Kodiak Rider

Quarry Cross @ The Forge 2024

noreply@blogger.com (Kodiak Rider) — Thu, 5 Dec 2024 12:29:00 -0600

I was definitely in a bad headspace for this race.

This was a new venue last year and is part of the Forge Adventure Park. Part of the park they incorporated into the course was the BMX pump track and wooden berms. I crashed on the berms last year and wasn't really interested in testing my skills again.

Mad skills by Fabri

There were also a number of turns where there were transitions from one surface to another (dirt, gravel, pavement) that were more than sketchy. Props go to the organizers for cleaning up the course design and making the transitions much safer.

So, I was not looking forward to this race. The one nice thing was that they opened the course on Saturday for pre-ride from. Bob, George, and I met out there and Mark Misicko was pulling out as we pulled in. We took a few laps to get comfortable with the course which made me feel a little better. I still didn't have the nerve to try the berms again but at least resigned myself to committing to that plan and was ok with that.

Race day brought colder temps and I actually wore both arm and leg warmers. Also, because of the cold I only did the 55+ race. Doing a quick change into dry clothes in the car wasn't high on my priority list. I think the legs are starting to get a bit tired from the double racing too. (Note: After the race the rest of the day my legs and whole body felt much less drained than it has been. Good choice on my part).

You are not supposed to try new things on race day but since Lemont is so close I used my basement trainer to get the blood flowing and then headed to the course. Theory being that I'm not getting the engine hot enough for the early push which causes the lull in the 3rd lap. I was running a bit late and didn't get as much time as I probably should have but still was able to drive to the course and get one lap on course before the start of the race.

TLDR: 16th/38; 3rd in the Cat 4/5

2nd row start again and again I missed my pedal. Wasn't as big a deal because the guy in front of me had a slow start so I wasn't going anywhere anyway. There was also a long gravel straight to start so I was able to move up a little.

Leah Sanda was the head official for the day (center) and a guest appearance by Fran (left)

At the first turn I was in about 14th which isn't very good. The course had only a little bit of mud but a lot a bit of mulch. The mulch was soft and eventually ruts were forming in the really soft areas. I tried to stay away from the ruts and find as much fresh mulch as possible. Felt like I had a flat every lap I hit one mulch section.

Matt was behind me on the first lap but not for long

One feature they improved this year was a dirt mound. Most people ran it last year although a few rode it. Steep up and down. This year they built stairs and they did a good job with them.

It was part of an A/B line option but the B line was close to 5 seconds slower so it was a no-brainer to take the stairs.

Besides the long gravel start straight there was another long gravel straight section on the back side of the course. I was losing time in the turns so I decided to just hammer it every lap in both of those sections. On the first lap I was able to pass a guy who had passed me on the off camber section and able to catch up to 2 other guys. Gotta know your strengths. My straight line power wasn't evident early in the season but came back to me here.

Fran with Barry (sitting out with achilles issue) yelling at me to move up

I battled with a guy in red for the first lap or so but he faded in the second lap and then I was able to keep him at a small distance the rest of the way.

My weekly catch of Fabri

The last 3 laps were just about staying in front of people. No one was close in front of me except the odd 35+ rider I would pass. At one point I saw Mark M. about 10 seconds behind me and felt pressured. (Not a bad race for Mark considering he was in a car wreck earlier in the week).

I noticed a guy in red on the last lap and started to worry but it turned out to be a guy from the front of the 35+ race lapping me.

Bob and I passing in the night

I just kept doing what I was doing and tried to keep good technique and dial in the lines. I finished on the lead lap which is about the best thing I can say. As we get closer to the State Championship more guys who typically race up in the 45+ for better competition are joining us in the 55+ so 16th is where I was predicted and where I finished. The leader in the Cat 4/5 subgroup flatted which got me onto the podium. Take what you can... Give nothing back! (Jack Sparrow)

Perhaps the best part of the day was having Fran come out and cheer us on. Great to see him even if he can't race. He even brought homemade muffins and coffee. We hung out for 2 hours tailgating after the race just catching up and talking about how great we are.

Next up, Montrose, which is the State Championship.

55+ First Lap: https://youtu.be/wVq47i7YUMc?si=DuHP3EFz1k9dCHmv

55+ Full Race: https://youtu.be/21zQR5fXBM4?si=Tk8qHHMmZDAz7ybs

Wheeling CX 2024

noreply@blogger.com (Kodiak Rider) — Wed, 20 Nov 2024 22:42:00 -0600

Welcome to Wheeling. The annual "freeze your butt off or get really muddy or both race".

Heritage Park is the regular venue for the Wheeling race and this year we avoided both the deep freeze and the mud. It was in the high 40's for the start of the 55+ race which last week I raced with nothing but a jersey and bibs. For this race I added a windproof baselayer as the wind was a bit sharp. In fact, I bought this baselayer specifically because of this race.

TL:DR 55+ finished 10th/39; SingleSpeed finished 24th/41

The course here is more or less the same each year but to jazz it up a little they created a couple A-B lines. The A line is usually shorter but more challenging and the B line is longer but easier.

In my 2 pre-ride laps I tried them all out and settled on the A line for both.

The first A-B section had 2 off camber lines. The A line had a couple railroad ties most people ran but had a direct exit. The B line kept your speed up until the end where there were 2 turns where all speed was scrubbed and where some had to dismount.

On the first lap Chris Brown entered the section after me and took the B line. Below (left) he dismounted and still has another turn while I've already exited the feature.

The second A-B feature was a no-brainer. The A line was much shorter and had a little ramp with a drop at the top of a rise. The B line was simple but long. You could get air on the ramp if you dared but I would just push the bars down as I went over to keep it smooth.

(This looks flat but is probably a 2-3 meter drop to the bottom of the hill)

Pre-Race staging has me in the front row but a Day Of registration by the eventual winner pushed me back into row 2. I still need to improve my immediate starts but after 10 seconds I was moving up and slotted into a good top 10 position before the tight turns. George and Bob along with Mark also were racing with me. And Tommy Will was in the 45+ until the sole of his shoe fell off (ask him for the pic). Bob's son John raced in the 35+ race and actually won the cat 4/5 subgroup (12th overall).

The stake monster caught out someone in front of me on the first set of corners and I moved up a place but a minute later I gave up 3 spots by taking an uphill 180 waaaaay too wide. My excellent cornering skills I've developed this season all left me at Wheeling (along with too much braking which isn't good). That being said as we left the south section (farther from the start/finish) of the course the 55+ group caught up to a good chunk of the back end of the 35+ group. Unfortunately, it was right as we got to a quadruple off camber u-turn section where it got all backed up. And those that were able to start the section before some of the 35+ guys had a big advantage at the exit. Catching them at only 6.5 minutes into the race was far too early.

15-20 guys all jammed together

Once we hit the North section the barriers were the next obstacle. Everyone I saw ran them although my courageous inside voice tells me I could have hopped them. The rest of the first lap and beginning of the second lap was status quo except for making sure I got by the 35+ dregs.

Chris Fabri sighting (#10) and he drifts backwards during his "warmup" 35+ race.

I was sandwiched by a couple of PSIMET guys, both of whom I use as barometers for my own racing. Then, I slipped in a turn and unclipped which allowed Chris Brown to get by me. I never stopped rolling but since it was up a small rise I lost momentum. I kept with the low pressure I used the week before (22 psi front, 23 rear) but I think the rear should have been a little lower (I changed to 22 for the SingleSpeed race).

Even though the 2nd lap was my fastest things began to stretch out. And on a paved path on the 3rd lap (which should be a strength of mine) I was passed by a couple more guys. One of them over cooked a turn and went down in front of me and slowed me down enough for Fabri to get past (Grrr).

My 3rd lap was pretty slow and my 4th lap was only a little better. Midway thru the 4th lap Steve Feehrey moved from a few seconds behind me to right on my wheel. Attached to me to the point where he didn't show on the GoPro even in the u-turns.

The last you'll see of Steve

The only people in front of me the rest of the race were 35+ racers or lapped 55+ racers so there was no one to chase. Now, with Steve right behind me, my focus turned to staying in front of him and distancing him if possible. With my heart rate pegged (I averaged 166 bpm) I had a hard time thinking about the course and where I could make a difference. If you remember last week I knew I could create a gap on the uphills in the woods. But there wasn't anywhere on this course where I thought I could make a difference - at least my brain couldn't soak up enough oxygen to figure it out. My best play would be to jump the barriers but I wasn't willing to risk that on the last lap.

Just before the penultimate time across the Start/Finish I bumped into Chris again...

...He is smart enough to get out of the way and also to not disrupt Steve. In the back of my head of course I wished he'd cut him off and create a gap but that's not how we roll.

Also, in my befuddled brain, I had to try and figure out where Steve would try to pass me and be ready for it. Again, I couldn't do it. So I just kept pushing. Anytime there was a corner I tried to push hard out of it to create a gap he would have to use effort to close. But during the corners or places where I felt he couldn't get past I let off the gas a little. I realized I wasn't going to shake him and I needed to preserve at least a little energy for the end. For the last lap and a half we played this game and either I was cutting the corners so well he couldn't get by or he was as cooked as I was.

Finally, we were back into the North section and into the barriers. He is really fast running the barriers so I was a bit worried (He cruised past me at Campton). This may have contributed to a near fall as I dismounted. In the video right before the barriers you can hear a big oof as my left foot unclipped earlier than I wanted and my foot slid off and landed on the ground. Luckily, I saved it and kept going.

Steve finally tried to make his move a couple turns after the barriers. Below you can see I am set up on the outside of a left turn. I could see under my left arm that he was trying to cut under me so I knew I had to make it sharp.

I didn't shove him into the stake but he definitely had to slow down which gave me an extra gap. You can hear me huff and puff a little more right after the corner.

There was still a minute left in the race and a handful of turns so I had to keep pushing. The finish straight is really short but there is a long winding curve before it. I made sure to cut all the corners tight and got into the drops.

I took off the power meter last week to save weight but I'm sure I was pushing a bajillion watts as I sprinted it out and stayed ahead of Steve for 10th place. The last 2 minutes of the race I averaged 175 bpm. The race withing the race is what's great about cross.

I was also 3rd in the Cat 4/5 sub group.

Photo by George

Quickly, for the SingleSpeed I chose a larger gear than I though prudent for the uphill turns so that I could pedal harder everywhere else. The first 2 laps I was slowly tracking people down (except for the part where I lost concentration and ran right into a stake).

Boy meets Stake

Turns out my brain was pretty gone fore the second race and everything got sloppy. This is the only point in the 4 laps that I really messed up (and I passed the 2 guys who got by me here) but I noticed serious zoning out moments.

The last 2 laps I was pretty much on my own. No one to chase (45 seconds in front of me) and no one chasing me (a minute and a half behind). So I just cruised the rest of the way. I still averaged a 163 bpm with 164 bpm in the second half of the race.

Bob stuck around and took a few pics and there was even a cameo by Paul Connelly with the family to watch.

Photo Big Ring Bob

Next week is at the Quarry at the Forge in Lemont. Stop by and check it out.

Videos:

55+ First Lap: https://youtu.be/eYIkvceZ0YQ?si=6zoB2bUACiDx5OJX

55+ Full Race: https://youtu.be/jOcM9V9bp64?si=LgosLw0HIZUcVAZ6

Single Speed First Lap: https://youtu.be/9nE_QB2NF-I?si=vyWeAdAaOWQe3TVk

Groundhog CX 2024

noreply@blogger.com (Kodiak Rider) — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 15:18:00 -0600

This was a double weekend up in Woodstock, IL (Where the town square scenes of the movie Groundhog Day were filmed). Both days were part of the overall CCC series and of course another chance at just having fun. This year they added a beer garden and the food truck they brought in again was really good (Perk and Pickle).

It is quite the drive up to Woodstock and there is the usual drop off in turnout, but there were still over 350 race entries for each day.

Groundhog CX holds the label as the CCC race with the most climbing. No mountains of course but real punchiness and a woods section that takes some power to get up at race speed. It isn't enough to make you change your gearing like for the Mineral Point trip but the effort is different. Especially for those doing the single speed race - any gear you pick won't be optimal for half the course.

I smiled as I wrote the above because last week I DID change up my gearing; just not because of the course. I decided to shed some weight by taking off the 2x setup and going 1x. After all was said and done the bike was almost a pound lighter. I have yet to use the big ring in a race (and didn't plan to). I shunned the power meter too as it isn't helpful at all during the race and only marginally at best after (Don't tell that to Fabri). If I had skipped the chain keeper too it might have been the full pound. I opted for a 40 tooth chainring and went from an 11-36 in back to an 11-33. I'll revert back once CX season is over and it's time for gravel.

We had good representation at Groundhog: Me, George, and Bob in Tower blue. Plus Mark Misicko, Chris Fabri, and Nick Diedrich as our tangential team.

On Saturday I raced the 55+ and on Sunday I did the 55+ and the Single Speed. I had hoped to do Single Speed on Saturday too but my legs weren't very good during the 55+ so I bagged it.

TLDR: Sat: 55+ 13/25; Sun: 55+ 8/30, SS 22/33

Saturday was dry and 43 degrees. Nice enough to shed the arm and leg warmers but kept the base layer. George and I did practice on Thursday and my legs felt horrible but the Friday openers had the legs coming around. I was hoping to keep the good legs but they didn't fully come around.

I want to spend more time on the Sunday racing so I'll give a briefer recap of Saturday. I had a relative good start but gave up positions on the first lap with a slide out in a corner. After catching back up to a group of 5 someone in front of me went down in a corner on the second lap and then gaps got created. I spent the rest of the race mostly by myself. I finished 13th out of 25 with most of the people in front of me who usually do and the same for the people behind me.

Photo: @esharhaddon

Sat 55+ First Lap: https://youtu.be/n-bdYvQXqog?si=GdN_4fUhqxAER37k

Full Race: https://youtu.be/2IRsYhPHSlg?si=-QIHn2HCJUySFa5s

Saturday night brought some rain and questions on the course conditions. It was also 10 degrees warmer so I didn't even wear the base layer this time. The course was in reverse Sunday so the lines burned in from Saturday may not be the exact lines we wanted on Sunday. Pre ride showed that the course held up pretty well but still required a lowering of the tire pressure. My gauge is acting up so I was going by feel (squish). I probably ended up lowering the pressure 3-4 times by the time the 55+ race started. Right at the start line I compared my tires to Martin Tepoele's (Wolfpack) and dropped it again. I think I tend to run too high a pressure and I might have actually gotten to where I normally should be. I only hit the rim once which is usually a good sign.

