Marty Cross Weekend – Cat 3

this race always sort of stands out to me. when mandi was just getting into cross after last year, i explained to her the course, i told her it was the one with the huge hill. she ended up signing up. as we got closer she realized it was the course she hated. woops.

anyway, the course on SATURDAY looked brutal. felt like you just climbed and never really got to enjoy any fruits of your labor. on paper, this was the most stacked NJ b race i have ever been part of. after being off the bike a bunch this week (read well rested) i made sure i got in a good warm up and i felt pretty damn good. been a while since i have felt 100% in my legs. i would need them today.

the internet had me 13th on this day. tough sledding ahead.

gun goes off, i get an awesome start from the front row again and settle into third wheel. esnes and some dude rich are in front, this is good. i know all the rest of the people are behind me, buzzing like bees. get it? killer bees?

okay, so down the off camber switchbacks and i feel Donnie coming around me, i tell him to go for it and latch onto his wheel. the course has been all downhill up to this point. i go to shift into another gear and hear this strange clicking while i’m pedaling. not sure if its my RD that is a little bent or whatever. i keep pushing on. around a tree i go to stand up and all of the sudden my chain is dropped. no biggie, its early enough, i hop off and realize i have a pretty decent gap, maybe 5 seconds to the next group. i assess this situation and realize.

i snapped my chain.

i have never done this before. i quickly realize i’m NOT going to be running up that hill to get a neutral support bike and start my walk of shame back to the car. the boys at the sram tent hooked me the F up and set me up with a new chain so i can race tomorrow. WOOT!

i drowned my sorrows in 2 chocolate covered donuts. thankfully tomorrow is another day.

and yes, SUNDAY is here. the course flowed much better this direction. i was hoping everyone was tired from yesterday. some climbs but you felt the rewards this time. 100x better.

okay, a bunch of people didnt show up so the internet prediction of 10th is kind of skewed. i found this new “predictions postmortem” section on the internet and this seems to be more accurate, accounts for people not showing up and day-ofs. this postmortem prediction has me at 6th.

same kind of start, under control, esnes takes the bull by the horns through the first 75% of the course, which was mostly downhill. i hear heckler heckling as we are riding, all the normal people are here and it is rather controlled. heckler gets around me. thats cool. bruno cooks a corner after i have become delatched from the group and was my only hope to stick with this lead pack between lap 2 and lap 3 (i think) i lose the lead group.

i’m now being chased by this group of 3 behind me, which i become acquainted with. we are all nervous to take the lead here, so i end up jumping up in the downhill section, no sense in sitting 2nd or third wheel and seeing one of them eat it. i open up a small gap on the downhill, and pray it actually sticks.

one of these dudes is a bull, hammering these downhill sections like a track guy. i do everything i can to reel him in when i can. eventually they reel me back in, making it 4 people in this chase group.

F this specific part of the climb particularly

ballard, young, and koster. that is who i am trying to stick with. i can’t. i dont know what it is, but they slowly, slowly creep away. to the point where i cant close the gap and it is impossible to bridge. i think it hovers around 10 seconds for the second half of the race.

so now the goals shift again, stop F’ing bleeding spots.

I see tubertini and another hudson furniture dude behind me. i need them to stay away and leave me alone in 7th. it’s hard to tell where i have an advantage or disadvantage. the course doubles back on it self enough that you can peep the competition. i enjoy this about cross courses.

long story short, i keep burying the climbs and keep my tires on my rims, and i’m able to finish in 7th place. i spoke with heckler, bruno and spiller afterwards, and they told me they were just keeping that steady tempo pace at the front. damnit. i was able to make this group at cooper river, why can’t i hold on anymore? i need to make it to them again. MUST.

thankfully, mandi was able to bring home some bacon on both days, and feed me.

i have 4 more races penciled in. 4 more chances to do something with them. 4 more chances to roll my tires.

