championships and the North Carolina Grand Prix. Still hoping to race the 2/3 race at NCGP, but we'll see how it goes. I may just plan on upgrading after NCGP, before the big block of winter racing in December and January.
Still nine points till CX3.
Fellow Columbia 'cross enthusiast Mark Merrills' account is found here:
http://colabike.blogspot.com/2010/10/my-leg-hurts.html
And here's a helmet cam from the first race of the day, the masters race:
http://www.vimeo.com/15757717
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