I had a second row start again and managed to be 7th at the hole shot. The catch phrase in CX is Green is Good, Green is Grip. So my plan was to take the corners wider to avoid the muddier lines and stay on the grass and keep my speed up. The legs were feeling better but I wanted to stay within myself and not blow up. So by the time we hit the woods the lead group had a gap on me.

Photo: @esharhaddon

I know who has been finishing ahead of me and those are my targets. Jason White is one of them and he passed me in the woods. I kept near him throughout the first lap but he kept easing away from me. Chris Brown is another. He passed me on an uphill corner near the end of the first lap (7:44) . He and I would then have a race-long battle. Chris doesn't usually have fast starts but is really consistent with his lap times and doesn't have that 3rd or 4th lap fade that I am known for. He also is about 70 points better than me on Cross Results. Going into lap 2 I made an effort to keep his wheel. Just sticking there all race would be an accomplishment for me. I actually said to myself "I'm on Chris Brown's wheel"!

I have more straight line speed than he does and if you can pass someone in CX you should so I found an opportunity and did it (9:30). But Chris is a real racer and he knew it was important to get into the woods first where it is harder to pass so he made another move (10:18). This actually benefited me later in the race because I learned going up the hill that I was climbing faster than him (let that sink in people).

When racers are in front of you, you need to learn from what they are doing good or bad. I also learned from him to go wide in the last corner before the finish line. I had been cutting it sharper but then needing to brake and was losing speed.

At 12:34 I passed him again on a straightaway. At 13:09 you can see a 35+ racer go down taking a tight line in a corner. My wider grassier line was good. I wasn't too far back of Jason White here but it didn't get any closer.

Chris passed me back on the same corner he did on the first lap (15:21). I really needed to cut that uphill corner better. For the first half of lap 3 I just sat on his wheel. After the woods we hit a paved bike path and I pushed past him (20:00). I was able to close the small gap in the woods and that gave me confidence. In the following u-turns you can't see Chris in the video because he is right on my wheel. We kept passing the back end of the 35+ field and when I was coming up to them I was hoping they wouldn't slow me down. Then after passing them I was hoping they would slow Chris down. LOL

Chris had had enough of my wheel at the beginning of lap 4 and passed again (24:16). But guess what, we hit the outbound straightaway and I passed at 25:10. As we entered the woods I watched all my corners. I went wide where I thought he might pass and was tight on others.

At 28:25 you get a glimpse of Chris Fabri as he eases his way through the 35+ as his warmup for the 45+ which is next.

Then comes the real drama of the race. At 30:50 I hit too much brake and the back wheel slides out and I have to unclip. I am up quickly but Chris keeps his speed and gets past me even making a comment as he passes (very cordial). But he overcooks a turn 2 corners later and runs into the tape. I make the pass and that turns our to be the final pass of the race. By the time we hit the finish line to begin the last lap I only had 1 second on him. But over the course of the last lap I put 8 seconds into him. My last lap was the fastest of all 5 laps. I didn't look back and just kept pushing. I gained my time in the straightaways and in the woods. I kept smart in the turns.

I finished 8th out of 30 which is by far my best finish. My first top ten! And being able to hang with Chris and even beat him was huge for me. There were a couple other guys behind me who are really good too.

Photo: @esharhaddon

Sun 55+ First Lap: https://youtu.be/A_H-fd82W40?si=pYYA_iP3qgW69axs

Full Race: https://youtu.be/7YIdUumhevM?si=EBfaq4RdBbq0-I6C

The Single Speed race was a matter of gearing. I picked the 24 tooth cog which was horrible for the start and not good for the straights but really good for the uphills. Might have been able to go with the 21. I finished 22nd out of 33 but still had good legs and am happy with my finish.

Single Speed First Lap: https://youtu.be/kC3Z1uR_cyM?si=ikXERJAn_VClmPs0

Both races garnered me my best Cross Results points of the season (the same for each race which is a weird coincidence). The 55+ race also had me on the 2nd step of the podium for the Cat 4/5's. Bob and George were also on their respective 65+ podiums. It was a good day for Tower Blue!

Campton CX 2024

noreply@blogger.com (Kodiak Rider) — Mon, 4 Nov 2024 16:10:00 -0600

Campton was a data free day... but it wasn't planned that way.

Forgot to pack the GoPro so there is no video.

And during pre-ride I attempted to jump the barriers. When I didn't quite make the second barrier my Garmin mount snapped as I didn't land rubber side down. The new kit doesn't have a zip pocket so I didn't want to risk the Garmin popping out of a back pocket.

(My Garmin mount finds the misspelling ironic)

I was actually proud that I tried to hop the barriers. Too many times I have chickened out even in practice. These were probably 2x6 boards so not too tall. My ego wants to think they were 2x8's but I'm trying to be honest with myself. I made the first jump fine and the front wheel made the second jump but the back wheel didn't and down I went. But, it was pre-ride and since the bike was fine all was good. I'm used to running the barriers.

(Chris on the left, then Steve, Jason, and Mark)

Campton is the annual Halloween race and while I didn't dress up others do. The guy with the full pumpkin head worried me a bit because there was no way he could see anything.

I did the 55+ race and the single speed race. George did just the 55+ race as he wasn't feeling tip top and Tommy Will came out for the 45+ race. Bob was in Michigan for Ice Man. Mark Misicko raced with me and Chris Fabri did the 45+.

TLDR: 55+: 12/33, SS: 22/39

Tire Pressure: 22/25

The really good news was that it didn't rain. At least not for our early races. All week we were planning for it and thankfully we avoided it. It was a bit windy which we could deal with but add rain to that and.... I don't like to think about it.

In the 55+ I started 2nd row again and again didn't get a good start. I tried to clip into the pedal but didn't get in right away. That said I wasn't in bad position it just wasn't good. The course was reversed this year and we entered the woods right away which is concerning because the last time I did this direction the group was much larger and I was literally standing in a group waiting to get into the single track. Being a smaller group and being near the front it didn't get congested and I made it into the woods ok. There is a slight rise throughout the section and there are railroad ties every so often to help with erosion. The first handful you need to pull up the front wheel and also the back wheel to get over. The last handful it is just the front wheel and the back wheel can roll over them. But, either section slows you down a bit and takes effort. There is always mud in the middle of the woods but it was pretty good this year and not a game changer.

On the first lap I found myself behind Chris Brown. That's a good place to be as he regularly gets top tens even though he is 65+. But he was leaving a gap in front of him and I didn't want to get too far behind the others. So I passed him and actually put 4 seconds into him after 1 lap. I was excited. I still didn't think I was placed very well so kept pushing.

The grip on the course was really good even in the up/down section by the baseball field. There was a left hand turn transition from grass to gravel that gave me trouble in the single speed race but I'll get to that. In this race it was tricky but didn't effect anything.

There were 2 sets of barriers on course. The first were just 2x4's (best guess) and I had no trouble hopping those. Right after those there is a hill and then a slow drag which took it out of you. That all leads into a second woods section which is short but has a couple whoops and a bunch of roots (which they spray painted for safety I assume - although it gave it a cool Halloween glow). Right after that section came the 2nd set of barriers and then a slight downhill gravel path to the finish line.

I was strong on the first 2 laps and now I was now 6 seconds ahead of Chris. I didn't know it but I was in 8th or 9th place now. Halfway thru the 3rd lap I made it thru the up/down section I dread in 8th and about to turn onto a power straight leading to the first set of barriers. In my head I said to myself (I actually thought this) it was time to put down some power. I wasn't quite off the mild off camber yet and my rear wheel slipped out and I went down. 2 people passed me but I was able to get up fairly quickly.

The timing on my laps 3 and 4 went back to my normal this week where I have a lull. I still was in the pack of 5 but chasing and losing places. I took back places on the straights where I can power past. One in particular I passed Chris but then made the mistake of going wide into a 180 turn and Chris got me right back and passed underneath me.

(Photo credits: Mary Lillie Imaging)

Most people were running the 2nd barriers but one who wasn't was Rob Capps. He was jumping and I knew that was a problem for me. Even Steve Feehrey, while running, was much quicker than me.

Going into the last lap the 5 of us were spread out by only 10 seconds. Me being the 4th in the group. Places were being exchanged and lap times were dropping quickly. I jumped the short barriers and then got out of the saddle on the uphill and sprinted. I had Rob behind me with a gap but wasn't able to catch the other guys.

I'm not sure if it was before the race or during but the thought crossed my brain that if the end was tight maybe I'd try and hop the barriers crash be damned to save time. But now that I had put in my effort I had enough room so Rob couldn't pass me at the barriers... or so I thought. I ran, I jumped, I remounted, and he passed me like I was standing still. Ugh!

Like I said at the beginning I didn't think I was placed very well so after getting bested by all 4 in my group I was a little unhappy. But, finishing 12th, my best result of the season, I have to be excited. It was a heckuva battle and I'm getting better (maybe?!).

Lap times

7:16 (usually the first lap is longer but because of the staging/course design it was a bit shorter)

7:35

7:47 (crash lap)

7:42 (Tired lap)

7:33 (Last lap should always be your fastest)

Single Speed

I sat in the car for the hour in between races trying to get warm. Getting out of the car was not fun but at least the temps had risen from 50 to 57 for the second race. As you heat up quickly in cross I went without arm or legwarmers for both races. I missed my 3rd row callup trying to ride around the park and get warm and ended up in the 4th row.

I had a better start here but because of the hills I picked the 19 cog in back so didn't have any real punch on the flats. There were 39 in this race so I needed to pick off people as best I could. My times were a bit slower than the first race but my times were more consistent. There were also more people who weren't jumping the first barriers and I was able to gain time there. I was geared perfectly for the uphills and that's where I tried to make up time (Pause for laughter).

My one issue was that transition from grass to gravel where I over cooked the turn a bit and ended up in the tape. A combination of loose gravel and fuzzy brain. I had to stop and pull the bike out of the tape and was passed by 1 or 2 people. By the end of the race I had passed them back and kept even power throughout the race. The other SS race I finished 25th/39 so 22nd/39 was an improvement. While doing well is always a goal the SS race is more about just getting race time on course to help dial in the skills.

Lap Times

7:48 (More traffic from more riders ahead of me made this a slower lap)

7:41

7:58 (hoping this is the tape lap)

7:45

7:51

Next weekend is a double race weekend. Both in Woodstock for Groundhog Cross.

Sunrise CX 2024 - 55+

noreply@blogger.com (Kodiak Rider) — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 17:53:00 -0500

What a mess it turned out to be.

Coming off a good result at Jackson Park I was excited about Sunrise Park. Other than the dreaded (at least for me) Heckle Hill it is a fun course.

There are a couple of wooded single track sections, logs to jump, and yes... Heckle Hill.

I signed up for the 55+ and the Singlespeed races again.

TLDR: 13th/35 in the 55+. DNF in the singlespeed with a broken derailleur hanger.

And the broken hanger was only part of the mess...

It was chilly (35) in the morning as I arrived at 6:45. It was still dark (too dark to preride) so I sat in the car an extra 10 minutes. I was also bundled up with multiple layers including a parka for the couple laps to check out the course.

With no wind and dry skies by race time it wasn't too bad. Once on the course you heat up quickly so it is really only the 5-10 minutes before the whistle where the chill kicks in.

My Cross Results points have continued to improve so I had a 2nd row start. I also got a slot on the left side which I prefer when the first turn is to the right. I find it easier to move up when not getting bunched up on the inside of the turn.

As I've mentioned a couple times over the course of 2024 I like to judge myself by the company I keep. In the 55+ I have my eyes on a few guys who typically finish in front of me and try to hold wheels as long as I can. After a good start where I help my position I stayed with the company I wanted throughout the first lap which was a big deal for me. Right before the end of lap 1 line I had a couple of them behind me (although they slid by at the line). On the 2nd lap right before Heckle Hill the racer in front of me slid out in a corner and I had to brake and slid a bit too. Only one guy got past me but it created the gap to the people I had my eyes on which I just couldn't bring back.

Heckle Hill was a bit easier this year (not sure why they made it easier) but as the laps built up the grass got matted down and became a bit more slick. I DIDN'T FALL though. Whoo Hoo!

Laps 2 and 3 were about keeping ahead of people and getting past the back of the 35+ group quickly.

My lap times got quicker each lap which is great. I usually have a lull in laps 3 and 4. But not this week. My fastest lap was my last. 8:05, 8:05, 7:56 and 7:53. The first lap has a bit of extra yardage/time because of the start grid. The second lap was probably a bit slower because of the slide out.

On Lap 4 I kept pushing and when I was approaching the logs I saw ahead of me a friend Matt. As I looked ahead I noticed he dismounted and ran the logs. I kept going and bunny hopped and ended up passing him. Looking at the video after I gained 4-5 seconds on just that lap because of my mad log skills :)

I kept pushing and stayed ahead of him and when we hit the start finish line for what should have been the penultimate time and they stopped us. This is where it gets messy. We knew there should have been another lap because we had only been racing for 32 minutes of a 40 minute race and we were doing sub-8 minute laps. So heart rate pumping we stop and start loudly questioning the judges. The head judge (who was later deemed to have made the mistake) snapped back at us which was more uncalled for. By the point we were done yelling at each other people from behind us were passing us and they were letting them continue racing. It was a mess.

Without getting into too many crazy details we ended up being lucky that the racer right behind us on the course is also a judge. After he finished his 5th lap he went to the judges tent and told them we should be placed ahead of him. So all in all, our placing was correct (although who knows what disasters could have lay ahead > um, see above broken hanger) and they decided to give us a fake time for the ghost lap we didn't do.

13th is my highest finish this year and my legs felt good. Also happy about the logs although I chickened out and ran the barriers. Better to run than fall which I had 2 guys next to me do. I also finished on the second step of the podium for the Cat 4/5 sub-group within the race. Because of the goofiness above there was no official podium picture. So Matt and I took one of our own.

Like I said above I didn't even finish the first lap of the Singlespeed race. I had a good start from the 4th row. In the second corner someone went down and caused a big clog but I had the inside line and made it through quickly passing maybe 10 people.

But Heckle Hill bit me one more time. Every year I either fall or just don't even try to ride it and run it. This time I made it through the first corner but then hit too much brake on the second corner and the wheels slipped out. It was rather low speed and I even had my right foot unclipped to balance. But the derailleur hanger bent and was clicking the spokes. My brain was fuzzy but I did hear a spectator yell my derailleur was in my wheel. So I stopped and tried to bend it back and SNAP! It did what it was supposed to do but it also ended my race.