HPCX – Cat 2/3/4

Day 1
Little dewy in the morning, warmed up nicely for our race. We have been getting lucky with the weather. Two big hill climbs this course, rest of it was rooty, downhill, and freaking fast.

• Second row call up, next to all my friends
• Have a decent start
• Pretty much battle the whole race in the low teens, I think I got as high as 14th.
• Last lap I start closing in on Foundation rider Alejandro, gap, keeps closing and closing. I think I get within 3 seconds and on the tricky off camber section, I roll my rear wheel.
• These wheels/tires, I think, are 5 years old. I bought them from Jared two years ago and never did anything to them, besides dent both of them and put air in them.
• I lose about a minute rolling this back on.
• Spiller, on his second race of the day starting in the back of the pack, passes me. and I tell him I hate him.
• Thankfully the course was not very demanding on the tires, minus that one off camber, and I was able to ride pretty fastly through the rest of the course by putting all my weight on the front wheel.
• I finished 22nd.

one cool thing that HPCX did was give you lap breakdowns;

• Lap 1: 6:49
• Lap 2: 6:38
• Lap 3: 6:44
• Lap 4: 6:48
• Lap 5: 6:53
• Lap 6: 6:51
• Lap 7: 7:47

OUCH. Doing the math, If I did a 7 minute lap, I would have finished in 14th. Bummer. Bought 2 pulled pork sandwiches, that were delicious, for $12. totally worth it. Like double the amount of meat you would have gotten at a restaurant.

Day 2
Same course, the road S/F climb was longer, but the same twisty switchback up hill that just zapped your legs.

• Have a better start this time, maybe 10th or so?
• See Garrison with a mechanical, this kid is having a rough weekend
• Work with a couple of guys I don’t know
• Konrad comes flying by me like a bat out of hell, can’t latch onto him
• Find Perlberg, battle with him a little
• I always try and find a wheel to take up the road climb, Perlberg was happy to do this
• Last two laps I couldn’t hang with him
• Rutgers student Elias has a huge following and I hear him behind me the rest of the race
• The wind was so brutal, the leaves were blowing up to your face and it felt like leafaggedon
• I was able to cruise into the finish at 14th.

I started to cool down and thought I was going to experience my second ever cramp, but it never came. It never went away though, I think I strained my right calf or something.

Thats Elias behind me.

le tricky switchback. I don’t think that is Perlberg in front of me, I think it was his teammate.

BOOST BOOST BOOST

le offcamber that I rolled my rear wheel on yesterday, super caution this time. Got some tips on a safer line and stuck with that. I don’t think I lost any time. Awesome portapotty too, it was always clean and not many people used this one.

Went home and bought a glue kit, Ben told me that if you’re going to own tubulars, you need to glue them yourself, as it is a right of passage. I didn’t know that everyone that was on tubulars glued them themselves, but now I know and I can make fun of everyone else that hasn’t glued them yet

Here’s to hoping that they stay on the rims! I don’t think I will have it ready in time for this weekend, I should probably ride them before I race on them, right?

I feel good, really good. I have some super stiff competition in front of me, the 13 people in front of me are absolute monsters: Kristiansen, Carbone, THE HECKLER, Tanner, Freaking Ken, Perlberg, scary. Great weekend of watching homies crush it.

Whirly/Cooper River Cat 2/3/4 and Cat 3

Well, here we are again. Monday comes and as always, I’m never ready for it. The whole weekend, again, was a whirlwind. Details are hazy, but I can remember that I had an awesome time racing both venues this weekend.

Whirlybird Cross Results Prediction: 22nd
It rained the whole night before and up until noon on Saturday. Great race conditions, even though people were saying some didn’t show because of the weather? Confused.

