sheboygan, lake geneva, waterloo
3 weekends, 6 races and not much to write home about. well, that is not entirely true.
sheboygan:
hot! after spending a fair amount of time riding single speed over the summer i decided it was time to give it a whirl in a cross race. it was a good field and i got out decently but conservatively. after working my way up to the top 3, i couldn't hold jeff melcher's wheel and that is how we finished. i ran a 36x16 - would have been a little more comfortable on a 17 but it wouldn't have changed my placing at all. solid start. in the 35+ race, i got out to a good start but was feeling a little sluggish the first few laps. i started perking up and immediately flatted my rear tubular. grabbed my pit bike but was never really that comfortable and just rode the best i could for a solid 4th. not a bad start to the weekend.
lake geneva:
rain, rain and more rain. in the single speed race, i got a terrible start and spent the full 30 minutes playing catch up. i'm a mudder and that worked to my advantage - i was able to find very nice lines throughout the race and worked my way into a 2nd place finish - behind jeff once again. this time, the 36x16 was the perfect gear - i had to work pretty hard in spots but low rpm power was perfect for the mud. i was happy but knew that the course would deteriorate a lot before the 35+ tilt. i got a front row call up and got a decent start. i was planning on being conservative knowing that i'd be a lot better in the goo than most of the chicago roadies. a pony shop guy was not patient and blasted through the group (i heard several guys angrily yell at him on his way through the group). we bumped shoulders on his way past me, then he veered into my bike and someone my wheel locked into his (i think i snagged his skewer) - when i release i went down and slid a solid 20 feet. by the time i got myself back up i was dead last in the 35+ field and in the 45 field. i started working and managed to get back into the fray. as i was working my way up, my braking deteriorated to the point that at a 180 degree turn i couldn't scrub speed and went directly through the tape. i limped into the pit, grabbed my single speed and really started riding well. managed a 10th place finish but that was passing most of the the 45+ field as well. clean up took me a long time and made me realize that while riding in the mud is super fun - it comes at a pretty big cost. in the future, i think i'd like to just run mud tires on my single speed for the mudders and leave the geared bike for fairer weather.
waterloo:
saturday morning i ended up getting to the venue a little later than i had wanted. but i got out for a practice lap and my impression of the course was vanilla. for it being a uci race at a big time bike manufacturer site i thought it would have been a little more interesting. i'm appreciative that trek stepped up but i would be lying if i didn't say the course was boring. anyway, i got a front row call up and was situated next to mark savery - the current masters world champ. got a crappy start but the legs felt good and i immediately started working my way up. about half way through, i rolled my rear tubular off the rim and had to limp to the pit. grabbed my back up bike and was riding ok until i almost crashed when the front tire dove in a paved corner - somehow the front tire was way under inflated. back into the pit i swapped front wheels and got back out there. considering i spent a solid minute and half in the pit (and the time i lost riding on problem tires) i did ok to finish in the 30s. sunday, mike let me use his carbon wheels so equipment wasn't going to be an issue. i got a better start but there was a pileup right in front of me going into the grass. i missed it but lost my mo - the rest of the race was uneventful - but i just didn't have it. i was riding bad lines and it cost me a chance at a top 20. looking at some of the names i should have been close to the top 10. oh well.
so, an eventful first 6 races. between work and family my bike time has greatly diminished this year. when i do get time i spend it training - and the lack of bike maintenance is showing with my tire and brake issues. it isn't helping that i'm feeling pressure to race well as once our baby boy arrives all bets are off on when i might race again.
happy monday.
sheboygan:
hot! after spending a fair amount of time riding single speed over the summer i decided it was time to give it a whirl in a cross race. it was a good field and i got out decently but conservatively. after working my way up to the top 3, i couldn't hold jeff melcher's wheel and that is how we finished. i ran a 36x16 - would have been a little more comfortable on a 17 but it wouldn't have changed my placing at all. solid start. in the 35+ race, i got out to a good start but was feeling a little sluggish the first few laps. i started perking up and immediately flatted my rear tubular. grabbed my pit bike but was never really that comfortable and just rode the best i could for a solid 4th. not a bad start to the weekend.
lake geneva:
rain, rain and more rain. in the single speed race, i got a terrible start and spent the full 30 minutes playing catch up. i'm a mudder and that worked to my advantage - i was able to find very nice lines throughout the race and worked my way into a 2nd place finish - behind jeff once again. this time, the 36x16 was the perfect gear - i had to work pretty hard in spots but low rpm power was perfect for the mud. i was happy but knew that the course would deteriorate a lot before the 35+ tilt. i got a front row call up and got a decent start. i was planning on being conservative knowing that i'd be a lot better in the goo than most of the chicago roadies. a pony shop guy was not patient and blasted through the group (i heard several guys angrily yell at him on his way through the group). we bumped shoulders on his way past me, then he veered into my bike and someone my wheel locked into his (i think i snagged his skewer) - when i release i went down and slid a solid 20 feet. by the time i got myself back up i was dead last in the 35+ field and in the 45 field. i started working and managed to get back into the fray. as i was working my way up, my braking deteriorated to the point that at a 180 degree turn i couldn't scrub speed and went directly through the tape. i limped into the pit, grabbed my single speed and really started riding well. managed a 10th place finish but that was passing most of the the 45+ field as well. clean up took me a long time and made me realize that while riding in the mud is super fun - it comes at a pretty big cost. in the future, i think i'd like to just run mud tires on my single speed for the mudders and leave the geared bike for fairer weather.
waterloo:
saturday morning i ended up getting to the venue a little later than i had wanted. but i got out for a practice lap and my impression of the course was vanilla. for it being a uci race at a big time bike manufacturer site i thought it would have been a little more interesting. i'm appreciative that trek stepped up but i would be lying if i didn't say the course was boring. anyway, i got a front row call up and was situated next to mark savery - the current masters world champ. got a crappy start but the legs felt good and i immediately started working my way up. about half way through, i rolled my rear tubular off the rim and had to limp to the pit. grabbed my back up bike and was riding ok until i almost crashed when the front tire dove in a paved corner - somehow the front tire was way under inflated. back into the pit i swapped front wheels and got back out there. considering i spent a solid minute and half in the pit (and the time i lost riding on problem tires) i did ok to finish in the 30s. sunday, mike let me use his carbon wheels so equipment wasn't going to be an issue. i got a better start but there was a pileup right in front of me going into the grass. i missed it but lost my mo - the rest of the race was uneventful - but i just didn't have it. i was riding bad lines and it cost me a chance at a top 20. looking at some of the names i should have been close to the top 10. oh well.
so, an eventful first 6 races. between work and family my bike time has greatly diminished this year. when i do get time i spend it training - and the lack of bike maintenance is showing with my tire and brake issues. it isn't helping that i'm feeling pressure to race well as once our baby boy arrives all bets are off on when i might race again.
happy monday.
Comments