Next week is Halloween Cross at Campton Hills.

First Lap: https://youtu.be/sPpj3O94bpo?si=rI737c_6wJUqqGb3

Full Race: https://youtu.be/CZRwIc72yFI?si=QgqQdIBJWE_ob3lt

Jackson Park CX 2024

noreply@blogger.com (Kodiak Rider) — Fri, 25 Oct 2024 12:24:00 -0500

We were back to Jackson Park near the Museum of Science and Industry - the home of Relay Cross. This time they changed up the course and there were no partners to rely on... it was all on each of us.

At Glenwood George dabbled in the single speed race as well as the 55+ race so I decided to join him. I like the idea of doing two races but waiting around 3 hours for the Cat 3/4 is just too much.

Besides the beautiful October weather the big news was that it was my first race on my Cervelo R5-CX cyclocross specific bike. (The bike created for Wout and Mariana Vos). I built up the frame with the components from my Crux and it didn't disappoint. The handling was impeccable. I kinda suck at turning but between that and the counter-steering technique I was practicing last week I was actually catching up to people in the corners... I never thought I'd say that.

The 55+ race was first and got off to an awkward start because the official walked away from start line and we weren't sure when he was gonna blow the whistle. A whistle from a distance blew and off we went and my start was ok. Not near as good as Glenwood but slotted right up there in the top 15 (there were 28 of us at the start). After getting some really good Cross Results points at Trek CX I moved up to the 3rd row which helps.

The one technical challenge that was on the course (and not included in Relay Cross) was a 180 up a short embankment (right near Lake Shore Drive). On the first lap I knew it was gonna be a mess and sure enough someone slipped out and the rest of us were running. The rest of the first lap was a back and forth with a few different riders. It was really fun to try and move up and protect corners.

The course was dry and didn't even have any dew. As I mentioned in another race report the first race of the day (8am for us) doesn't have the lines burned in yet so while that means good grip (Green means grip) it also means that you don't have lines to follow. I started pre-ride at 25/26 PSI and lowered it in the middle. Probably ended up around 24/25 which seems to be my sweet spot. My rear tire slipped a few times throughout the race so maybe I could have gone a little lower but since I didn't go down it was probably right. It was a fast enough course to go with a higher pressure but it was fairly bumpy and it is better to smooth out those bumps with a lower pressure.

My legs felt good (other than right after the sprint start). I kept my power and had the energy to keep pushing throughout the entire 40 minutes. It was a light week on the bike which may have accounted for the freshness.

Most of the second half of the race (5 laps total) was spent catching up to the back end of the 35+ race which had started 2 minutes in front of us. Trying not to get stuck behind people which can let others catch you from behind is a challenge.

Early on I had a back and forth with #32. He finished only 5 seconds in front of me which means I should have pushed that much harder. Next time.

I finished 14th/28. I continued my goal of finishing top half and achieved my goal of top 15. I hope to keep moving up. My last lap was my fastest lap and and I was pretty consistent all around so I am pretty happy. Average HR was 164 with a max of 173.

For the single speed race I had no idea what I was doing and just hoped to pick the right gear. In the 55+ race I shifted 150 times (SRAM AXS app lets me know this) and now I wouldn't be able to shift at all (I took the battery out of the derailleur). George had let me know for Glenwood he picked too easy of a gear so I went 1 gear harder than I thought might be right. I have a 35 tooth small chainring up front and I'm pretty sure I ended up in the 17 in the back. The course was pretty flat except for that 180 turn mentioned above.

The legs still felt pretty good surprisingly and the lap times reflected that. In fact my fastest lap all day was the last lap of the SS race. I was in traffic the whole race which makes it a lot more fun. Trying to pass people or trying to hold on to wheels. On the second lap I tried to make a pass but ran out of real estate when the course jogged right. I hit the brakes but also the bushes. Thankfully the new frame seems to have come out ok.

Just before that I had passed a couple people and now I had to chase back again. With the adrenaline rush from the vegetation I kept going and not only caught the 2 people but also passed the guy who put me in the bushes. He ended up 6 seconds behind me and there were two guys who were 8 and 2 seconds in front of me so the motivation was there the last couple laps. I tried to pass the guy right in front of me on the last lap but couldn't do it and was hoping to take him in the sprint but as I took the last corner and ramped it up my back wheel hit a couple of holes and that was that.

I ended 25th out of 39 which isn't too bad as it was my second race and I had never done a SS race before. Looking forward to doing it again this week. Avg HR 165 Max 181.

Upcoming race is Sunrise Park in Bartlett.

Full Race - 55+: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-xTTf6pjyw

First Lap - 55+: https://youtu.be/esC5mYRMw2Q?si=WJQ4enUGPb-h5ok_

First Lap - Singlespeed: https://youtu.be/x9mbw5CmDDY?si=YdMKYP9Y93gt8FUg

Trek CX Cup 2024 - 50+

noreply@blogger.com (Kodiak Rider) — Wed, 9 Oct 2024 11:50:00 -0500

Let's bring a Volkswagen to an F1 race. Or, perhaps a better analogy, fuel that F1 car with E85 instead of rocket fuel.

Trek CX is always one of the highlights of the racing calendar for people and it brings people from far and wide. This year, though, it isn't a World Cup. So, only a couple of Euro pros were racing instead of most of the best. But that doesn't mean the rest of the categories weren't stacked.

There were 3 days of racing and George, Bob, and myself did 2 of them; Saturday and Sunday. All total there were probably 20-30 CCC people up there with some good representation (and at least 3 podiums). We did the 10:30 time slot which had 4 different age groups starting each about 30 seconds apart: 40+, 50+, 60+, and 70+. All told 120+ racers on course at the same time,

Before the weekend my Cross Results points were about 500. My points aren't good but for a Cat 4 slumming with the 50+ age groupers they aren't horrible. Of the 60 guys in my race I was predicted 58th based on points. The top 10 all had sub-300 points. Top 20-30 had sub-400 point. This field was crazy stacked. In fact only 11 guys of the 52 who actually showed up (8 guys paid and didn't show) finished on the lead lap. 41 people were lapped. That's crazy.

I finished 40th out of 52 on Saturday. Much better than predicted but still far down the line.

The course is very different than anything we see in the CCC. And we didn't even do the pro-only line. Lot's of punchy rises along with 3 man-made flyovers. A couple of slow drags uphill. There was one descent that really should have been done on a mountain bike. I am honestly shocked I didn't crash and I didn't see others wipe out: bumpy, dusty, and steep.

Needless to say my Chicago legs were not ready for this. I've raced up there 3-4 times so I know it is hard but it is always a shock to the system. My last two laps were 30-40 seconds slower that the first 3. I was burnt out. One thing about doing things out of the ordinary is that you have to plan better to not forget anything. So, I forgot to take any caffeine before the race. My HR was an average of 161 so not too bad but not the 167 of the week before. (More on HR later)

The rest of Day 1 I spent watching all the races including the pros. It was warm and a lot of fun. Lots of walking and not near enough water. Trek has an area tucked away on course called the Secret Bar and they were giving away beer back there. No water. So I had a beer just for something - I'm not a big beer drinker.

That leads us to Day 2 where I was not in good form. My legs hurt after the first day like I had just done 100 miles at Mineral Point. They didn't bounce back for Day 2. I actually did take caffeine this time but for some reason (lack of water/fitness?) I could only must a HR avg of 152. My times weren't actually all that horrible but they weren't good. I finished 44th out of 48 and three of those guys DNFed.

The highlights of all the races is hanging out with friends. George and Bob and I had dinner together at a surprisingly good truck stop/restaurant. So fun to hash out the racing and make excuses.

We also got to talk to some of the pros (Not the Taylor Swift security level up there) and got a picture with Maghalie Rochette.

Day 1 Lap 1: https://youtu.be/Y8RfkHaD6zs?si=E-ozjcBAQ2Bt2Ey1

Day 2 Lap 1: https://youtu.be/Gut1d-PPgj8?si=inFTzQO7-TCnNzCf

Glenwood CX 2024 55+

noreply@blogger.com (Kodiak Rider) — Wed, 9 Oct 2024 10:59:00 -0500

I have graduated by virtue of the clock ticking. I am now eligible for the 55+ category (I'm only 53 as I type this but Race Age is a funky thing in cyclocross. I get to join the other great Tower Racers now instead of just watching them. It also means racing an hour earlier at 8am which I wasn't looking forward to. I had a nice rhythm with the 8:55 start I need to adjust now.

Glenwood is the first stop in this year's Chicago Cyclocross Cup (CCC) series. It is on the campus of Glenwood Academy and has pretty much no elevation. The trickiest part of the course was around a couple trees where roots were exposed and my back tire kept slipping.

It has been dry and the course matched that. By the end of the day the lines were probably pretty burned in which can make it a bit more slick but in the morning it was fine. Not even any dew on the grass.

Before I get into the actual racing I wanted to take a minute to talk about my mentality for the 55+. Being the youngest guy in the category in my mind meant I should be one of the fastest. At least in my cloudy brain that made sense. One thing about racing is that as you get older it is the good racers who keep racing and the others drop out. So you are left with a higher percentage of good racers. So when I started looking at racing points for the guys I'd be racing against my dreams of a wide angle podium started to change to more of a top 15. Let's see how the season goes.

My call up was 4th row based on my points which wasn't great. But the last guy in the 3rd row was lazily walking his bike to the start so I rode past him and snuck into the 3rd row. This turned out to be very fortuitous for the start. It was also good that the slot was near the right side of the row. The first turn was to the left and in my experience it is better/easier to move up on the outside of the corner as most people dive for the inside and it is clogged.

As it turned out the sea parted in front of me at the start and at the hole shot I was in 6th position without having to work too hard. It was a paved start which also made it a bit easier if not potentially sketchy (I've been crashed on paved starts before - can anyone say new helmet?). Now it was a matter of holding my position as best I could. There are only so many places on course where you can pass but also only so many watts available in my legs. I started vaguely counting as riders passed by as well as checking out numbers. If the number is higher than mine then I know I'm falling too far back. By the end of lap 1 my top ten had gone away but wasn't too poorly placed.

Actually, after lap 1 only 2 guys passed me so once I settled in things were relatively good. On the first lap there was a Half Acre Cycling guy who was having issues with the corners so I made a point to get by him. Turns out he is a pretty good racer and I'm not sure what was up. He finally got it together and snuck past on the 3rd or 4th lap (of 5). At the end he was only 3 seconds in front of me. Our friend Mark Misicko was only 9 seconds in front of me. The company you keep....

After doing CX for so many years you get to know people. At least on course. Tim was one of those guys and he passed me on the second lap but I held him close. He's one of the people I mark myself against so I wasn't happy to see him slide away. But later in the race he started to come back. I was getting excited that I might catch him until we were about to hit the berm which was the highpoint of the course (insert laugh here) and saw him pull over with a flat. Ugh.

On the last lap I knew I has someone behind me but not too close. Then, at one point he tried to cut me in a corner. I had taken the inside line and blocked him (A great move if I had known he was coming). But now I knew he was there and my mission was clear. Keep on the gas and keep him back there. I was able to do just that and finished ahead of him by 2 seconds. Again, the company you keep; he is a Cat 3 with almost 100 points better than me on Cross Results. That pushed me to my fastest lap of the race (which is how it is supposed to be).

I ended 17th out of 38. That's top half of the field which makes me pretty happy. It took me a long time to get into the top half of the 45+ category and even then I didn't always stay there.

Tires: PDX

Tire Pressure: about 24 front, 25 rear

Avg HR: 167, max 178 (40 minutes)

It was also fun to race with George and Bob. Wishing Fran was there too. (Read the sign George is holding). Brad will join us for the next race.

Next race is Trek CX Cup in Waterloo WI.

Lap 1: https://youtu.be/0wyeV0_D-7M?si=zC6VSh4KcZsYcEcD

Boiler Cross 2024

noreply@blogger.com (Kodiak Rider) — Mon, 23 Sep 2024 10:43:00 -0500

When the best part of the day isn't the podium!

Last weekend was Relay Cross and next weekend is the opening of the CCC at Glenwood. That left a nice free weekend in search of a race. Wisconsin had 2 races but the first was in Sheboygan and the second in Waterloo. The former is just too darn far and the latter is just a bit too far for a 9am race start.

A new race this year in the Ohio Valley CX series was hosted by the Purdue Cycling Club and called Boiler Cross. Well, my son Evan graduated from Purdue a year ago and I thought this would be a great chance for some bonding and racing. Race time was 4pm which meant we wouldn't have to wake up at the crack of dawn and could spend some time checking out campus again.

Purdue is a simple 2 hour drive straight down highway 65. A walk around campus and lunch at a Mexican place he likes lead us to plenty of time to to get to McCallister park in Lafayette.

The park has a big open grass area but also with tree sections which are all incorporated into a disc golf course. Evan had actually played disc golf there before which made it more fun. The CX course made good use of what little elevation the park had to offer. Short little steep areas were dotted here and there. Barriers were placed at the top of one of them and then there were stairs leading up to the top of another. Those aside it was primarily a power course which usually favors me or at least plays more into my wheelhouse than a technical course would. But by 3pm the temps had risen close to 90 degrees and in the sun it felt even hotter.

Being 2024 and having access to the internet I was well aware of the weather forecast and had been hydrating for a couple days. I even had 4 glasses of water just at lunch. That said, halfway through my first pre-ride lap my mouth was dry. Most cyclocross races aren't run with water bottles let alone bottle cages but this was a complete exception. I downed 2 more bottles between pre-ride and the race and had a full bottle in my cage at race time. The course was also really bumpy. On the first pre-ride lap I stopped to significantly lower the pressure. Usually, on a dry grass course a little higher pressure is good for speed, but the bumps were significant so I had to take air out. I didn't re-measure so I can't give you the exact PSI but probably in the 24-25 range. That did make it smoother but the blisters (plural) on both hands after the race tell a different story.

The day's racing was broken up into 6 waves and I was in wave 6. Within wave 6 was a junior group, a Cat 4 group and then my group which itself had 3 sub-groups (Cat 4 - 40+, 50+, and 60+). Each of the main groups started 1 minute apart which made it easier to keep track of who you were racing against. I was officially in the Cat 4 50+ group.