Anyway, I’m going to start with the bullet approach:

• 2nd row start (I’m 44th or so in points, shows you how many people either bailed or didnt sign up)
• whistle goes off and Keith pulls right out of his pedal or drops his chain and nearly kills us all, he is doing an endo, junk on his stem. holy crap.
• before we enter the grass transition from the prologue, i hear rubber locking up behind us and apparently theres a huge crash; 15 seconds in and I’m thinking I’m going to die.
• Trade spots with people most of the day, Sean Burger, Keith Garrison (who recovered AMAZINGLY from his start) Michael Perlberg.
• I’m able to ride some of the technical mud spots better, but lose time on the flats.
• I only slip up once and hit the deck in a really crappy muddy spot.
• Holy crap this spot was muddy.
• A group of three kinda formed
  
• After I attempt to close the gap on Perlberg on the last lap, I throw in the towel on the straight. This is how we will finish.

Sorry, little cop out on the recap. It was muddy, people were faster on the flats and straights than I was. The mud was utterly terrible on the pedals and trying to clip in was a real chore. As the race went on the mud actually started to tack up and wasn’t as soupy as imagined. Tons of different lines were faster/slower but looked the opposite. Norm said it earlier, but people would FLY by that normally wouldn’t, and I would pass people in sections like they were standing still. Many people had a tough time just sitting upright.

I finished 14th, a well deserved, 14th. Very happy with that finish.

We passed this place on the way home.

Cooper River Cross Results Prediction: 7th

This race, was not like yesterday. Ground was wet from the morning dew, but I knew by 1pm it would be completely dry. Fangos all the way around. I prerode and warmed up a little harder than I normally do, knowing how important this start is going to be. I can’t let the front of the race get away from me, again, like it has in all the rest of the NJ races.

Course has less straight aways than last year, so that turns to my favor. I get to line up in the pole position, front row on the left, into a left hand turn. I have a great start, but Vinny has an even better start. Dude is fast out of the gate.

Vinny eventually fades and it ends up being the normal dudes up front, Spiller, Bruno, Me, Vinny.

I keep urging Vinny to push the pace this first lap, we can’t let them open a gap so soon. Eventually we all make contact. Matt is about 2-3 bike lengths away, but not really gaining. Spiller takes a spill in the twisties and I figure this is the last we see of him. Wrong. A lap later he storms back up to our group and sits into second wheel.

This was the newcomer to the front that I didn’t know. He was a strong rider.

Whenever a gap would open up, I would jump and make sure I didn’t lose these wheels. These are the vehicles to a good finish, I can’t let them get away.

Midway through the race, on the S/F stretch, I notice the pace isn’t the normal 22mph pace, I see Bruno reaching down and fixing his skewer, WTF? I decide to jump around, who knows if hes going to get his finger chopped off, or if his front wheel is going to fall off. I need to see whats happening, and I take the charge at the front.

I haven’t been at the front of a race since Nittany as a C in 2012. I’m not trying to go off the front, but keep that steady pace that we have done the whole race. I feel good, why not. I’m not burning any matches. This lasts a whole 30 seconds, which is more than enough for me, and Spiller comes around me.

These pictures arent in any order, just breaking up the text.

Eventually, at some point I start to fade with 2 laps to go. I realize I’m having trouble in this one technical 180 degree tree section. The whole race I couldn’t find a line that I liked. I still have some pop on the straights, but still, I can’t close the gap to Bruno and Spiller. Eventually someone tries to quietly sneak around me on the outside and says we need to ride faster. No shit. I say welcome to the front of the race, we have been waiting for you! I stick with him for a minute or so and eventually lose him. Found out he’s a super fast roadie who started in the last row with 70 something road races. Won Westwood as a C. Super strong.

I find myself in no mans land. I have a huge gap with one lap to go to the dudeman in 5th, Craig. We’ve chatted before, he’s a Philly guy. It must be 10 seconds. As the lap goes on, he keeps closing, and closing and closing. I open up all the flats and straight aways as much as I can. Over the barriers hes about a bike length back.

