The doughnut was my form of doping at Charm City, lots of sugary glazed goodness. Common sense might say something like that would sit like a brick in your stomach, but I've found that I can eat a lot of strange foods before a race, especially two hours before. With that much time, my stomach has a chance to settle. So I will contribute my superb finish on Sunday to the doughnut. Taylor, if you're reading this, you should try one next time.
Okay so it probably wasn't the doughnut...
I did however come across some images from Nittany Lion Cross. Just follow the links to enhance your viewing pleasure.
Scott 1
Scott 2
Scott 3
Scott 4
Scott 5
Taylor 1
Taylor 2
Taylor 3
Perhaps the headlining news from the weekend was the 15 year old that absolutely stomped the men's B field (Cat 2/3/4 race). He could still be racing in the junior category but he walked away with wins on both days in the regular men's cat 2/3/4 race. Future Pro?
Follow this link to see a video of the elite men's race. Or you can follow this link to watch a little bit of the sand pit run of doom.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Monday, September 22, 2008
'Cross Road Trip part 2: Charm City Cross
So the official result from Nittany Lion was 27th of 47 finishers. Not as good as I'd initially thought, 10 more guys in the field would have put me in the top half. All in all not bad though. My legs weren't all there, and the strain injury I'd incurred to my left quad a week earlier was bothering my pretty bad at the barriers.
So it was on to Baltimore. We arrived at the park with plenty of time to eat the breakfast we'd picked up along the way. No bagel sandwiches at the 7-Eleven, so I settled for a croissant. That and a giant twisted glazed doughnut. Much to Taylor's disbelief I did eat it before the race. Not pre-race food in his mind I guess.
We signed in, got ready and as soon as the 9am race finished we took our chance to preview the course prior to the next race. After more warming up it was off to the start area for the 11am B race.
Cyclocross used to be split up as A, B, and C fields. The categories were re-designated to Cat 1, Cat 2, Cat 3, and Cat 4. A and 1 being the fastest. With the new categories most events split the fields into races for Cat 1, Cat 2/3 and Cat 4. Sometimes they have the Cat 4 race but also allow Cat 4's into the Cat 2/3. This was the case at Charm City Cross. Thus I convinced Taylor to race the Cat 2/3/4 race some time ago just to get an idea of how racing with the "B's" would be.
So we lined up, about half way back in the field according to our registration date. The start was average for me, not fantastic but not bad. Then we hit the first tight corner that was causing some serious traffic back-ups. I dove in hard, brushing one guys handlebar and forcing another further outside on the off camber corner. I had to take a few steps straddling my top tube as we turned up the bank but was quickly pedaling again. A little later we hit some more tight 180° type turns. Other guys eased off and started coasting into the corners, I simply dove in really hard, forcing them off their line. I made up a number of spots in these corners. Finally after a lap and a half things settled in. Positions traded a little here and there, but I finally found myself with 3 other guys. We rode a lap together, then two of us began to pull away. My legs were feeling better today and the strain injury was not bothering me. I thought we might just pull off this attack. Then my partner slid out in a corner and I braked hard to avoid running him over. I asked if he was okay as I got going and cheered to him get up quickly and catch back on to me.
We'd had 2 or 3 other guys chasing our former group of 4 down, and we both expressed interest in working together to not get caught. His crash threw a snarl in the plan. I was now off the front of about 6 guys chasing hard, chasing me. I'd initially eased up just slightly hoping my partner would catch back onto me before the ensuing group got him, but now I was having trouble holding them off. Mentally I sort of resigned myself to the fact that I would get caught, which truly was the deciding factor. The mental game is a huge part of it all. I figured if I reserved enough until they caught me I could make a move on them and pull away one last time. But in my reservations I got sloppy in the corners, the places I'd been faster than most.
They caught me, and I really didn't have anything to attack and pull away. Instead, one by one the slipped by. I held onto the back of them but I couldn't pull back through the group. So in the last lap I lost 5 places.
Despite the dreadful finish within the small group I still managed another 27th place, out of 81 finishers shown in the results. This, I'm very happy with. Especially since I was racing against Cat 2's as well as my class of Cat 3's. Now if I'd only dug deep and found the strength to hold off my pursuers, I might have had 22nd!