Boiler Cross being a first year race and being on the western border of Indiana it had a harder time drawing in the Ohio and Kentucky racers (and I'm sure even some Indy racers. Heck, I'm sure I wouldn't have gone if Evan hadn't gone with me to make a day of it.). There was one Team Hungry racer there from Cinci - his team is the one the Georgia crew used to ride with. The total number of pre-registered riders was only 111. The Ohio Valley race the weekend before had over 250. This lead to my main group of only about 13 racers with 7 in my specific category. Even with that few racers the trick was keeping track of who you were racing against. Had to know the numbering. The Cat 4 50+ guys were in the 230's.

Ideally, you race everyone and beat them all. But if a 40+ guy goes up the road (figuratively speaking) then you don't blow yourself up trying to hang on.

By 4pm mother nature graced us with cloud cover which helped to no end. It was still about 90 and we still sat in the car with the A/C running until race time but I was thankful.

In the small sub-group I had a front row start (most of us did) and had everything dialed in. My Garmin was started on time, my GoPro was rolling, and my cassette was in the right gear (the 3 G's) [all three of which I've messed up in the past]. All I had to do was clip into my pedal at the whistle. The whistle blew and I totally missed my pedal. A little panic kicked in which made it harder to clip in.

We went straight for about 75 meters and then hit a soft S curve. By the first turn I was slotted in mid-pack. The course straightened out and 2 of the 40+ guys had a small gap. We were in a little double track area So I moved out of line and moved up a couple places. Barry from Chicago based Mox Cycling was leading our group so I was gonna let him pull until a Midwest Devo guy (also 40+) decided to pass him and I grabbed his wheel. After a few turns I was able to pass the Devo guy but just didn't think it smart to try to burn matches in the heat to bridge to the 2 40+ guys.

The entire first lap video is linked below so I won't go too much more into detail. But Evan was parked under the shade of a tree (that Purdue education paying off) right after the barriers so every lap I had a cheering section. On the first lap he caught some video which was cool because the guy who had passed me a little before, I was able to pass running the barriers. Granted, the guy was in the 60+ sub-group but he also won the entire group by the end so there's that.

If you are reading this most likely you have also seen the podium picture. The guy who won our sub-group passed me mid way though the second lap. I watched in the power sections as he rolled away from me. I was wary of going too hard but also just didn't have the full power I had hoped. At some point I noticed there was no one else behind me. Barry had crashed on the first lap and was now about 30 seconds behind me. I kept pushing but the gap in front of me (and behind me) was growing.

The first 2 laps were near the 7 minute mark but the last 3 laps were all 7:45ish. Not having someone to chase or chasing you doesn't get the adrenaline going and the heat kept the brain in cruise control mode. I didn't crash which was a plus and the bike worked well and my cornering progressed. I am running PDX mud tires all season for the extra grip even though is will also increase rolling resistance. I need all the help I can get in the corners. Not sure what was up with my HR strap in the first lap but the last 4 I averaged about 170 bpm.

It was really fun being on the podium even with the small group. Doing it in front of Evan made it really sweet. I'm sure he still sees some old dude in spandex up there even if it is his dad. But that's ok.

On the way home we stopped in Crown Point and hit a restaurant called Square Roots. The evening was cooling down so we ate on the patio. I'd recommend the Hall of Famer brisket sandwich.

So, to recap the recap... I got to spend 4 hours in the car with my son, hung out with him on campus and had a couple meals with him. I got to have him watch me in my passion hobby. And I as on the podium. All-in-all a good day. But by far the best part wasn't the podium.

First lap video: https://youtu.be/hJoaCDdxjLE?si=nVZsjg5vGSo-AAxf

Relay Cross 2024

noreply@blogger.com (Kodiak Rider) — Mon, 16 Sep 2024 11:17:00 -0500

#CrossIsHere

We wait all year to be able to say that. Relay Cross is a nice way to ease into the season. Alternating laps with a partner gives you that breather you definitely need as you get your cross lungs and legs back.

Technically, George and I did a race in Wisc last weekend (with no resting between laps). But Relay Cross is kinda like Milano San Remo is the kickoff to the spring classics. Not really the first race but ya know...

Brad and I teamed up to do the 9am 35+ race. Fran and George teamed up as well. While this isn't a race we worry too much about placing, the competitive juices still flow. Brad and I had a plan to just try and dial in more skills and keep it clean.

The course at Jackson Park in the city was dry and flat and fast with a few power sections. Having all done some version of the Tower Saturday ride our legs were not what they will be for the rest of the season. (It's been fun on Saturdays. See you next year).

Relay Cross has a Le Mans start where one team member runs from the start line about 100 yards (meters?!) to tag the other who starts riding. Brad and George ran while Fran and I rode first. The first lap was crowded as usual (~25 teams) and my skills at moving up showed plenty of rust. My hands were killing me after the first lap from all the hard braking into corners as you can only go as fast as the person in front of you if you can't find a line to pass.

I overslept and forgot my Garmin so I have no HR data. I used my GoPro for time splits. Best I can tell is my laps were consistent. I also had Fran to chase down on laps 2 and three which made it fun (eg Hard). Laps 4 and 5 I could close in on Fran.

I ended up doing 5 laps of about 6 minutes each (Brad did 4 + the run in the 60 minute race). As the laps go on people spread out and you are more on your own. This allows you to take the corners better and learn each lap. I also feel like I go slower which also makes the corners easier.

George and I teamed up for the Cat 4 race at 11:15. A quick turnaround so we ate something and drank to get ready. I woefully under prepared for water and thanks to George and Brad for helping me out. I needed it as it was warm out.

Again, this race was to help dial in form. Racing is the best for of practice for CX. But we did have a goal... to beat Barry Baston and Chris Brown. Barry had done the earlier race with us but Chris was fresh.

George did the run and I rode first (The benefits of a cobalt knee is I can pull out all the excuses). There were about ~30 teams this race and it was crowded on the first lap. I did another poor job of moving up but kept ahead of Chris (He fell down on either the 1st or third lap which helped).

This race was 45 minutes and I ended up doing 4 laps and George 3 + the run. We were neck and neck with Barry and Chris the whole race. Coming into the final exchange Barry had about a 1 second gap on George but Chris wasn't paying attn and in a conversation with someone else. I could see it playing out and had to laugh. George tagged me and I was able to start just ahead of Chris. He was on my tail the entire lap and I just kept waiting for him to try and get past me. About a third of the way thru the lap I realized he was probably gonna sit on and then make a move later near the end of the lap. So I didn't go too hard and protected my corners so he couldn't pass.

As we entered the last third of the lap I had to go hard. Funny thing about adrenaline... On the lap previous I was cooked. But with Chris right there I found a boost. My strength in CX has always been my power (as opposed to technical ability). So I hit the power sections hard right out of the corners to create some space. The barriers were near the end and I flew over them (dismounting not jumping) faster than any other lap. I didn't look back in the final straight and just pushed hard to stay ahead.

So while Relay Cross is more about practice racing there is definitely some competitiveness.

Next week I may travel to West Lafayette for Boiler Cross with my Purdue graduate. Then the CCC starts up on the 29th in Glenwood. Come for the racing. Stay for the food trucks.

First Lap of 35+

https://youtu.be/cedDceKInbU?si=f2vipRdZyT0QnUXQ

Wheeling CX 2022 - 45+

noreply@blogger.com (Kodiak Rider) — Thu, 17 Nov 2022 17:39:00 -0600

Weeeeeeeeeeee-Ling

The Wheeling course has been pretty static over the years. This was my 5th crack at it and it is the first time I remember it not being muddy and freezing. There was a little rain earlier in the week but the course wasn't slick at all. There is an off camber section that has a speed limit when muddy but can be ridden fairly normal in the dry. There is also a short downhill u-turn that causes problems but was ridable this time. The temps were low 30's but I only remember 20's and biting winds from the past. So all in all it was a good day for racing.

The Tower crew this week included Fran, Brad, George, and Mark in the 55+. In the 45+ I was the only Tower blue although Joe Doyle was next to me in the start grid.

The excitement on the day was George hitting his first podium. Here he is on the second step of the 55+ 4/5!

Less notable but still exciting was Fran hitting the podium in the 65+ 4/5. (Again?!?! This is getting old Fran!)

Before retreating to the warmth of my car I nabbed a quick video of the first lap. In order are Mark (black), Fran, George (red), and Brad.

The 45+ races in the CCC have seen consistent numbers in the high 50's to 60's. At Wheeling the cold temps whittled it down to 46 racers. I had a 4th row start. I had switched to the Donnelly PDX mud tires a couple races ago due to what were expected to be slick conditions. I still have the all around MXP's mounted on a different set of wheels but choose to ride the PDX's for confidence inspiring grip. This course is usually slick. With the unusually grippy course I probably would have been fine with the MXP's. I tried a higher pressure during pre ride (28/29 psi front/rear) but there were a number of bumpy sections where a lower pressure was needed to smooth it out. If you can ride smoother and let the tires be your shock absorbers then it is faster. I brought my gauge with me on the pre ride and dropped it to 26/27 and it was better. I am not a light rider so going lower might be too low and I could get rim strikes or burp (With tubeless if the bead gets bumped away from the rim and lets a bit of air out that is called burping). For reference George ran 21/21 but he is much lighter than me (Also running tubulars).

It is important to line up behind someone you know to be a good starter if possible. In Wisc I don't really know anyone but here in the CCC while I may not know the names I do recognize certain people. Of course on any given day it is a crap shoot how someone clips in.

Check out the guy in green on the left. He just goes backwards immediately and I almost hit him. If I had been behind him I would have lost a number of places.

I had a decent start and had George in my head as well: "Don't go out too hard on the first lap". It is important to get past as many people as you can when the track is wide but not at the expense of blowing up.

The course had a longer start section leading into the first half of the course which has a gazillion turns. With the group largely together on the first lap it was a matter of holding your line and not letting people squeak through holes. Pre ride is for dialing in the corners but on the first lap you can only go as fast as the rider in front of you in the turny sections. This half of the course ends with medium sized barriers. I sat there long and hard before the race and decided that even if I could bunny hop them now in the last lap of the race my brain would be a little fuzzy and it might not end well. The old adage in cross is don't do something if you can't do it 10 out of 10 times. So I ran the barriers. (George has mad skills and jumped them each lap. As of this writing I haven't heard of any chainring damage :) ).

The On Board view

From Brad's Perspective

I mentioned above that there is a short downill U-turn and this is the place that always gives me trouble. Thanks to the dryness of the course I was able to ride it each lap. Without the mud at the bottom the main concern was being in the right gear for when you started back up and don't stall. In this snippet it doesn't look too steep but getting out of the saddle was needed and tricky to avoid spinning out the back wheel.

Because I had raced the previous day in Wisc I wasn't sure how the legs would be. In my limited experience of 2 races in a weekend things actually haven't gone that badly. The 3 times I've done it this season I've actually had good results the second day even if the legs didn't feel that great. I've have 3 bad races and all came with rest. Hmmmm.

Having raced the previous day was another reason to listen to George and take it easy on the first lap. Normally I'd try to pass more people with micro efforts. This time I took what was offered but didn't make lap one a hero lap.

My lap times did show a bit of fatigue as I went on. The first lap has a minute of extra time for the start section. 9:12 (Really 8:12), 8:14, 8:26, 8:25, 8:06. You can see in laps 3 and 4 I was slowing. But how about that lap 5!!!!!!! Why you ask?

I don't know exactly when I noticed it but somewhere on the 4th lap 2 guys were closing in on me. Both were faster on lap 4 than me by 7 and 8 seconds and were getting close. I do remember Fran yelling near the end of the lap "C'mon Case. Got someone on your tail!"

Different things motivate people. I was now motivated by 3 things. The guys behind me, the last lap, and the Tower crew cheering me on (Fear of disappointing Fran is a real thing). A little adrenaline was kicking in and the mental acuity was getting razor sharp. The corners are where you can lose tenths of seconds or even worse. Focusing in on the corners to make sure I took the best line at the best speed (without crashing) was critical. Making sure that I got every pedal stroke available was key too. Time is lost when you coast 5 meters longer than the other guy. Pedal if the course allows you to pedal.

BG Photography

On the back side of the course there is a long gradual rise. Before the rise I was about 7-8 seconds ahead of the pair. By the top it was down to 6 seconds. There was a quick downhill and it was back up to 8 (Heavy things go downhill faster I guess?). I'm getting all of these times from watching the video and wasn't actually counting on the course. I knew they were close and I knew I had blown 2 last lap leads this year. My focus was on the corners and trying to remember which ones were sharp and which were easy. Where did I need to downshift and which could I keep my gearing.

I was almost at the final section which was a hundred meters of straight grass with a right turn and 30 meters to the line. This time I can hear a duet of Fran and Brad yelling "Gotta guy behind ya!" I switched to the drops and as soon as I crossed a paved path got out of the saddle and put what I had left into the pedals. Fran said that as soon as the guy behind me saw me jump he let up. Nothing left in the tank for him either. I dared to look back and and saw he wasn't on my tail (I then looked over my left shoulder to just make sure) and pulled across the line 4 seconds ahead of the first guy and 8 in front of the second.

I finished 29th/46 which from a percentile perspective isn't that great. But 29th in general is fairly good. I was the 5th Cat 4 out of 14. And I like to think that the 10-20 guys who didn't show up at all are the weak ones who would have filled out the lower placings. :)

My average HR was 164 with a Max of 176. The last lap however was an average of 169.

There is one more CCC race which is in 3 weeks (Regional Championships). Region Riot is in 2 weeks and we might hit that up too in Crown Point.

Here is a short video of my Fan Boys:

https://youtu.be/ovtJMu9ZlIc

Here is the full race video:

https://youtu.be/NX4CLwPmnYY

CamRock n Roll CX 2022 - 50+ Cat 4/5

noreply@blogger.com (Kodiak Rider) — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 12:46:00 -0600

North of the border once again. Things worked out well this weekend. Jerilynn was out of town and my Madison friend actually was in town. So I drove up Friday night and we watched the Spartans choke away a game on an aircraft carrier and the Badgers pulling one out at the Brewers stadium.

The CamRock n Roll race is in Cambridge WI, southeast of Madison by about half an hour. So the drive in the morning was much nicer than the 2 hours I've done earlier in the season.

I found a couple of fairly old videos of the course and it was to my liking. Essentially a hiking path through the woods with some u-turns thrown in by the picnic area to make it more crossy. It looked like more of a power course which last year would have been right up my alley. This year I am lacking some power. But at least it wasn't super technical which is where my real failings lie.

