OVCX#11/Cap City Cross-11/14/2010- Infirmary Mound - Granville, Ohio

Lap 2

"sprint" finish, James T wheel on right ahead of me

One of my favorite races in my area. A short 45 minute drive. It happens to be one of the few courses that you can really open up the throttle and give your 11/12 tooth gears a workout. Where you can test your ability to just stay on the gas at a much much higher rate of speed than most any other course, other thank Kings CX. This place requires the ability to take risks, sit in the saddle, put power down, sprint out of every corner and go fast really fast. Oh, that's every cross race, ha.
Well, I do think this course lends itself to a different kind of rider and fitness. Some said a "roadie" course, I am not so sure about that, but it was a more open course that certainly requires a different type of fitness.
It's a long lap, it's all uphill from the single-track section in the woods with a steep hill, that required some to dismount, but I rode it every lap. All the way to the top of the pond lip and another false flat up into the woods. So almost 50% of the

John, Andy J. Spencer, me

lap, you are going up and up. Once at the top, there is a hard right, downhill into some washout (fall line), then a series of up and down slalom sections on the side of the lake hill. These things could be ridden at a high rate of speed in the drops, if you were smooth and picked the right line in and out of them. The last up, brought us back towards the start area a bit and past and around the wheel pit. There was another super speedy section of wide double track with horse shit in one of the corners, across the road and down into some sandy stuff, across a

Matt S. and take in air & recover

bridge then into the single-track woods. I am not sure there was too much technical 'cross' skill required at this course, other than the ability to ride what is there at a high rate of speed and take risks in and out of the technical bits that are included. I did ok, at this place and nudged out Bo Sherman in a sprint for 9th Place, but couldn't pull back James Turner. He was within 10/15 seconds for much of the race, I just couldn't real him back. It took me a long time to get my mojo workin' and by the time the legs felt fast, I couldn't close the gap. Mirus beat me by quite a bit this race, he came by me like I was at my first race at some point. Looking at the BWE photos, I looked pretty sad going over the barriers for the first few laps, the low back issue not completely healed.
A weird vibe at this combined Cap City Cross race and OVCX series race. Not sure the vibe and feel of these two race series are on the same planet.

The Ohio Ortho team had a huge turnout and some great results. In the Open 3 Race (B's for Cap City). Sholl, Joel, Ryan, Kurtis, Pete and Joe all battled it out with some fast guys from the OVCX series. Doug C and I were the only ones in the 3/35+ group. Josie Stubenrach got a nice 5th place in her race. Daisuke, Brian and Kristian all battled it out in the CAT 4's for good placings in a larger field than usual from the Cap city races. Kelly Clem took a solid 16th place in front of Kristian and behind Brian and Daisuke. Jon Dy pulled out an awesome 9th place in the Elite race just behind Josh Prater and Gamm. Way to go Team!

OVCX and Cap City Cross - Infirmary Mound & Olentangy Caves - Playing Catch up

Well, what's come and gone? Some real quick thoughts, pics and results.
OVCX Gun Club 10th place - see other post for highlights. : OVCX Gun Club Pics here :

Cap City Cross/OVCX - Infirmary Mound 11/15/09 > 11th Place.
Photo Link here:
I fought hard here to get to the top 10 and just couldn't muster gas to get by Glen and catch James - again. An amazing course for the year. Will go down as one of my favorites, it was so dry, fast and suited my skills. It was more of a course for the roadie types, Dave G. beat me and looked so fast out there. Several guys including James and Dave all got a good jump at the start and had a good first few laps. I rallied the last four and caught Jon C and Glen. I had fun and didn't go into this race with much game face. I didn't arrive early enough to be relaxed and warmed up. It was my fault for not getting up early enough and leaving the house. Choose to race my clincher Mavic SL wheels. It was a good choice as the rims are super stiff and provided I think some needed down force for high speed turns and less chance of rolling a tubie. My buddy Ben B. got first in the 35+ Cat 3 race. I did mange to hold off the Masters 35 / 45 guys this race, which is the first time ever at an OVCX event I have done that this year. Joe Ballante, Ben B and Scott Young were all breathing down my neck on the last lap.

Cap City Cross - Olentangy Caverns 10th Place -
an awful course for me. I didn't really like much about this race. I really didn't like the course layout, design or flow. I think it worked for some, but it will go down as my least favorite this year. I am not sure what happened, but it seemed to have some of the same EXACT things as it did two years prior, when we first raced there. There is certainly enough property to do some fun and challenging things and steer it away from this 'mountain bike' type of course, which is not so much of what cross is about. Yes I am bitching. I was pissed off at my result and I think I was at the end of a long few weeks of work and racing. I knew or at least thought I was better than 10th, so it was a bit sad for me. But: my friend Ben and Layne reminded me we all have bad days and we do this because it's fun. I have to find that Fun vs Competitive balance and sit in the middle of the teter- totter on that one sometimes. My team mates had a great race and finished high in the results. I just didn't man-up, act like a Pro afterwards to be happy for them. Lesson #445. Hindsight, I have finished in the top 10 a few times in the last few races, I guess this was just frustrating, not to have the gas and throttle. I did like the single track in and out of the woods and even the sketchy bridge crossing.