My sister was cool enough to come experience the nonsense of 'cross racing, since her residence near D.C. is only an hour away. She got some photos which are posted here. I will have some from Nittany Lion Cross soon. Within a week I may have some video as well.
So it was on to Baltimore. We arrived at the park with plenty of time to eat the breakfast we'd picked up along the way. No bagel sandwiches at the 7-Eleven, so I settled for a croissant. That and a giant twisted glazed doughnut. Much to Taylor's disbelief I did eat it before the race. Not pre-race food in his mind I guess.
We signed in, got ready and as soon as the 9am race finished we took our chance to preview the course prior to the next race. After more warming up it was off to the start area for the 11am B race.
Cyclocross used to be split up as A, B, and C fields. The categories were re-designated to Cat 1, Cat 2, Cat 3, and Cat 4. A and 1 being the fastest. With the new categories most events split the fields into races for Cat 1, Cat 2/3 and Cat 4. Sometimes they have the Cat 4 race but also allow Cat 4's into the Cat 2/3. This was the case at Charm City Cross. Thus I convinced Taylor to race the Cat 2/3/4 race some time ago just to get an idea of how racing with the "B's" would be.
So we lined up, about half way back in the field according to our registration date. The start was average for me, not fantastic but not bad. Then we hit the first tight corner that was causing some serious traffic back-ups. I dove in hard, brushing one guys handlebar and forcing another further outside on the off camber corner. I had to take a few steps straddling my top tube as we turned up the bank but was quickly pedaling again. A little later we hit some more tight 180° type turns. Other guys eased off and started coasting into the corners, I simply dove in really hard, forcing them off their line. I made up a number of spots in these corners. Finally after a lap and a half things settled in. Positions traded a little here and there, but I finally found myself with 3 other guys. We rode a lap together, then two of us began to pull away. My legs were feeling better today and the strain injury was not bothering me. I thought we might just pull off this attack. Then my partner slid out in a corner and I braked hard to avoid running him over. I asked if he was okay as I got going and cheered to him get up quickly and catch back on to me.
We'd had 2 or 3 other guys chasing our former group of 4 down, and we both expressed interest in working together to not get caught. His crash threw a snarl in the plan. I was now off the front of about 6 guys chasing hard, chasing me. I'd initially eased up just slightly hoping my partner would catch back onto me before the ensuing group got him, but now I was having trouble holding them off. Mentally I sort of resigned myself to the fact that I would get caught, which truly was the deciding factor. The mental game is a huge part of it all. I figured if I reserved enough until they caught me I could make a move on them and pull away one last time. But in my reservations I got sloppy in the corners, the places I'd been faster than most.
They caught me, and I really didn't have anything to attack and pull away. Instead, one by one the slipped by. I held onto the back of them but I couldn't pull back through the group. So in the last lap I lost 5 places.
Despite the dreadful finish within the small group I still managed another 27th place, out of 81 finishers shown in the results. This, I'm very happy with. Especially since I was racing against Cat 2's as well as my class of Cat 3's. Now if I'd only dug deep and found the strength to hold off my pursuers, I might have had 22nd!
My sister was cool enough to come experience the nonsense of 'cross racing, since her residence near D.C. is only an hour away. She got some photos which are posted here. I will have some from Nittany Lion Cross soon. Within a week I may have some video as well.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
'Cross Road Trip part 1: Nittany Lion Cross
True 'cross season has arrived. Summer has ended and it was like as if someone hit a switch and cooled the temperatures. Today started out a bit brisk, close to 40° I think but gradually warmed to a beautiful and sunny 70°. While still a 'little warm' for 'cross I felt the temperatures to be just right for my 11 am race. We Are... at Penn State Lehigh for Nittany Lion Cross and the first race of the Verge Mid-Atlantic Series.
Taylor started the day off in the Cat 4 race at 9am. The course was essentially a grass carpet, generally smooth with some undulations and a few short steep banks to ride up. With the dew still lying heavy, his race started with some slick corners. I watched more than one person slide out in one sharp corner. His cornering prowess played out well, and what seemed to be a power course was not as much so. Cornering skills were good to have. Despite getting caught up by the competition on three occasions in the sand pit he still showed good form for the first race and placed an excellent 15th of 39.