The temps finally became more fall like. Actually, one of the reasons I made the drive was to get used to the temps for the CCC race the next day. Low 30's for each race. It takes me a while to get used to temp changes. I like to ease in. CamRock is in a wooded park which really helped with the wind which as cyclists we know is what really makes things cold.

My race was the 50+ Cat 4/5. We had 40 racers which is about par for a Wisc race. The cold doesn't deter them cheddar heads. I had another front row start which set me up for a good result.

I lined up in between the top two callups. I looked after the race the the top guy has over 50 upgrade points - it's pretty ridiculous that he is still in the 4/5 race. He's actually still a 5!

Our race starts about a minute behind the 35+ Cat 4/5 group so there are usually some stragglers we need to navigate through which can at times be tactical (See the Lion Cross recap). I had a good start and was third wheel at the hole shot. George has been advising me to not go out too hot and save something for the rest of the race. We took a right turn off of the pavement and onto the grass. There was one actual hill on the course and it was right as we hit the grass. It wasn't too steep but took about 20 seconds to get up with a slight kicker at the end. Then, to be mean they put a set of barriers at the top. It's not like they needed to slow us down. There was a Trek tent at the top where people gathered so I think it turned into a heckle hill.

I made a pass and went over the barriers in 2nd position. The Upgrade Points guy had a gap and slowly just increased it. According to Strava my hill segment times were 18, 23, 23, and 22 seconds. Not too bad for consistency.

Because this course was heavily in the woods there were a ton of roots on the course. Most were marked with paint and we were able to avoid most of the big ones. But, there were plenty of little ones that you needed to roll over which sapped the speed.

The eventual 2nd place rider passed me about 4 minutes in. I thought I was doing ok but then over the course of the 4 laps 7 others passed me. I ended up 10th out of 40. Top 10 (and top 25%) is nothing to sneeze at but I had wanted more.

There were a couple fun features on the course. There were 2 logs to bunny hop (smaller than the telephone poles from previous races). In this GIF I hit the second log on the way down and was close to going down myself.

And a bumpy downhill with a slight turn at the end. The hay bale in front of the tree at the bottom instills confidence.

In cyclocross the idea is to do a negative split. If you paid attention to Ganna's Hour Record recently you'll know what I'm talking about. Basically, you want to get faster lap times as you progress. At least the last lap should be your fastest. The idea is that you've dialed in all the turns and are motivated to finish strong. I had 7:46, 8:07, 8:20, and 8:16. So, while my last lap was faster that the 3rd lap it was still slow. And based on the first lap time I did go out too fast and just couldn't hold it. Average HR was 164 with a max of 173. It was a pretty steady line so I was happier with how the heart was pumping.

I liked the course. Not overly technical and not wet so it wasn't slippery either. Enough short ups and down to keep it interesting.

Here is the link to the full race video: https://youtu.be/nrQjweuQ2Mg

Groundhog CX 2022 - 45+

noreply@blogger.com (Kodiak Rider) — Wed, 9 Nov 2022 14:37:00 -0600

The movie Groundhog Day was filmed in Woodstock, IL which is where we raced on Sunday and thus the name of the race. This year it was also the Illinois State Championships.

The Tower crew was a little light as Iceman was on Saturday (among other things). That meant I was alone in the 45+ while Fran, George and Mark were in the 55+.

The temps were in the mid to high 40's so in theory not too bad, but the wind was 15-20 mph which made it chilly.

The wonderful thing about cyclocross is that you are going so hard so consistently that once you get going the cold doesn't usually factor in. In fact this is the second race where I've shed my arm warmers in the middle (I didn't forget them this time).

The hard part about cyclocross (besides the racing) is that you tend to freeze at the start until you do get moving. It also plays with your mind as to how warm to dress. Like I said I ditched the arm warmers. Probably didn't need the knee warmers either but they didn't seem to bother me. I also went with a windproof base layer which I think was ok but probably overkill for the second half of the race.

The highlight of the day for certain was Fran bringing home 2 medals. Way to go Fran!!!

I had a good week leading up to the race. A few good shake out rides. On Saturday I did some good openers > I got a new warranty wheel from Reynolds and needed to test that out also as well as some new PDX (mud) tires... Kudos to Reynolds. I found the crack, submitted the claim, and sent the wheel back with an RMA# all on Monday. Got the new wheel on Friday! <

But then came Sunday. Temps were fine but that wind... I just couldn't get warm and I didn't do a proper warmup and stayed in the heated car longer than I should have. A few short sprints to get the engine more than ice cold and we were off.

The start of a CX race is always congested and there is an off camber right off the bat. 2 u-turns where I decided it was better to run than ride. I didn't really make up any ground but I didn't lose any until it was time to remount where 3-5 guys passed me up. I should have tried to remount earlier but it was a slight uphill and I was worried about getting up to speed.

After the first lap I was pretty much on my own just chugging along at a slow pace. I couldn't generate any power and after searching deeply for any excuses I decided it was the lack of warmup. My heart rate climbed steadily throughout the race where usually it is pinned from the beginning and then stays there. To their credit and my demise both Fran and George had faster lap times than me. None of us fell which is a great thing. I was consistent at least.

The last lap there were 2 racers in front of me acting as a carrot and that lap I actually shaved 30 seconds off of my time. In the woods section there are two climbs and I went deeper to make up space. Finally at the end of the second climb the first guy had nothing left and I got past him. The second guy was just out of reach and I didn't have the power needed to close it. He finished 7 seconds in front of me.

I finished 41st/57. My worst performance of the year although honestly my technical skills weren't too bad. Maybe they were and I was just going so slow it didn't matter.

>>>Side bar - I've always thought that as the laps keep counting that I get more dialed in and take corners better. I'm starting to think that perhaps it is just that I am going slower so it is easier to take the turns<<<

Below is the video of the first lap. After that there isn't much to see (the damn GoPro shut down again but at least I got 26 minutes this time).

Next week is Wheeling. 25 Degrees at race time. Sigh.

Video of the first lap:

https://youtu.be/fuOZKVDTkV8

PS: Make sure you check there is TP in the porta-john first.

Campton CX 2022

noreply@blogger.com (Kodiak Rider) — Fri, 4 Nov 2022 17:05:00 -0500

What's the phrase? Fool me once shame on you. Fool me twice then shame on me.

We will get back to that.

Campton is the annual Halloween race. Many people dress up either a tiny bit or just all out. I just stuck to my Tower kit as did the other Tower racers.

In my race we had myself, Bryan and Joe. Both Bryan and Joe have continued to improve their placing each week. Tony is working out some back issues and is sidelined for a bit.

The 55+ race had George, Fran, Bob, Brad and Mark.

Having a good start to the race can make or break your race. At Campton I just got lucky. I missed my pedal with my right foot and then accidentally unclipped with my left foot. So I was just sitting there on my saddle not attached to the bike. While that doesn't sound lucky it may have kept me out of the carnage. A front row guy snapped his chain and took down/blocked a ton of people on the right side. Joe and I were near the left and avoided it all. I think there was a second faller too right after that but heck it could have just been part of the same crash. That being said I was in a decent position.

The course after the star this year took us up a gravel path which then took us up a grass rise. So, we were going up just enough to take the mickey out of our legs. It wasn't steep but it just kept going. It was important to not blow up and just keep your pace.

Besides the normal barriers this year they added logs (telephone poles??). The logs were right after a short drop so you could get some speed into them. Just like last week at Sunrise it was a difference maker if you could bunny hop them. On the first lap, when we were more congested, I think I passed 3 people. On each of the 4 laps I think I passed someone.

Following the logs and barriers there were some off camber u-turns. Not as sharp as last week so I was able to manage them without getting off the bike and without falling. A number of people hit the ground trying to keep up the speed. I usually fall here every year but took it nice and slow which is faster than falling (imagine that).

Earlier in the week there was some rain but the course was pretty dry on Sunday. A tall grass prairie section with innumerable turns was very ridable. I only made one mistake where I overcooked a corner on the 3rd lap. A guy was on my tail and I felt the pressure to keep up the speed and forgot the exit angle of the turn. Luckily, I was able to almost keep riding through the grass to get back on the course. A couple of one-footed pushes did the trick. I apologized to the guy but he said he overcooked it too.

There are a couple of short woods sections at the park and the question each year is whether we will go up the section with railroad ties or down. Much easier (and more fun) to go down. This year was a Down year.

Brad Green Photography

For me this year it all came down to the last lap. As I slowly made my way up the hill for the last time I was passed by a big Cat 2 guy. But as we approached the logs I think he decided to have a picnic as he dismounted. I hopped the logs and got past him. My goal now was to keep him behind me. To my surprise he didn't try and pass me after we left the pinwheel section and transitioned to the tall grass. Right after we entered the tall grass he slipped and crashed in a corner. That was the 5 seconds I needed. So I put a little more power down and made sure to keep upright. After the woods sections there were a few long straights and then the line. I put as much power down as I could without blowing up. In the middle of the second straight I peeked back and he wasn't in site.

Let's return to the first line of this post.

Shame on me!

I saw a couple kids handing up twizzlers and grabbed for one (I couldn't feel it in my glove so accidentally dropped it).

Then Fran told to to finish it off. The big guy still wasn't in site.

Then this happened...

BG Photography

Unlike last week where I lost by a couple inches this time I think it was a full half a bike (if not more). Kenny was on the microphone and was nice enough to say he thought I was able to hold him off. I didn't. (Kenny is in the brown vest on the right up above).

Nothing angers you more than being stupid. I was pretty angry after this race. Let's not forget this was a race for 25th place and relatively meaningless. But we race for a reason. We are competitive.

Maybe one day I will learn my lesson. Last year when I won my sprint at Nationals I came from behind. Someone needs to teach me how to win from the front.

I finished 26th out of 59. Again in the top half of the field which is a big deal for me. Out of the 24 Cat 4 racers I was 5th. Not too bad.

Next week is the state championships in Woodstock.

ABD Sunrise Park CX - CCC# 3

noreply@blogger.com (Kodiak Rider) — Wed, 2 Nov 2022 11:04:00 -0500

Kryptonite - "often used to describe something likened to kryptonite in causing someone's weakness, failure, etc."

There are plenty of things in cyclocross I'm just not that good at or can't do at all (Jumping tall barriers) but the hill at Sunrise Park is absolutely my kryptonite. It isn't a big hill like Saturday's in Grafton and getting to the top isn't a big deal, but at the top there is a U turn that goes steep downhill/off camber. Every year I fall and every year I lose time there. This year I crashed embarrassingly in warmup twice. It is a combination of a mental block and a non-clinical panic attack. I just can't let go of my brain and point my front wheel down and to the left. Bryan Connolly has tried to help me multiple times (He has mad skills) to no avail.

So here we are again. We have the hill I can't ride down right after a day where I had no power (See the Grafton recap).

Tower had another great turnout. In the 45+ Bryan and Tony F. were with me along with Joe Doyle (Not everyone wears a Tower kit but we adopt them nonetheless). In the 55+ it was George, Fran, Bob, Brad and Mark M. Even Mitch plunked down his retirement money and was out there. Later in the Day Bob's son John raced the Cat 4's. And the new entry to the CX game on the women's side was Fran's daughter Margaret, who, after a pre ride lap with her father, went on to tear it up for a top ten finish > someone get her a Tower jersey for next week's podium! [Oh, yeah. She hadn't ridden a bike in over a year!!!]

It was a beautiful weekend in the 70's which meant for me at race time (8:55 am) it was a balmy 60 degrees. That is both good and bad. It is never fun freezing your fingers off but at the same time overheating when you are going 100% for 40 minutes is a real thing. The humidity was also low which meant my mouth was dry from the first lap on. That slowed me down. Lesson learned is to carry a water bottle when it is warm.

Above GIF shows the first lap of the 55+ race.

In the 45+ race the burning question is how many times did I fall and again I will disappoint and say I didn't fall at all. The best way for Superman to win is to put that kryptonite in a box. So I did just that and instead of bothering to try and ride the hill I just ran it each time. In fact, on the first lap I passed 3 people while running it. This year they put barriers just before the hill so I was off my bike anyway (I watched too many people crash on the barriers in warm up to try it). The downside of running is that you run the barriers, run up the hill, run down the hill and then remount. I was pooped. It would take me a couple more corners to try and catch my breath.

Right after the start two people bumped and came to a stop right in front of me. I probably lost up to 10 places because if it. That's hard for me because I make up spots in the first lap and slowly give them back as the race goes on.

There was another section where they had 2 telephone poles on the course and you could make up time if you could bunny hop them (one at a time) instead of dismounting them. I wasn't graceful but I did the bunny hop thing and passed people/gained space. When you can do that it perks you up a bit.

Courtesy Brad Green Photography

Evidently, a neighbor complained about us tearing up the park on the far side of the course so there was another off camber spot removed which was a bummer (Not for me but in general). To make up for it (I think) they added loose dirt to a wooded section to make it more slippery.

Overall, my power was better than Saturday and I just kept it steady. Halfway through the last lap I noticed 4 racers behind my. Now my goal was to keep them there and place as best as I could. The back half of the course has the woods where you can't really pass anyone and coming out there are a number of turns. So, I made it to the woods first and kept them all in check. The guy right behind me was a bigger guy so I started to think about the sprint. The finish is uphill so it isn't easy. I was in the drops before the last corner and gave it the gas.

At this point I made 2 mistakes. The first one is forgivable as I was blinded by fatigue. I didn't look under my arms as I was sprinting to check where he was. The second was just plain dumb. The thing where you just roll your eyes at the tv screen during the Tour etc. Right as I was about to hit the line I let up. Literally one pedal stroke away. Then all of a sudden I see a blur to my left. I still thought I had won at the time but when the results came out and then were confirmed by the photo finish camera (How cool is it that the CCC has a photo finish camera) I was devastated (mostly by embarrassment). He beat me by the 40mm depth of my front rim. Stupid!

I finished 27th out of 67. Still a good result for me. Being in the top half of the results is new for me still and a good accomplishment. I was the 4th placed Cat 4 in the group. I'll take what I can get.

Thanks for reading!

Grafton Pumpkin Cross - 2022

noreply@blogger.com (Kodiak Rider) — Fri, 28 Oct 2022 13:37:00 -0500

One more time the decision was made to head up north. After last week's podium my head was full of bravado. George talked me into it (or the other way around if you ask him) and we made the early morning drive to Grafton, WI, just north of Milwaukee.