Great, a sprint finish. Out onto the pavement and I stand up, on my hoods (woops) and give it all I got. The way the sun is positioned, I can see his helmet shadow out of the corner of my eye, on the pavement. I stand up and let it all hang out. I start to drift to my left as I felt this was closer to to the finish line/making Craig pick a side. Maybe he was going to his left and I would slow him down. I start to see his wheel creep up to my chainring and he is gaining.

The 10 yards away that the finish line was, felt like a mile. How many more pedal strokes do I need to hold this dude off?

With 5 yards he’s at my shoulder.

Why am I using yards? What about metrics?

Anyway I let out my best TDF bike lunge and I’m able to hold off Craig at the finish for 4th place.

This was a huge race for me, I was able to make the jump to the front of the race. I was able to ride with these guys for a little bit. Even though both Spiller and Bruno made mistakes, I was able to stay with them for more than 80% of this race. My legs felt great and really just made some small, SMALL handling mistakes that didn’t allow me to stay with these guys. 2 weeks until the next NJ race.

I didn’t get to take a podium photo, but I got paid and raced for free, how bad could that have been?

Spreadsheet is updated; hanging another negative number, (-$35) helps the number come down a little.

also found this video of my race: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6rQ_5PVxok&list=UUiKhR4vkfSwzXuHZxeCrbWg

Caffeinated CX – Cat 3

Did you see the weather? it was actually miserable Saturday morning. Miserable enough to not sure what to pack. I’ve ridden around the wheel that Mandi flatted twice this week, She rode it once. I feel confident in it. I will let her race on it first to make sure it’s all good

South Jersey mud, a sand run up, some nice slick corners, really kept you on your toes. Big Sean told me the hardest part of the race is going to be mud clearance from the pedal. He has to be joking. Is it really that gummed up?

Okay, anyway. My race. I half ass the warm up with Bruno and roll around for maybe 25 minutes or so. I feel okay. I’m the second to last call up for the first row, while Esnes is next to my left being the last one to fill out the row. He is in some crappy gravel. I’m on some nicer dead pavement. Next to Bruno on my right. I notice and recognize who will be the front of the race. My buddy Vinny lines up behind me and I point out my prediction for the front of the race.

We are off and I don’t have a spectacular start. I mean I don’t bobble it, but I don’t dart up this short hill as fast as I wanted to. I’m in 7th-8th at the start of this gravel and into the grass. Okay. I end up taking the inside of the perferred line int othe first corner and jam on my brakes, realizing I’m not stopping. Holy crap. I’m able to lock up my rear brake and I actually slide, motocross style, 90 degrees to turn. I don’t take anyone out, but I gain a spot or so. I pass Bob C in the first section of mud, and then make a couple of more passes. I need to keep my eye on Spiller and Bruno. Carrots. I hate carrots, but it’s a good phrase. Vinny still had his awesome start, and this course suits him well. He’s a BMX dude. Does some crazy shit on bikes. I wish I could learn that stuff.

Anyway, we come to the first dismount section, a small built up log and two small steps. I tried to ride it at warm up and I felt like I was going too slow. I also watched the masters race ride it, and it seemed slow. I decided I was going to run it. Bruno bobbles this and I run past him.

I go to remount and have trouble with my shoes, takes a second or two to get both in. Not bad. As I do this Justin DiPalma (winner of Independence) passes me. I guess he rode it. Seems to be a trend. I go to pass and I get passed. Strange phenomenon.

Looking down from the sand run up.

Man, that thing was rough. It didn’t seem like anyone was gaining time on it. You really need to make sure you got your foot firmly in the soft sand before you ran up it, didn’t need to slide down that sucker.

Remounting after also proved challenging. Not the act of it, but getting your cleats in the pedals. Took maybe 5 seconds to get them in, joy.

