OMBC - EastFork State Park Mountain Bike Race - 6/28/2009

Here is what the natural selection after our hill climb ended up being just a few of us...moving away from the pack of about 35 or so in the Masters field. These guys obviously have ridden together quite a bit and played some drafting games before we hit the grass "single-track" before the actual wooded singletrack. I was in my big ring from the start, stood up most of the way up the hill till about this point. The two red/white/blue guys, were sailing pretty hard from the time we got onto the grass. I didn't see them after mile 8 or so. I chased down 3rd place from the time we got out of the woods to make our second lap. But before the second lap ended I wiped out on this slate covered creek crossing. It didn't look like this race day AT ALL, it was running water about 3/4 inches deep and the slate was slick as snot. My goal was to sail like a feather, fast and furious across it and make it up the small rooty hill on the otherside. That plan did not work out, the front wheel slid out and down I went on my right side. That would be the only time I spent on the ground for the day. The second lap, I decided I would cyclocross it over the creek up the other side and around the hard rooty tree turn and remount. It worked, I didn't loose anytime and stayed on-chasing 3rd place. We worked to pass groups of riders and slower folks and he slowed in sections where it was slick. I noticed his climbing ability wasn't quite as strong as mine and knew the uphill section with the left hand banked turn was coming up. I was hoping to pass him quietly, hit it hard and fast, not leave any opportunity for him to get on my acceleration. Well, I surged on the left, he moved left, I surged again right just as hard and he moved right, we hit the banked left turn at the top of the hill and he hit the throttle. I figured also letting him lead the entire lap, would wear him out, or push him to make a mistake as well. That wasn't the case, this guy can ride and really handle his bike and pick some great lines though the trail. I knew I had very few opportunities to pass in the last 3 miles or so and we were really flying. I thought, if I can get on his wheel coming out of the woods and get up and sprint, I can get him in the hard right turn at the finish in the tape. Well, as you can see, I was close, but decided it wasn't really worth the 3rd place and extra 5 bucks to throw him into the tape and trees in front of the 'crowd' at the finish line. I just thought that wasn't very "pro" and a bit unnessesary at a local race. I think the guy knew if I wanted to be an ass I could have been more aggressive and just come by him. These two pics by the excellent photographer (my wife) tell the story at the finish.

≤ Tim did well and got an excellent 6th place at his first ever MTB race. He and I celebrated by jumping in the lake after in full Ohio Orthopedic/Moro kits. The water was warm and the crowd in the water was ... well interesting.

There were some very "un-pro" guys on my first lap about 5 miles in- overtaking a few of the Women racers at the dumbest passing point. I moved over to block them and called them out and told them to chill, since they could have taken all of us down. Again, it's just a local race - settle down out there boys, you are racing Sport not PRO at the Norba nationals.

So, with a few bruises on my right side, cash in my pocket, the 4th place sticks. Best result of the year so far.

Ohio Valley Racing - Spring Valley - May 3

SPRING VALLEY MAY 3, 2009

Valley indeed. Up, down, up down, rolling, rolling, up and up.

On the way down 71 South in the car, I thought I had raced Spring Valley a few years ago. I remember my friend Layne and I getting lost and I remember a flashing light we went through past Caesar’s Creek, but after arriving at the nice parking lot, I realized I am old and was mistaken. Or maybe I did race nearby in the area and I am not that forgetful.

A great turn-out by our team today, my brother-in-law, Tim’s first race, Luke’s first race and Kurtis’ first race, with Kristian all racing in the CAT 5’s. Just me in the CAT 4’s. Scott and Isaiah racing in the CAT ½. Catherine was filling our women’s spot. It was great to see all the team kits.

I decided at the last moment, while getting my team kit on, that I will race my Powertap wheel and only change out the front wheel to a Carbon aero/tubie and changed out the front brake pads to the Yellow Swiss Stop. I went out with Tim for a quick warm up to check out about ½ the course. Hindsight, I could have run a lighter carbon race wheel, but it was nice to have the Watts data, since my wheel has been gone from me for a few weeks. We climbed up the finish hill that was included with the race during each of the 8 mile laps and checked out the roads and some of the other turns along the way and short –cut back to the start area.