There was a pre-ride video done by the hosts before all the tape was up and it looked pretty tame - a grass crit perhaps. When we got up there it was anything but. It was a good course with plenty of off camber turns and one big hill. There were a couple barriers at the top of the hill and a short run up on the back half of the course.

Our race was 50+ Cat 4/5 > the old and slow group. It was a big group with 57 racers. There was also the 35+ group who started 30 seconds before us with 25 racers. Luckily, it was a long course so the course didn't get too clogged.

Being a long course it also meant that our 30 minute race was going to be 3 laps (which turned out to be fine for me). The starting grid is based on points and I was the 4th callup and on the front row. One row here or there doesn't matter all that much as long as you are a strong racer but the difference between 1st and 4th row is a big deal. You immediately have a sizable gap to the front of the race when you are 4th or farther back and there are a lot of racers to get by.

The start straight was a paved road that went slightly uphill and then we turned left onto the grass and came back down. The down part helped to recover after the sprint from the line. The highlight for me for the entire race was the start where I once again got the hole shot. And I kept the lead for the first minute without going into the red.

As I said that was the highlight because after that I just slid backwards. My cornering was pitiful and I kept letting gaps go. Then when we hit the hill the plug was pulled and all my power drained. The hill had an "A" and "B" line. The "A" line was steeper but shorter and the "B" line was shallower but longer. I chose the "B" line and lost 2 places because of it. On the second lap I took the "A" line. The first 2 laps it was a 25 second effort. Being fresher on the on the first lap I expected it to be quicker so in retrospect The "A" line was better. Well.... if you have the legs. The 3rd lap I took the "A" line and blew up to the point that I had to unclip and walk up the second half. That lap the hill was a 43 second effort.

Just before the hill on the 3rd lap George flew past me and was making good progress. The only silver lining I can take is that after the hill on the 3rd lap no one else passed me.

I finished 18th. A far cry from the 3rd of last week. It was humbling. The fact that I started front row is the only reason for me not falling into the back half of the results. Other than it being the 3rd weekend in a row of driving to WI and doing double races the only thing I can think of is that I got very poor sleep the night before. Training is important, but recovery is more important. Especially at my (our) age.

Thanks for following along.

Here is the video from the race: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeWGA3-Rhv8&t=1452s

Glenwood CX - CCC #2

noreply@blogger.com (Kodiak Rider) — Wed, 19 Oct 2022 10:43:00 -0500

After the Saturday podium it was time to be brought back down to earth with a smack down in the second CCC race of the season. The CCC 45+ race has all categories (1-5) and my lowly Cat 4 status pushed me back to the 4th row (races are also 40 minutes instead of 30). I did have company as Tony F. and Joe Doyle right there with me in row 4 and Bryan C. was just behind.

We had a really good Tower turnout for the Glenwood race. In the 55+ there was Fran, George, Bob, Brad and Mark. Bob's son John raced in the Cat 4's later on in the afternoon.

The Glenwood course is what I expected of the Field of Riches course > flat and grass. This is the second year of the course. They made a couple tweaks to it so it was longer. It is more of a power course favoring steady sustained power. Technique is important in any cyclocross course but this one less so.

I didn't know exactly what to expect from the legs after racing on Saturday but last year we did Jingle Cross the 2 days before and I still did pretty good so there was hope. The temp was about 45 for my race (I race right after the 55+ group) so while it wasn't warm it was warmer than Saturday and we had tons of sun so it was all good. I made the strategic decision to keep the arm and leg warmers on but change the gloves and hat to something lighter. I ended up ditching the arm warmers midway through the race. [I actually forgot them on course and while driving home had to turn around and go back :( It actually worked out, I spotted a Portillo's and treated myself to a morning chocolate cake shake. Glycogen replenishment right?!]

Clipping in at the start wasn't near as good as Saturday but wasn't horrible. I might have been able to make up a few spaces but it was pretty clogged and not too much lost. I was near the inside of the first corner when all of a sudden some jack-a-loon in a UPB kit with a curly mustache flies up and smashes into the guy in front of me.

Oh, I learned GoPro 101 and will post the entire race plus a recap video (hopefully).

The last CCC race I was mentally broken when I saw 4 laps to go at the end of the third lap. I made sure to prep myself this time to make sure my expectations were not too low. It was a longer course than last year and I was pretty sure we would do 5 laps so I mentally prepared for that. Turns out that was what we did so that mental box was checked.

The first lap was all about just following a long line of wheels. There were 54 racers and I was somewhere right in the middle. The second lap started to string things out and is where Tony and I started to dance. He passed me in a straight and then I passed him back over a barrier. Tony and I had done a lap together in pre-ride and we chatted about preferences. He prefers to rest in the straights and I prefer to use my power to extend gaps (power is relative to my technical ability). At the end of the second lap he was right behind me with one rider in front. I said Giddy Up and he grabbed my wheel as we punched it. We passed the rider and gapped him and then once in the grass Tony passed me for good. He was even nice enough to say thanks lol. He dangled in front of me but slowly pulled out a gap of 30 seconds by the end. Spoiler > Tony was the first Cat 5 to cross the line and the second 4/5. Tony is a monster.

I should take time here to mention that I DIDN'T FALL!!! I know you are all waiting for the GIF so sorry to disappoint.

I got a new pressure gauge after discovering that my gauge and George's (which are the exact same) were off by about 2-3 PSI. A big deal when you are running in the 25-28 range. So maybe I was dialed in just right. I ran 28 in front and 29 in back. It was dry and I'm heavy so I needed more pressure than most.

The last three laps there were 4 of us battling for positions. And here is a good spot to talk about mental strength. You can only control what goes on in your head and can't assume what is happening in someone else's. Just like on the road if you are hurting the others are probably hurting. Two racers were in front of me at one point. The lead guy started to put a gap into the second guy. I should have made an extra effort to get around him to close the gap but I didn't. The gap went out to 5-10 seconds or so and so mentally I let him go. Eventually I passed the second guy.

An important thing in cyclocross is that if you are in the lead of a group and you make a mistake then the other guy is slowed too. But if it is the opposite then there is a gap. So taking what little aero drag there is in cross is usually worth it. Surprisingly, that is not a precursor to a story about me making a mistake. Just good tactics. You can also go as slow as you want in the technical bits because they can't get past you and you can rest a bit.

Getting back to the mentality of it all. I think this is where the ABD guy started to lose it. Me passing him and then a SpiderMonkey guy passing both of us just broke him and he started to fade.

I was not thrilled that the SpiderMonkey guy passed me. He was dangling for a bit behind me and then at the beginning of the last lap he got by me. What is ironic is I finally was able to pass him back later in the lap on a straight stretch that was parallel to the stretch where he passed me. And within about 30 seconds he was 3-4 seconds behind. I think he was at his limit and that was it.

Do you remember the guy who got a gap on the 3 of us and I kinda mentally let him go? Well near the end of the race I could see him 4 seconds in front of me. A measly 4 seconds. (You actually count these things while racing to mentally help you). I'm not sure if he slowed down or the chase with the SpiderMonkey guy brought us closer but he was there. But I had reached the depths of my mental strength. I think if I had been willing to go all in and really go into the red I might have been able to catch him. But that pain cave was a bit too much for me.

I settled for 23rd place. Actually, that is a fantastic result for me. Not only is that my best result in a CCC 45+ race it is the first time I've finished in the TOP HALF of a CCC 45+ race. This is headline news!!! Now, I hear you saying that I shouldn't really be bragging about a 23rd place. That is positively pedestrian. But it is progress. Significant at that (especially considering my crap result at Schiller Woods 2 weeks ago). So I am happy! It improved my points which also helps improve your start position in the grid.

I do want to reiterate something. The comradery of the Tower team (and heck the cyclocross community in general) is amazing. Having other guys there to race or to cheer you on is immeasurable. You can hear them cheering you on and you can cheer them on. They also take pretty good pictures (Thanks Brad).

The same can be said for the entire Tower club. Let's keep it that way.

Full race video: https://youtu.be/9S-7iVVlvso

Field of Riches CX

noreply@blogger.com (Kodiak Rider) — Tue, 18 Oct 2022 09:16:00 -0500

Once again it was time to head north of the border and race in Wisconsin. Just outside of Milwaukee, George and I carpooled on Saturday morning to the Field of Riches CX race. The better half was out of town so what better to do than race.

We signed up for the 50+ Cat 4/5. It was a 30 minute race in a park amongst some beautifully changing leaves.

Based on the name of the race I didn't expect too much more than riding around in a grassy field. I was very wrong. The course included three hills, 2 sketchy downhills and two sections of forest.

Ours was the first race of the morning and even though the temp was about 39 there wasn't the frost on the grass we saw at Trek day 2. The course was in good shape even though there was some rain Saturday. The woods had some dampness but was very ridable.

We had 42 racers and I had a front row start with George in the second row. When the whistle blows you need to be ready. At Trek I was not ready for either race. They don't actually count down the start but give you the "Anytime in the next 30 seconds". So, I made sure this time to watch the official with the whistle and focus as best as possible.

It worked out perfectly as I not only jumped right at the whistle but I clipped into my other pedal instantly and was off. In cyclocross there's this thing called "The Holeshot". Basically, the first one to the first turn wins the holeshot. And today that was me! You don't get anything for it. No medal or gels. But wow was it fun. I don't think it counts as an out of body experience but in my head as I made the first turn I was thinking to myself - "I won the holeshot!" Such a novice.

Right after the holeshot a couple guys passed me but I was ok with that. I was not going to blowup early and felt right in rhythm. We did start in a grassy field but a few turns in we took a left down a fairly steep hill with a little shimmy at the end. It wasn't enough that needed to slow down for the shimmy but did have to give the bars a little push to the side.

Of course what goes down must come up. We started the first hill in a zig zag fashion but the last half was straight with a log in the middle. During pre-ride we did a couple tests to see if we could bunny hop it. I tried left at first but the back wheel didn't make it. One of the course marshals said to stick left and try it again. I wasn't buying it because the ground behind the log seemed a bit higher to the right. I tried the right side and it worked. So, during the race I stuck right and gained a ton of distance over other racers who were dismounting and running it.

I was still in third at the top but the rest of the race was getting strung out behind. We took a left and headed into the woods down some single track. The entry you could take with speed but then there was a right-left-right combo you had to brake for. It got more slick with the subsequent laps. [In the race after ours one racer crashed and messed up her leg/ankle. Took a while to get her up the trail and to the ambulance.] I ended up deciding to unclip with my left foot and hand it out for balance on the tight left and slid the back tire a little. It worked for me.

George and I had done our pre-ride together and we talked about the next hill and not blowing up. It was a slow drag where you could easily go too hard and over heat (so-to-speak; remember it was 39 degrees). So that hill led to the second sketchy downhill. This one was a crushed limestone path with a u-turn at the bottom. When your heart rate is up there (average was 166) the brain doesn't always work as planned. So at the bottom of the gravel I had to slam on the brakes because I forgot it turned left. No harm no foul.

The last main feature on the course was a combo of an even bigger tree across the pass right after a u-turn which then led to a straight, but rooty, single track through the woods. The first lap I dismounted fine and got over the log. But the second of 3 laps I took the u-turn with some speed and unclipped the inside foot to help with balance. But that is normally the foot I keep clipped in when dismounting so now I was stuck with no feet clipped and my butt stuck in the saddle and came to a full stop. Ugh!

At this point in the second lap the chance for the second step on the podium had been lost so my fumble wasn't costing my progression, but maybe my hold onto 3rd. Turns out after owning a GoPro for a number of years I still can't figure out how to turn it on. In the middle of the second lap on a straightaway I took a peek to see if the red light was on and it wasn't. So I clicked the button again and got the blinky red light I needed. This distraction didn't make me lose my balance or ride me directly into a hedge but it didn't keep my focus sharp. The second place racer was about 2 seconds in front of me and when I took the next left turn I took it too hot and slid out. Usually, I fall because I brake too much and the back wheel loses traction. This time I should have tapped the brakes.

I was able to pop up quickly and the other racer was still only 10 seconds away but it took a while to regather my mojo. I think I ended up about 30 seconds back from second in the end. [For some reason the GoPro turned off right after the crash so this is all I have].

Now my focus was looking back instead of forwards. I knew I was still in third place and was excited about being on a podium. Another rookie move was thinking about my position in the group as opposed to focusing on the course. Luckily I didn't fall again but I kept checking over my shoulder. The 4th place racer was a guy with a long goatee. He was about 10 seconds back and even though he might make some progress in the corners (everyone corners better than me) he was thicker than me and I thought I could make up some time on the hills (As you all know I am a mountain goat).

At some point in the last lap I peeked back and there was someone who had passed the goatee guy. Uh oh. I was talking to the 2nd place guy after the race and he said this guy doesn't start fast but makes progress throughout the race and was strong. That put a little more pressure on but I was able to hold him off.

The 35+ race started 30 second before ours and we were catching the back half of that race (Actually I think I finished around 6th in that race too lol). As I came to the hill with the log I had two racers from the 35+ group in front of me. I yelled ahead that I was going to the right. I wanted to have a clean line to bunny hop the log. They both moved to the left as they dismounted for the log which was great. I hoped the guy behind me was going to dismount and then I would gain some more time. It is fun to have a feature you know you can nail where others might not.

This was actually the place on the course I was hoping to pass the 2nd place guy (before I fell). I was feeling good and I wasn't worried about being just behind him. He was dismounting for the log. I could get past him here and then push it hard in the last lap. Oh well.

I went with a little higher pressure since it was mostly dry which probably contributed to the fall. But it was good everywhere else. In the last corner I had pulled past another racer from the 35+ (he was nice enough to move over) but he decided he wanted to sprint. His pressure must have also been high because as he tried to come around the outside of me he slide out. That corner took out more than one person that day.

So I made the podium and was super excited. I made the podium at regionals last year but there were only 11 guys. What made it even better is Erik Hagen let me use his Tower jacket which looked awesome on the podium!

The winner got some local beer. The 2nd place guy got a bag of coffee. Me, I got a box of Clif Bars. They pay out big up in Wisc. Actually, it worked out perfect as I don't really drink much and I don't like coffee.

So, this was really a field of riches for me. Hoping to build on this keep moving forward.

Thanks for reading!

>>> Bonus pictures I just found from the Trek races courtesy Focal Flame Photography.

Trek CX Cup 2022

noreply@blogger.com (Kodiak Rider) — Thu, 13 Oct 2022 15:55:00 -0500

Two days. Two races (in 16 hours). Two friends. Same course.