Pass the S/F and Bruno comes screaming by me to push me back into 5th place. Where the internet has me finishing. I try to jump on his wheel but he’s on another level. Spiller and DiPalma have put a decent gap on Vinny. Bruno passes Vinny and He is now my target. I look back and I don’t see anyone. Looks like we are on our own.

Vinny is riding the technical mud/roots stuff faster, while I seem to have an advantage on the flats. The gap can open and close, but I’m able to close it on the last lap as more of the terrain favors my skills. Cool.

not very photogenic today, eh?

Vinny and I pass each other and take different lines on much of the course over the next 4 laps. I felt like I found better lines in certain sections to make up time, but he was so much quicker by not having to bash his cleats out on the section I was running. I just couldn’t gain the confidence in warm to ride it fast.

I make sure before the last lap I am in front of Vinny to force him to come around me in the tech section if he wanted to beat me. As we pass the start finish I tell him “you know where you have to pass me, right?” I settle my pace down a tad knowing how important the mud section is. It is very slow and downhill, so it’s more of not eating shit than speed. So far so good. Around a muddy turn, where we have been taking separate lines, I see his blue jersey in the corner of my eye and know that this is going to get interesting. The last 4 laps I’ve been having a nightmare of clipping in. The left hand turn before the sand pit run up I eat it with Vinny on my wheel.

Crap. He asks if I’m okay and doesn’t go around me. I’m pretty sure this was out of friendship and care, as there was room to go around. I think about it for a split second and realize I have to run double the length to the sand run up. Still, Vinny on my ass. Over the sand and I know I need to dig deep to open some sort of gap. Through a technical twisty off camber wet section and I have a small gap, but nothing comfortable.

After this section, theres this soft sand that one it rained on, is firm as a rock. I decide I need to jump now and hope that is it.

Still looking a little strange today, maybe I’m hurting more?

I pass the pit and hear Mandi say “You can do anything for a minute”. Which is true, It’s only a minute left of racing. I end up peeking up and seeing DiPalma about, maybe, 5 seconds ahead of me? But then I realize he is a full 2 turns ahead of me. So in reality he is really close if I cut the course and rode straight to him, so it’s more like 15 seconds. I look back and I don’t see Vinny, and I’m able to cruise into the finish, -1’ing the internet, in 4th place.

I kudos everyone around me, and man, that was a fun race. Good spirits, good racing, and good people all around. I had a good race, with only 2-3 crashes. Maybe 2.5 as one was a dab. That part kind of sucked. Legs and body felt good though.

Those dudes in front of me in fast. Hell, Vinny is fast too. He’s not a roadie fast, but man, Dude can handle a bike.

After the photo, I attempt to swap my winnings with Vinny. I felt like it was the right thing to do. I felt like he could have went around me but didn’t out of care and respect. I don’t know why. I mean this is racing, right? I beat him? He refuses and tells me I beat him fair and square and I was the faster racer that day. I beg to differ.

First time (I think) I have won CASH from a bike race. Does this make me pro? It covered the gas/tolls and my food at the diner down the street. Mandi can pay her own way with her second place winnings, damnit.

I also am coming to the stark realization that I may not be on the podium steps unless one of these dudes in front of me doesn’t show up. That kind of sucks. It’s kind of like a false sense of accomplishment if I can’t beat one of these guys. Sure, you can only race who shows up that morning, but if you aren’t racing the best in your field, are you really racing? ARE YOU REALLY ALIVE?

Okay, this is getting out of hand. Here is the breakdown of the costs for that race:

$16.35 – Gas
$4.75 – Tolls
$32.80 – Reg

$53.90 – Total Spent

-$25 – Winnings

$28.90 Grand Total

Now I frantically refresh crossresults until they have our race uploaded.

EDIT: Caffeinated really knocked this out of the park. Minus running a tad late, Free water/beverages, Free coffee, payouts 5 deep in the B race, awesome course, awesome DJ and a great vibe. Having the covered pavilions was really cool.

In my opinion, they really set the bar high in terms of NJCX racing.