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Tuesday, October 03, 2006

the world according to garp

... when we measure ourselves heavy in a world without weight.

~

In the A race on Sunday's CCCX-fest, it was a smaller field, giving good opportunity to ride at the front and experiment with form. Justin Robinson launched hard off the line and up the falsely-flat hill, with a bit more oompf than I thought he might. I was dinking around with tightening a rear spoke (with the aid from some of the SCCC crew) just before the start and lined up at the back of the group as they received directions from RoddyH.

Luckily, the long paved section as you approach the barrier offered enough room to string out the pack and allow me to swing around a few boys and head into the barrier clean. Once out of the barriers, Justin was still stomping hard on the pedals with Keith D. hot on his wheel. After a few pedalstrokes I heard the telltale slap-crash of a pileup but didn't look back for inspection. Unlucky Stevey Ree looked like he might have got a little bit of rear wheel from young Loader, but i never talked to anyone about it and only saw the Nancy pics.

Looked owey.

As we approached the top of the paved section there was the expected slowdown and swarming for position into the choppy dirt dropshot to the tree barrier. Hooptie flew around the lead riders and flung himself down that hill like a runaway bowling ball.

(thanks for the pic AG)
The course was very, very fast making it difficult to close gaps once created. A lead group finally opened up with Cam Falconer, Justin R and myself. Hooptie was killin' his single-speed ... but, on that fast of a course it had to be burnin' gasoline through his thighs. From as soon as I could, I began attacking Cam and Justin. This is one of the few, probably only, cross course I'd be able to put a wee bit of wood to guys like these so i had to give it a go. Besides, training level ready or not, I needed to start riding at a higher effort level and getting accustomed to keeping good form over barriers and over techy riding while pushing on the accelerator.

... well, one out of two ain't bad.

A bit before midway through the race I was able to finally get a gap on the two with another attack on the road section. At the top I had a nice little gap and was feeling damn satisfied that I'd be able to stick it out. As I approached the poofball decent that Hooptie could nail with his eyes closed ... i came across a lapped rider. Le oops.

I totally muffed the pass as I was taking the stupidest line possible down that thing. The line I was taking wasn't a huge amount slower than the better line, but it was waaay sketchier and ... i'm sure gave justin and cam no end of giggles as they saw me murder that thing. Ah well ~ I just couldn't have been bothered to pre-ride the course all that much with the pics n' vids n' cheering needed for the women's racing beforehand. Anyway, the lapped rider was just enough distraction for me to drop my bike like a complete doofus. I didn't get dirty, but I ended up leaving the bike on the ground a solid 10 feet up the hill as my momentum kept me running down towards the tree barrier.

dipshit.

So, after retrieving my bike ... the gap was back down and gave those boys enough inspiration to grab me right back again. Poop. and so ... i attacked again. But, they weren't interested in giving me an inch and so we started through the next lap together, still driving a decent pace but definitely in the conserve mode of "who's gonna hit it next".

Well, i did. A rock, that is ... and flatted my rear tire on the back end of the course. Stupido. Justin was nice enough to encourage me with a "keep it together, we'll be to the bikes soon."

Yeah, I thought, just keep contact to the pits and maybe ...

and then Justin hit it. If there's a contest of on/off power surges, I can match a boy like that. But if you're talking straight up, consistent horsepower ... it's time to waive bye-bye for me. It sure 'nuff was frustrating seeing those two leave me for dead, but I had a good time while it lasted and felt swell about the whole ordeal. Besides, still had some fun with Rob and Aaron on the last couple laps as we punched each other in the nose for 3rd place. Good clean fun.

blah, blah, blah ... racer crap.

see you at the next one.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

i'd be interested to know max hr in a cross race? you've gotta to be red lining a lot with little time to recover - that's one heck of a workout

Anonymous said...

Nice report his greatness. I was really jealous that I was not in that race. Oh well, good for motivation. My bike/technique gave me trouble all day. Cost me five minutes on the start lap of the master's race so I waited for the leaders to see the fast lines and learn to ride faster from the experienced crossers. I saved plenty for the elite race and made adjustments to my thrashed drivetrain. Thought i was ready, but when I stood to accelerate hard (sloppy technique I am sure) after the barriers my gear jumped and sent me over the bars!!! That was a first for me and i never want to do it again. i am glad that I did not take any innocents out. To bad you were in front of me.... :) Hopefully my leg shoulder will feel better by this weekend and I will have a new drivetrain. Excellent ride by you though. I think I am twice over the JESSE/ANDY post limit...

Brent said...

i watched that show Heros last night. I wonder if there is any way I can timewarp from Glouster to the Bay area so I can race both races next weekend?

marscat said...

is that your tongue poking out?

Secret of the Stars.

Ippoc Amic said...

I heard here were no pile-ups in X races...at least that's what I told marscat...

by the way, who's bringing the mojitos to go with the lounge chairs and beer on Sunday?

Anonymous said...

Junkadonk is way down on your list. What a panty-waste!

norcalcyclingnews.com said...

flanderina ~ well, my method of crossin' is to try and keep that HR as low as possible while generating as much speed as able. The reason? ... cuz mistakes happen when you deprive the braincells too much of the O2. and mistakes in cross hurt.

i try and build my tolerance level up nice and slow ... each race doing just a bit more pain and redness to the eyes ... but, this year I've just got to dive right in. Hope I keep all the skin in tact!

Stevey ~ jaysus ... you're a worse wrench then me.

and you know I ain't no innocent.

Brenty ~ you will be missed, brudda. Have fun and try and get in a few running sprints at the least!

mCat ~ it's like ... just barely sticking out. i guess that means i'm only a little bit cool.

i can live with that.

ippoK ~ i'm going to have to google up the mojitos ingredients.

but they'll be there.

do they go with salsa?

anony ~ jAndy is such a big poofter. i mean, until he's severed his spine ... i don't want to hear any complaining about injuries from him.


... chryst, he's probably already doing one-handed pushups.

spring NorCal races are gonna be haaaaarrd next year.

Ron Castia said...

You always tend to look like you are in what I would call recovery mode. If you only knew the pain that some of us ride in and the permanent lines that mark our face from hours spent grimmacing.

I find I make mistakes if I am not at a full on adrenlin induced effort. My focus at 180 BPM is much greater than at 140.