Let's compare:

First race on Friday: Cat 4 (all ages); Second race Saturday morning: 45+ Cat 4/5

1st: 50 degrees; 2nd 35 degrees (um, brr)

1st: 30 minutes (actual race time 40 minutes WTH); 2nd: 30 minutes (actual 32 minutes)

1st: 120 racers (5th row start for me, 7th for George I think); 2nd: 29 racers (more in 35+ and 55+ scored separately) (1st row start for me, George had a second row start in the 55+) (Bryan C. started in the Cat 4 race right after ours)

1st: Finished 55th; 2nd: Finished 10th

1st: dry and dusty course; 2nd: frosty grass that slowed things down (but not as much as expected)

1st: 1 crash (a slide out on the off camber dust); 2nd: no crashes (at least I learned something from the day before)

1st: Number of guys who passed me because of the crash: 11; 2nd: Not applicable

1st: 0-5 number of times I cleared the rock wall; 2nd: 3-4 (And I woulda made the 4th time but the guy in front of me stalled)

Total number of flyovers both days: 27

Weird mustache guys on course: 1

1st: Lap where my legs blew up - 3rd; 2nd: None (Didn't go into the red at the start and kept it steady all race)

1st: People at the Secret Bar > dozens; 2nd: Zero > Too damn early (For the World Cup race Sunday there were hundreds)

1st: Did I finish strong? No. Chased the same Eliel sponsored guy for 2 laps and was 2 seconds behind at the finish; 2nd: Yes, took the final 180 turn 100 meters from the finish behind a guy. He went wide and I went tight so we were head to head by the time we straightened out. We sprinted and and I beat him. Kinda like getting a birdie on the 18th hole. Made the day worth it.

1st: Lap times > 7:49, 8:09, 8:03, 7:57, 7:49; 2nd: 8:12, 8:03, 8:17, 7:58. Excited that the last laps were fast. (Again, same course. Legs were tired the second race)

1st: Avg HR > 168; 2nd: 161 (The lower second day is a combo of being tired, early morning [7:30am start], and colder temps)

It is a great course for amateurs. The pros raced on the same course Friday but the harder version on Sunday.

Come 'Cross with Us

Schiller Woods CX - CCC #1

noreply@blogger.com (Kodiak Rider) — Thu, 6 Oct 2022 21:51:00 -0500

Schiller Woods in the city is the first round of the Chicago Cross Cup series (of 7). It is a new venue as the typical kickoff (Caldwell Woods) is under construction. The pre-race info was that it was flat with one hill used in multiple ways with a gravel run up.

This was a real power course. Those with good power should be able to take advantage of the long grass sections. This was me last year. This year is up in the air.

The gravel run up had 2 barriers in the pre-ride but they came afoul of regulations because they were too far apart and they ended up scrapping them until later races. So it became a gravel ride up for those with skill and space (Foreshadowing).

The turnout for the day's racing was really good - 532 people pre-registered. 70 in the 45+ race (Bryan, Tony F. and myself) and 43 in the 55+ (Fran, George, Bob, Brad, Mark M.). Old people basically fund these races.

So, we had perfect weather (high 50's) and dry grass and a nice course. All that was left was to let the legs to do their thing.

The 55+ race was first (30 seconds after the 35+). The boys battled it out.

In my race I started 4th row. Bryan and Tony were near the back. For the third race in a row I was able to clip in right away and had a good start. (Well, except for forgetting to start my Garmin and GoPro.....rookie). I lined up 30th but was inside the top 20 in the first meters.

After that it was a slow attrition. My bib number was 99 (my group started with 65) so I tried to keep track of anyone 100+ that got past me. At first it was fine, only 80's and 90's were passing me. And I would make up a position or two in the longer grass power sections. But then I had a morale blow. See, Fran's race did 5 laps in their race. So at the end of my lap 3 I expected to see 2 to go or maybe 3. But the number 4 was showing loud and proud. UGH! My mouth was dry at this point and now my shoulders slumped.

My prep for this race wasn't the best (Excuse list coming). My car got totaled a couple weeks prior (everyone's ok) and I was totally stressed about getting a new car quickly - and in this market that really sucks. Then after that stress ended I caught some kind of non-covid bug.

So my mouth was dry in the third lap even after plenty of hydration for days and now I had to stumble home for 4 more laps. The bittersweet moment of the race also happened on lap 4. I could see Tony making progress and it was inevitable he was going to catch me. Awesome for a guy who was supposed to be in Florida on a beach. I decided to let him get past me the hard way and used too much brake on a downhill corner and laid it down. Tony was nice enough to ask if I was ok as he passed by. I hopped back on the bike but it took a lap to get any mojo back.

The coolest part of the race was when the leader lapped me. Not just any leader, the 3 time BMX World Champion and current age group National Champion in CX. I was ok with the lapped part because it meant I only had to do 6 laps instead of 7. He came past right when we got to the gravel run up section. I had never made it to the top riding each of the previous laps (so it was an actual run up for me) but by watching how he did it I was able to accomplish the task the last 2 laps. It was now a good day. I finished 40th/63.

The best part of cyclocross is the community. I met people I hadn't seen since last season. Kenny was on the microphone. And all the Tower guys hung out after. Fran even brought home made blueberry pie and chocolate milk for everyone. What a guy!

Next is Trek Cup in Waterloo (Still not 100% but am giving it a go anyway) this weekend and then back to the CCC in Glenwood.

#CrossIsHere 2022 - LAPT Lion Cross

noreply@blogger.com (Kodiak Rider) — Mon, 12 Sep 2022 15:16:00 -0500

The CCC season doesn't start until October so the pre-season for us entails motoring up to Wisconsin. The nice thing about the Wisc CX Series is there are a ton of races to choose from. This was opening weekend and on Sunday it was the LAPT Lion Cross near-ish Milwaukee.

Bryan Connelly (UPB) and I signed up and headed up to Tichigan, WI. The forecast was cool rain all day just like back home so I didn't even use the bike rack and stored the Crux in the rear of the car. No sense in washing off all the lube BEFORE the race. I also brought an entire 2nd kit (shoes included) as we were doing 2 races and didn't want to be sitting for an hour in cold/muddy/wet clothes.

When I got there the rain was coming down so hard I didn't get out of my car. Wind was 20 mph steady with 30 mph gusts. No thank you! We were in a parking lot with a grassy patch in the middle. It was designed to be a retention pond and by the time of the first race it absolutely was a pond.

Eventually, it let up enough to make a dash for the bathroom (absolutely needed) and to registration. The race director was out on the course making changes because the new conditions would have made the hill un-ridable and maybe un-walkable. My head space was questioning whether the race would go on at all due to the damage we would do to the park or at least if it would be delayed.

Come 9am the first race started on time. I was amazed. I had a lap and a half of pre-ride (less than optimal) but was able to identify the main features. An off camber left turn up a sharp/short hill, an accordion section which would line everyone out, 2 barriers back to back, and a sand pit. A tiny bit of gravel paths but otherwise all grass. Very wet grass.

Ours was the first race. Cat 4/5. Bryan was in the 35+ group and I was in the 50+ group which started about 30 seconds behind. My field had 29 racers and Bryan's 17. I was predicted 7th in my race based on CrossResults.com points which meant I had a front row start. This doesn't happen for me in CCC races because we don't split the categories here: 45+ includes Cat's 1-4 (Another fun reason to head north of the border to race).

I want to call out the Thursday crew here and say I am grateful for the practicing. We practice most aspects of racing (no sand at Spring Rock Park) and especially starts. I had a great start in my race. Basically, what that means is I was able to clip in on the first try and was able to put power to the pedals immediately. I'm about 50/50 in practice clipping in so it was really exciting.

Into the first corner I was in about 3rd position and had a good runup the first hill so at one point early in the lap I was in first position. I've never been in the lead of a race before and it was pretty crazy running through my head. Heading into the accordion section (a succession of tight U-turns back to back - about 6 of them) we started to catch a couple of the 35+ racers. I made an effort to get past one of them which I knew would clog the other racers behind me. I was able to hold the lead for just a little bit but it was a highlight.

In pre-ride I wasn't able to ride the sharp/short hill so in the race I just ran it which I think worked out for me. Trying to ride and getting stuck would have been slower. Bryan said he was able to ride it which is really impressive.

Eventually a few people passed me and I wasn't concerned about trying to hold wheels. The race was 30 minutes long and I didn't want to blow up on the first lap. I kept my pace (169 HR AVG) and counted how many people were passing me to get an idea of my placing. I was shooting for at least a top ten. I counted 4 and then I eventually passed one of them back so I thought there were three. Because of the mixed fields I was using rider numbers starting with a 5 to judge who was who. Unfortunately, the Wisc CX Series had number issues and some people were racing with last year's numbers. More on that in a minute.

I am using a new bike this year - Specialized Crux - and it is really a gravel bike in the 2022 model that can be used for CX (Pros are using it so why not me). I was pretty happy with the cornering and my ability to handle the course. The course was wet and full of puddles but it wasn't really muddy (yet). The sand pit was a volleyball court and of the 4 laps I was able to ride it twice which I was excited about.

Behind me I could see the next racer was there but not close enough to be an immediate threat. I kept my pace ("Early Season Slow") and motored through. I finished 5th. I thought I was 4th but #262 snuck past me and I didn't realize he was 50+. [Honestly though I probably wasn't going to catch him]

I'm pretty excited with 5th - the Wide Angle Podium! If this was ABR I would have gotten a medal LOL.

Also, I now realize why the pros change bikes every lap when it is nasty out. My brakes were grinding with all the mud/sand in there. I'm sure my gears weren't very happy either. I could feel it and hear it. At first I thought I was just rubbing the new chain guide I put on. Luckily I had extra water bottles and used them to clean the brakes/gears for the second race.

The second race was the Cat 4 with the young guns. I had a second row call up and had another great start but 30 seconds into the race I could tell I had no power left. I immediately turned it into a technique practice. Trying to find the green lines (Green is grip) and staying on the bike while others were running. The course was much more muddy now. Not quite peanut butter thick but the rain wasn't as heavy so it was more viscous. I didn't bring mud tires (Mounting issues) so I was spinning out in a few places. Thankfully the same 30 minutes took 3 laps and I was spared a 4th. Only managed to clean the sand once and walked up the sharp hill instead of running. That's ok. The race legs will come. 22nd/33.

There was a BBQ joint on site and Bryan and I sat down to some post-race brisket and beans. It never stopped raining but was lighter than it had been. The best part of the day was watching all the racers dip their bikes in the new created pond to clean them off (and themselves). I was too cold and tired and my poor bike is still sitting in the garage a mess.

My prep for the races included a drive to Purdue Saturday for a football game in the hot sun and a bunch of walking. So, all concerned it was a good day. The Battle of Waterloo is in 2 weeks and I'm hoping to make that. Until then...

Worlds.... and oh yeah, Nationals

noreply@blogger.com (Kodiak Rider) — Mon, 14 Feb 2022 17:49:00 -0600

It was an opportunity I couldn't pass up. Cyclocross World Championships in the U.S. Within driving distance. And what turned out to be 50-60 degree sunny weather. Arkansas here I come. Well, came and went by now. The last weekend in January I hitched my wagon to Peter's wagon and we trucked (Compact SUV'd) to Fayetteville (actually stayed in Bentonville). Peter is an industry man (Watch out for his Eliel kit) and I tagged along for the ride.

Besides actual racing I'm a pretty big pro racing nerd. I know all the top names and still swoon over my selfie with 3 time world champ Sanne Cant from 2018. It was an event that I waivered on due to Covid but made the 9 hour drive and had a great time. We brought our gravel bikes and got in a couple local rides as well (The maiden voyage for my new Crux gravel/cross combo).

I imagine most everyone reading this has been to an actual bike race. Probably a crit. This was a very similar watching experience. The racers would roll by every 7 or 8 minutes and you scream and depending on your spot could maybe watch the rest of the lap on one of the jumbo trons. The course was very spread out and we decided to keep moving to check out the different parts of the course. I was in geek mode as we spotted Allen Lim from Skratch Labs, almost literally bumped into Canadian National Champ Maghalie Rochette (shoulda gotten a selfie dang it) and ended up chatting with a guy who turned out to be Tyler Hamilton.

Watching a race on tv you can actually follow the race action. Being on site it was more about being in the moment without the narrative. In a way it is like racing. I have no idea what is happening in a race except for the guys right around me. Even the guys behind me I don't really know what is happening. until the course folds back on itself. In Fayetteville we would just wait for the leader(s) to roll by and see what had changed since the last lap. Cross races are timed so you don't really know how many laps there will be until 2 laps in and if you can't hear the announcers or see the jumbo tron you just kinda guess based on the start time. And I can't count laps to save my life so it makes it that much more of an adventure.

Logistics onsite aside it was a great weekend. There were 3 races each day (We missed the junior races each day though because we were riding) and an incredible atmosphere. I can't imagine where they would have put everyone had this been a non-Covid year. On the recommendation of a couple guys from Specialized we parked the second day near a trailhead to avoid the shuttle bus. Besides the 25 minutes it took us to "ride" our gravel bikes up this mt bike trail, the parking lot had a drive thru coffee hut called Bikini Coffee. And as we left after the racing we peeked inside this hut and there was a barista actually wearing a 2 piece bikini. Ah, Arkansas.

Oh, Nationals. I sent out a short video of the last 2 minutes of my race a long time ago (I'm way late on this post). Nationals was fabulous and rough both on and off the course. How cool to have Nationals in our back yard. And I raced ok. 26th out of 48 but was the second Cat 4 to cross the line. Passing 3 guys in the last 2 minutes is like playing a really crappy round of golf but then nailing the last shot. You can't wait to get back out there.

While I didn't know it at the time I had Covid and ended up missing the Elites race on Sunday which was a huge bummer. And because I have a EuroSport subscription and not FloBikes I still haven't seen the racing. Ugh! If anyone really wants a play-by-play let's go find a local establishment. Otherwise, let's get ready for North Carolina and for a new set of warm days this summer!

Region Riot CX

noreply@blogger.com (Kodiak Rider) — Thu, 2 Dec 2021 19:13:00 -0600

Midwest Regional Championships

The end of the season is here. The Region Riot race and Nationals was all that was left.