My goal was to sit in the top 10 again during the race, but not burn as many matches as I did during Vandervorts. But to keep an eye on things and try to work with the other independent (solo) team guys to get somewhere, keep things reeled in and/or get in the right break. I did manage to ride a bit smarter, not burn as many matches. The best part was, this race course favored me a bit, the downhills and the “technical” aspect of the turns, downhills and the climb. Not that I am a climber per say, but I have noticed I can surge up through the group, spinning into the bottom of the hills and getting me to the front five of the group pretty quickly, without much effort. We had 5 long laps to complete, the weather and temperature were perfect. Shannon from Darkhorse, the solo Jeni’s Ice Cream, Team Hungry, a COBC guy and a single Echelon rider were all there to keep things interesting. I was hoping to get in a break with one or more of these folks. The Echelon rider had just moved up from slaying it in the 5’s and after one lap, it appears he should be a CAT 2 or CAT 3. Strong kid.
We started the race at the finish line out on the course, not where we parked, but at the top of the hill, the start-line placed about 200 meters from the crest of the hill. A good spot.
From the gun, about 25 of us were off like rockets. Down the road about half way around the course, our lead car, Stevie Wonder at the wheel, decided to take a right turn, while we decided to follow the course signs and go straight. Fun. I couldn’t wait to see the car come back to us – flying down the left side of the yellow line. The driver of our lead car did make it back – pretty quickly – while we were slaying the pavement reeling in the CAT 3’s. We kept them within sight for about 2 laps. There was a jump from our group from a Dayton guy, a Cyclesport guy and Shannon from Darkhorse and the Echelon guy and a guy from Abundance. They had a pretty good gap at one point and oddly enough got clogged up by our leadout car and the CAT 3’s. The race official came by and went up to help sort things out I think. He and the CAT 3 car driver slowed them down and the break of CAT 4’s got around the 3’s. From where I was, the break didn’t look so smooth in the pass. We however I think passed them doing about 30 mph – it was crazy, they were yelling stuff at us and I think pretty surprised to see us flying by them. Where we passed them, it was downhill and then into the crazy turn before the hill climb. We kept a pretty high pace at this point to chase down the break, some of the single team guys were working hard to chase down the break after we came through on lap 3. I felt like I should contribute and got up front…the best part is, myself and the COBC/National Engineering guy were trading off some good pulls with the Jeni’s guy and the Team Hungry guy. At one point, I yelled out, not once – but twice - to Shannon to get up front and help work, since I had no idea he had gone up the road until we got closer to them. Cracked me up when I saw he was in the break. We caught the group on I think the 4th lap. The 4th time up the hill was the slowest of the five, I think the group was resting for the a fast last lap. We came through the finish line and people were dumping water bottles and eating. We get to the highest point of the race and the Echelon guy and another rider go off the front. There is no answer from our group. We start to head into the twisty – slight downhill section, come out of that into the steeper downhill – the tall Buckeye cycling guy, bolts from the back of the group up the yellow center line. Our group accelerates up to around 40 and we catch the guy just before the turn to the hill. I take a few high cadence spins and a few deep breaths knowing I am going to kill myself trying to get up this dang hill in my big ring.
I get up the hill, see I am passing quite a few people that put in a much harder effort at the bottom. I crest the hill, begin to run out of gas, see the finish line and get about 50 feet from the finish and out of the left corner of my eye, I see Shannon from Darkhorse, squeaking by me. I had nothing left to turn my pedals over. Had I known he was so close, I might have put in a longer effort, but hindsight and lesson is, never quit giving it 110% till the finish line.
I don’t mind getting beaten by one place by Shannon, but would have preferred to have had the one place higher at the finish line. I ended up 7th. My highest place finish for the overall Ohio Valley Spring Series. I will take it.
CAT 3 is lurking…