At 11 am I ventured into my first race as a Cat 3 rider. I felt a bit intimidated at the starting line since the race was a combination of Cat 2 and Cat 3, Category 2 essentially supposed to be faster than us threes. However, I had a fair start from the middle of the pack and after a bit of an effort I settled into a groove, or at least as much as one can settle in a 'cross race. At only 45 minutes the intensity is high and the chance of rest is next to nothing. I found myself battling with the same 4 or so riders in the last half of the race. In the last lap it came down to 4 of us, and then essentially 3 of us. After we rounded the final hard right I though it was a sprint between 3 of us, but two other riders had charged hard and caught us, a complete surprise to me. The two I'd been battling chased the first guy in the sprint, but I wound up to slow and only contested with the last of them, taking him as we crested the final grass bank for the finish. I finished in 27th of around 50 or 60. I'm rather happy with the result as I'd though I might be in well over my head at the start.
After the race was a short stop at the Trexlertown velodrome. The temptation to grab the 'cross bike and do a lap was great, especially since the track was open for public use. But alas, I did not.
A couple hours later, and we're in Baltimore. With tired legs and a very full stomach, food coma is taking over.
Charm City Cross tomorrow.
Taylor started the day off in the Cat 4 race at 9am. The course was essentially a grass carpet, generally smooth with some undulations and a few short steep banks to ride up. With the dew still lying heavy, his race started with some slick corners. I watched more than one person slide out in one sharp corner. His cornering prowess played out well, and what seemed to be a power course was not as much so. Cornering skills were good to have. Despite getting caught up by the competition on three occasions in the sand pit he still showed good form for the first race and placed an excellent 15th of 39.
At 11 am I ventured into my first race as a Cat 3 rider. I felt a bit intimidated at the starting line since the race was a combination of Cat 2 and Cat 3, Category 2 essentially supposed to be faster than us threes. However, I had a fair start from the middle of the pack and after a bit of an effort I settled into a groove, or at least as much as one can settle in a 'cross race. At only 45 minutes the intensity is high and the chance of rest is next to nothing. I found myself battling with the same 4 or so riders in the last half of the race. In the last lap it came down to 4 of us, and then essentially 3 of us. After we rounded the final hard right I though it was a sprint between 3 of us, but two other riders had charged hard and caught us, a complete surprise to me. The two I'd been battling chased the first guy in the sprint, but I wound up to slow and only contested with the last of them, taking him as we crested the final grass bank for the finish. I finished in 27th of around 50 or 60. I'm rather happy with the result as I'd though I might be in well over my head at the start.
After the race was a short stop at the Trexlertown velodrome. The temptation to grab the 'cross bike and do a lap was great, especially since the track was open for public use. But alas, I did not.
A couple hours later, and we're in Baltimore. With tired legs and a very full stomach, food coma is taking over.
Charm City Cross tomorrow.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
The Dancing Chain
My Uncle Jim is off to France to ride up Alpe D'Huez. He's written some interesting stuff so far on his blog. He will be writing an account of his travel as he has WiFi access available at dancingchain.blogspot.com.
So far I've found the traveler accounts of the area in which he will be staying particularly entertaining.
So far I've found the traveler accounts of the area in which he will be staying particularly entertaining.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Movin' On Up
It is now official, I've upgraded. I am no longer part of the Sport class in the Cross Country mountain bike racing discipline, nor am I a Category 4 racer in Cyclocross. After posting respectable results for two seasons and meeting the mandatory rule of a top five at the National Mountain Bike Championships I submitted my resume of race results to upgrade from sport to expert. The request was accepted and I will race next season as an expert, actually a Cat 1 XC mountain biker since they are changing the category system for 2009 in mountain biking.
USA Cycling also has a chart listing equivalent categories and since I am now an 'expert' I was also able to upgrade my Cyclocross category in parallel. I'd also met the minimum number of races needed to upgrade as the alternative reason. I will immediately begin racing in Cat 3 races in 'cross, beginning this coming weekend at Nittany Lion 'Cross and Charm City Cross. We will see how this pans out or if I'm in over my head.