The Region Racing team is based in Crown Point, IN. I hadn't been to this race before but as buildup to Nationals I thought it was good to keep racing. Evidently, not many people had that same thought. In fact, of the 48 people signed up for the 50+ race at Nationals (my race) 75% of them are from out of state. Where the heck are all the Illinois racers???

Fields were smaller all day at Region Riot and my race (45+ Cat 4/5) only had 11 starters [13 registered but 2 didn't start]. The 45+ Cat 1/2/3 had 16 starters and they started 1 minute in front of us.

2 weeks before the race there was an announcement that this race would also be the Midwest Regional Champs. Covid played havoc with a lot of races this year and this late assignment didn't really bring many people from potential places like Minnesota and Iowa. But either way it would be fun to say you were the regional champ.

As it is Indiana (similar to Illinois) there isn't really a lot of elevation to play with at the Lake County Fairgrounds. They did their best with a woody section with turn after turn after turn and even a trip through a covered bridge and what appeared to be something akin to stock buildings.

Fran is still nursing his thumb so it was only Bob, George and Mark rounding out the normal crew. Actually, Bob's son John did well in the 4/5 race later in the day (He was the 4th Cat 5 to cross the line) They all did the 55+. It was cold (33) and windy so I watched their race from the car. My vantage point was only the 2 straightaways so nothing too exciting to report. Bob finished second in the 65+. I cannot confirm if there were more than 3 guys in his category. :)

I can confirm that I did another shit job clipping in. Of the 10 other racers 8 were in front of me immediately. It was my first front row start so that was fun but I didn't take full advantage of it. That being said I was in third position by the time we hit the first feature. I had hopes and dreams of a real result at this race considering the small field (predicted 5th based on points). As we hit the slight off camber rise (I don't really want to call it a hill) the guy right behind me crashed and I was right on the tail if the two leaders.

After that it was catch my breath time. I had worked hard for good position but was now paying for it. Brain got a little fuzzy, lungs were pumping and adrenaline at the max. Going through the barriers my left foot hit the first barrier (hasn't happened all season) and I was out of sorts. No lasting damage to the foot, just felt stupid.

I tried to keep the leaders in site but that didn't last too long (The guy who won was about 3 minutes in front at the end) and the guy who crashed slowly tracked me down and passed me. Then my goal was to keep up with him but that didn't last long either (1:45 down at the end).

So I was in 4th place with 2 guys a little bit behind me. As we hit the woody turny section the two started to close in on me. As you all know by now turning isn't my specialty (yet). But back at the start finish there is a long straight section where I can use my strength (Pow-ah) [You have to say that in Fran's voice].

So, each of the 4 laps I was able to pull out a gap in the straights and that gap was bigger than what they were able to close on the turns. One thing I didn't really pay attention to was that on lap 3 I passed a rider who had a mechanical. In my brain I thought I had just caught a slow Cat 1/2/3 from the group who started one minute in front of us who was nice enough to pull off to the side and let me get by. So unbeknownst to me I was now in 3rd place.

I felt comfortable with my lead over the two guys behind me but I was starting to dial in the course better and wanted to continue getting better. This of course led me to slide out in a turn after the covered bridge and hit the deck. I was up quick and only lost about 5 seconds.

Usually you only get pulled early from a race if you get passed by the leaders. That hasn't happened since Caldwell Woods for me (By the 4x BMX World Champion). But the first race of the day went off about 10 minutes late so I think they were trying to make up time. Only the top 2 did 5 laps and the rest of us did 4. I wasn't complaining too much but it was somewhat disappointing. I heard Kenny on the PA system say it was our last lap and sprinted to the finish for fun.

After picking up my jacket from the start I thought I heard Kenny make the call for Bob to come to the podium. I wandered over there and while Bob had already gone home for the day I decided to stick around for the presentation of my race. Much to my surprise Kenny called my name. I actually made him double check. Like I said before I didn't realize the guy I caught had a mechanical and was from my race. Woot Woot! My first cyclocross podium! Take what you can get right?!

I think I have the feeling that all our kids got when they got participation trophies growing up LOL. It was fun to take the podium picture. I realize what my actual ability is though and while I've improved a lot there is plenty of room to grow.

Nationals for me is Tuesday afternoon @ 2:30 at Cantigny in Wheaton. The rest of the gang goes Wednesday at differing times. If you make the trek cheer loudly.

First Lap Video

https://youtu.be/cVbS6aRRwpQ

Wisconsin State Championships CX

noreply@blogger.com (Kodiak Rider) — Mon, 22 Nov 2021 16:58:00 -0600

Double Feature(s)

With the CCC season over too early one must sometimes cross rival's borders in search of that racing fix.

Saturday brought us to Waterloo, Wisconsin, home of Trek bicycle company and this year's state cyclocross championships.

The literal backyard of Trek is a permanent cyclocross course. In October it hosted the 1st World Cup of the season with all but a few of the European and American pros.

With a little less palmares than the pros and more prep needed for Nationals in Wheaton in a couple weeks Fran, George, and myself made the trek (see what I did there?) up north for Saturday's racing.

As mentioned in my Kringle Kross entry the WICX series does things a little different than the CCC. That includes separating the old farts by category and also running some of the races shorter. Our race is normally 40 minutes which really is enough for one day when done all at once. But, at only 30 minutes and a much longer drive, to make it worth it we decided to double up.

The first of the double feature was the 50+ cat 4/5 race at 9am. Then, after an hour of rest we got some more popcorn for the elite 4/5 race at 10:30. (Actually, instead of popcorn I used the advice of Peter on nutrition. One caffeine gel immediately after the first race and a regular gel 15 minute before the second).

BikeReg has a cool feature where it "predicts" the results based purely on accrued points. The first race had me at 9th which means a second row start and a good shot to stay out of the chaos behind. The second race had me at 33rd out of 70 something (This race included all the young guns).

Perhaps the coolest part of the day was that I was lining up for the first time with Fran and George. Our categories don't usually line up and I roll off the start line an hour after them. So, directly on my right was Fran with George close by. Fist bumps were passed around acknowledging the moment.

It was cold out (37ish) but it was dry which is waaay more important. In fact the course was bone dry. Had it been wet this course would have been much slower and 10x harder. The course is built on a hill and there are plenty of elevation changes. Off camber wet turns are what destroy derailleur hangers as well as hopes and dreams.

Being dry this was a good course for me. Lots of pedaling sections and turns that you could take with some speed without fear (my mortal enemy on the cross course).

I had a good/not great start and gained a couple spots quickly. This course started with a long parking lot section before hitting the grass which also went straight for a bit. I made sure my starting gear was 1-2 gears harder than if we had started on grass because I knew we'd have more speed and while it took me 2 tries to clip in I was right there.

A couple races ago I switched to my mud tires because I was sliding around way too much. I switched back due to the dryness but also because there is a rock step on this course. My intermediate tires also have Cush Core (foam insert) inside for added protection and thinking of trying to ride that wall like the pros I was more comfortable with the switch.

Above is the feature I mentioned. To give it some reference I left in the friendly spectator. It is probably 1.5-2 feet tall. This course has a ton of cool features that make it both fun and challenging. My hope was to ride up the right side using a slight crack between rocks to roll up like the pros. But the line we had leading up to it was different and made you go straight to it and not on an angle like I expected.

Even with my Cush Core I didn't have the confidence (see above mention of fear) to try it. People did ride it. In fact, George rode it every time. I was able to run if fairly quickly but because you are still going up when you remount all momentum is lost and if you are riding you can pass people.

Right before the rock wall there were a couple logs on a slight uphill. There was a ridable line on the left. During pre-ride I was there with Fran doing it over and over to make sure we could do it in the race. (If you can't do it 10 times out of 10 in pre-ride don't try it in the race).

I'm happy to report that of my 8 trips ups these logs (4 each race) I either rode it clean or just put one foot down every time except the first lap of the second race where the guy before me got stuck. Then I got stuck behind him and 3-4 people passed me by running it. UGH! Evidently his fancy skinsuit doesn't help with his skills.

>> Funny aside, a fan was fixing that stake on the left that someone had knocked down but was standing in my line while doing it. I had to yell at him while pedaling (and out of breath) to MOVE! <<

If I continue to go backwards on the course there was a flyover. The later races (higher categories) actually got to go over 2 flyovers and sometimes the World Cup has 3.

The flyover itself wasn't particularly challenging but it is important to be in a low enough gear to power up it and then get back into a big enough gear for the speed you'll carry on the way down. Really it is just fun.

Rearward with the time machine there is a hump right before the flyover. On my pre-ride I carried some good speed towards the hump and almost did an endo. The backside is almost straight down and if you have too much speed and don't get your butt hanging off the back of your saddle mountain bike style then you are in serious trouble.

On the first lap of the second race (with all the young yahoos) George went over the hump 3 abreast. Bumping elbows - scary shit.

It is difficult to describe what an off camber is like. This picture below has the camera vertical. As you can see the grass I'm on is slanted left and the guy on the other side of the turn is at about 45 degrees going up.

This part was fun also but if it had been wet would have been treacherous.

>> Gratuitous cyclocross fun picture. Where else do you see a ramp with a huge cheeseburger to jump over? You'll see another picture of that cheeseburger below unfortunately. <<

On the backside of the course you slalom through some woods and encounter a small rock wall. In this case we were going down so it was just a matter of pulling up the front wheel and letting the back wheel roll over it.

The rocks were up to a foot high but if you have any experience at Palos they are fine.

The one incident I did have was on the last lap of the second race. With no space on the left because if the cheeseburger jump some yahoo decided to pass on the right when there just wasn't enough space.

The eagle eyed among you might notice the irony that he has the exact same bike as me.

I hit the ground and other than a cut on my right leg all appears to be ok. And have no fear, thanks to the GoPro and some internet sleuthing I tracked his a$$ down and expressed my displeasure politely (After all, it is cyclocross and rubbing is racing).

Closing in on the finish line I had two different race experiences.

The first race had the 50+ Cat 1/2/3's about 30 seconds in front of us so throughout the race we were catching the back half of that race. As I finished the S curves and hit the final straight my weak cornering abilities didn't allow me to catch one of the 1/2/3's in the sprint but was able to throw my bike past a lapped rider at the line.

The second race had me coming into the S curves leading a group of 4-5. Nothing is more motivating than heavy breathing cat 4/5's in lycra on your tail. This time I was able to carve the corners enough to hit the straight with enough of a gap that I didn't need to sprint - just keep pressure on the pedals.

Because cyclocross races are all over the course due to the differing abilities and sometimes multiple fields on course at the same time it is hard to know exactly where you finished (especially for a mid-packer like me). Since I was "predicted" 9th I was really hoping to at worst keep that placement or at best move up 1 or 2. Almost every race this year I've outdone my prediction. Honestly, I felt like 7th or 8th was where I ended up.

The one great thing about the CCC is that we use One2Go timing and results are almost instant (plus lap times). But in Wisc things are manual and much slower. It was worth the wait in the first race as I pulled off a 6th place (out of 38). Super exciting for me! My highest placement ever. I'm starting to like the 4/5's being scored separately LOL. In the second race I was 37th out of 77 - not too bad for the second race of the day and losing 4 places due to the crash. (We waited an hour for the results and they didn't appear so we took off).

Fran and George have their own stories to tell with 60+ podiums. Those guys are studs.

Perhaps showing our age we didn't get any pictures of us as a group. Maybe next week at Region Riot.

If you've gotten this far in the post I thank you for letting me ramble. It was a fun day and very rewarding.

Wheeling CX

noreply@blogger.com (Kodiak Rider) — Tue, 16 Nov 2021 23:00:00 -0600

The Pre-Ride

Wheeling is usually later in the year when it is colder and is always slick. So, when there was midweek rain and projected 30 degree temps it felt just like old times.

Come race day it was actually 37 and the course was nice and grassy >> Green is good, green is grip. I got my normal 2 pre-ride laps in and the course was good. I wouldn't say I felt confident because this course always has my number. But the amount of grass (as opposed to mud covered grass or just plain mud) was promising.

In the normal CCC series of races my race (45+) is the second race of the day. So my pre-ride is always on the pristine course before Bob and company rip it up. What the course is going to look like after 50-100 guys dig their nobbys in with anger is anyone's guess.

The pre-ride is your real chance to test out the features and redo features that could cause you trouble. You want to see how fast you can take the off camber turns without falling or whether you can ride an uphill. Wheeling always has a short downhill U turn that is tricky to get back up. Bob and I both did it a couple times to make sure which line we could take to ride both up and down which we did.

Unfortunately, the course didn't hold up as well as I wanted it to after the first race. It wasn't the complete mud bath that this course has been in the past but rain and sleet came down. I try to get pictures and video of the guys while they race but on this day I sat in my warm car and watched the rain pelt the windshield. The radar gave me hope that it would stop by my race (which it did) but Bob and George and Mark weren't so lucky - George's fingers could barely brake.

The first lap or two of my race then become re-testing grounds. What has changed and what is ridable? The U turn? The only person I saw riding it had a mountain bike (of course I'm riding in the middling group so it's very possible the leaders rode it). There was no longer grass on the uphill portion.

There is a long straight off camber of the west side of the course with a couple lines you can take. The lower line is a bit more flat but it is muddy. The upper line is more canted but a bit more grass. I took the lower line the first lap but then followed another rider and stayed on the upper line after that. The reason? Slightly above the higher line there was grass >> Green is good, green is grip. Even though it wasn't as flat as the lower line there was much better grip and I could put down a little more power and try to make up ground. I actually clipped a post on one lap because the line was so close to the tape.

I did end up sliding out once because I chickened out in a corner and hit my brakes (I hear you cringe - DON'T HIT THE BRAKES). I also had someone in front of me put a foot down in another corner and landed on a course stake but I don't count that as a true fall. I probably shouldn't have been following so close but there were 4 or 5 of us bunched up and I was protecting my position.

Out of the 45 starters I finished 25th (the 4th Cat 4 to cross the line so not too bad). Usually, they only pull riders once they are lapped by the leaders. That didn't happen to me but they cut everyone after position 20 one lap early - I wasn't complaining mind you. I didn't have the pleasure of sprinting at the line as I couldn't close on the guy in front of me.

Donnelly BOS tubeless mud tires were inflated to 26 front and 28 rear. Heart rate averaged 166 with a max of 180. The max seems like a weird spike compared to the rest of the graph unless it was when I fell.

All of the CCC races are done. There is the Wisc state championships we are talking about going to this weekend at Trek HQ, plus Region Riot in Crown Point. Then, all that's left is the National Championships in Wheaton. So excited about Nats!