USA Cycling also has a chart listing equivalent categories and since I am now an 'expert' I was also able to upgrade my Cyclocross category in parallel. I'd also met the minimum number of races needed to upgrade as the alternative reason. I will immediately begin racing in Cat 3 races in 'cross, beginning this coming weekend at Nittany Lion 'Cross and Charm City Cross. We will see how this pans out or if I'm in over my head.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
One Season Ends and Another Begins
The riding has been on the light side lately, though suplemented with cross training. Running has entered the program on a regular basis, including bleachers and wind sprints. The change has been good, both mentally and physically.
The exercises have left my legs a little sore and tired, but I still managed to pull off a good ride on Saturday. The series final of the root 66 race series was held in Ware, MA. A few guys showed up in my class, 5 I believe. I pulled out a 2nd place finish on the rugged course. One 10.5 mile loop had a lot, especially after some wet times recently. High speed sections, tough and rough technical areas, killer uphills, mud pits and large puddles. It was a fantastic course to ride, and a fitting end to the mountain bike XC season.
On with Cyclocross now. I've and a few early season races and training races thus far, but the bigger races begin the coming weekend. On the list are Nittany Lion 'Cross and Charm City 'Cross, road trip anyone?
The exercises have left my legs a little sore and tired, but I still managed to pull off a good ride on Saturday. The series final of the root 66 race series was held in Ware, MA. A few guys showed up in my class, 5 I believe. I pulled out a 2nd place finish on the rugged course. One 10.5 mile loop had a lot, especially after some wet times recently. High speed sections, tough and rough technical areas, killer uphills, mud pits and large puddles. It was a fantastic course to ride, and a fitting end to the mountain bike XC season.
On with Cyclocross now. I've and a few early season races and training races thus far, but the bigger races begin the coming weekend. On the list are Nittany Lion 'Cross and Charm City 'Cross, road trip anyone?
Monday, September 8, 2008
Not Laboring on Labor Day
The extended weekend for Labor day took me to Florida for a few days. It had been far too long since I'd seen my brother and his family as well as my aunt, uncle and cousins. Okay, confessions of a bad sibling, I hadn't been to their town to visit in 6 years. I've since made a pact with myself to return every year. I was supposed to Kayak out to the ocean with my aunt, but the weather and timing didn't work for us, otherwise I think that would have been a lot of fun.
While fishing that Saturday evening a far reaching band from Hurrican Gustav came through. We had made it back to the car and packed most everything up before it hit us. I avoided looking like I'd jumped in the river but still got a bit wet. I was a bit entertained, though I don't think the others were as it served a reminder of what may be looming in the near future. Except for that little bit I managed to dodge any tropical storms or hurricanes, bonus points on that one.
In the limited travel I have done by air I've made a few observations about the different airlines. I've come to feel that Delta is the best, or at least I've had the best flights with them. They held a flight for myself and a couple others when our first flight was delayed once, they still give out free crackers, the first checked bag is still free, and I think they have just a little bit more knee room. (as of 9/8/2008)
Returning to the bike after 4 days off was painful, especially when the first ride was a pseudo road race. Chewed up and spit off the back after struggling to hang on for the first half. I was left with nothing for the cyclocross training series the next night. Bricks i tell ya, bricks. Only on Sunday, 5 days later did my legs even think about coming back while on a leg numbing hill ride.
While fishing that Saturday evening a far reaching band from Hurrican Gustav came through. We had made it back to the car and packed most everything up before it hit us. I avoided looking like I'd jumped in the river but still got a bit wet. I was a bit entertained, though I don't think the others were as it served a reminder of what may be looming in the near future. Except for that little bit I managed to dodge any tropical storms or hurricanes, bonus points on that one.
In the limited travel I have done by air I've made a few observations about the different airlines. I've come to feel that Delta is the best, or at least I've had the best flights with them. They held a flight for myself and a couple others when our first flight was delayed once, they still give out free crackers, the first checked bag is still free, and I think they have just a little bit more knee room. (as of 9/8/2008)
Returning to the bike after 4 days off was painful, especially when the first ride was a pseudo road race. Chewed up and spit off the back after struggling to hang on for the first half. I was left with nothing for the cyclocross training series the next night. Bricks i tell ya, bricks. Only on Sunday, 5 days later did my legs even think about coming back while on a leg numbing hill ride.
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