12 posts tagged “cyclocross”
here's a quick photo essay on one of my few bobbles - compliements of NadiaMac (?)
Thanks for the photos :)
yes, that's right, in San Mateo. Coyote Point State Park. Gorgeous course. Cold morning - frosty even, but not a wisp of wind (hooray!). I drove Larry and myself down in Nathan's 'rusty bucket of bolts" (name for his trusty red truck)...we arrived around 7am to finish setting up with the Pilarcitos folks (such nice guys - really!). Anyway - after freezing and helping for a bit - I rested in the relative warmth of the truck (with no working heater fan) and dozed for 10 minutes or so before deciding "i'm too cold, I might as well ride, dammit". So onto my bike I got... 3 or 4 laps in before the men's C race started.
This race has several barrier sections (which I'm much better at today compared to 2 months ago) - and two short but steep and LOOSE climbs. Nothing too technical - but if you spin out and lose your momentum... you're done!
Finally my race comes around - and I'm standing on the start line chatting with the ladies having a great old time. So fun to see Ren at our last race (Hope you're doing well Ren!). Dana, me, Courtney, Megan, Jenny and other's get in the call up line behind the juniors. We are all so excited to be racing this race... when I realized "hm, i'm not exactly sure which concrete hill I"m supposed to take, is it this first right or the second?" and of course I over think it... so I hopped on someone else's wheel - it was Courtney and Megan. Thanks ladies for showing me the start of the course (for you readers - they change the start to make it faster and less of a clusterfuck at the beginning - we charged up a concrete ramp rather than starting with a barrier). Once we reached the top of the hill, everyone seemed to be recovering on the easy pavement, except for Megan and me. We both charged down the hill together - Megan outperfomed me in every way with her stellar downhill mountain bike skillz. But as soon as we hit the sand, I charged down the beach - got back on, chased Megan and over took her on the pavement... and that was it. Every pavement section (there was lots of flat pavement in this course) I made sure to power down, put the hurt on, and not look back too long. There were several sections of course that doubled back on itself - so I saw Dana a few times... Miss D came in second and Miss Courtney was 3rd I believe! (after her engagement party the night before - no less!)
Some quick stats:
3 = number of laps we did in 30 minutes - the course was nearly 2 miles / lap! (that's pretty long)
2 = number of times i bobbled or tripped while dismounting in the race including one actual trip off my bike in the sand.
4 = number of bruises I now have from tripping over my bike
1 = number of sore shoulders from banging my bike on it while running that long sandy section
0 = number of times i bled and number of times I tripped over a barrier (yay - new personal best)
2 = times I heard Dana yell "go Marissa"
2 = number of times I yelled "go Dana!"
musings on the series - a very well run, well spectated, really fun race series. The prizes were a fun added bonus - Thanks sponsors! The comraderie at these events is unparalleled with any other sporting event I've been to (and I've been to tons - believe me!). There were RMC folks out at 5am on Sunday setting up, and we were out there till 5:30 pm tearing down. No wonder some of us are exhausted on Mondays!
Overall for the series I chalked up 4 wins and 1 dnf. That was enough to give Dana (super stud rockstar) 5 point advantage over me in the overall to take the super sweet leaders jersey for the C women. I cant wait to move up to the B's - really start training for CX - and keep putting the hurt on - more to come in 2008!
Keep pedaling in the big chain ring!
1,005 views on my flickr site. For anyone that doesnt know me, i've been obsessed with it for the past week. Tons of new pics from the weekend cross race - and there's a race report coming soon, I promise. Until then... this will have to do...
i promised i would blog all days of November. well i sucked at that... so i'll just go to randomly posting :) yay.
update - still oil in the bay - but much less gross that it was 3 weeks ago. They're still using clean up volunteers in Marin County but SF is pretty much back to 'normal' though you couldn't pay me to get in. However, I have several surfer friends that say it's fine these days. And Aquatic Park is back open. but ick.
Thanksgiving was lovely, how was yours? Any truly terrifying stories out there? I loved having 4 days off! Bring on the holidays - and the grumpy people.
I managed to sneak back in town in time for the Bay Area Super Prestige Cyclocross series number 4, hosted in Golden Gate Park. Absolutely amazing and gorgeous. Tougher than expected race, with tougher than expected competitors. We had a fun, gut wrenching, wheezing time. Very fun.
Thanks to Ariel and Dana for the photos!
3 is a lucky number. that must be why the third cx race in the BASPS series was so stinkin crazy, hard, fun. To quote a teammate: "it was uphill, bumpy, and twisty, and downhill bumpy and twisty. That about sums it up.
the preride on Saturday was really really great - mentally IN THE GAME. Mo and I and a bunch of teammates were out in force on Saturday. Sunday morning I arrived early enough to pre-ride twice. There's something so satisfying about knowing the course before race day. Probably because I"m over the disbelief of the course by then, and revel in the mental advantage that I have, because nothing is surprising!
Well, fastfoward to the race... I got the hole shot - raced up that dang runup of terror, smiled at B (my feed guy - thanks B - wish i could've taken a feed!) and went to "put the hurt on" - unfortunately i had to run the berm because i was not in first - so i made a MESS of that corner... but took props from D hopped on her wheel and away we went... woohoo - the yellow train out front :)
well as luck would have it, i went around her at the run up - and she hopped on my wheel! i got a bit ahead after that downhill - and because i was a bit ahead, i thought "yes - go ahead and ride that corner, you did it twice yesterday" - ah while i did have the mental toughness of 'yesterday' i failed to realize HOW MUCH that corner had changed in one day - so that was my big BEGINNER mistake and real lesson of the day. things change.
So - my bike hit something (stump?rock?root) and whatever it was, the bike STOPPED - and my momentum carried my sternum into my headset/handlebars - and then i was on my way to the ground - and POOOOOFFFFTHUD - that was all the air exiting all cells in mylungs.... ever get the wind knocked out of you while your heart rate was redlined? i dont suggest it - it's a serious form of real torture. i thought i might die. or pass out. actually i was hoping I'd pass out, at least i'd stop the pain. searing rib/arm/shoulder/thudding stomach pain.
I'm sorry to all the ladies that might've been really scared at coming across this carcass in the middle of the course :) i couldnt say or do anything but moan. but everyone raced strong and did me proud. While my entire right side, from my neck to my knees is throbbing today - my pride hurts the worst because it was my first DNF.
But hey, you win some, you lose some, and sometimes you're that smooshed bug on the windshield...
the rest of my report is as follows:
things that are cool: the meece team still OWNS the women's C leaders jersey (though i couldnt manage to keep the rubber side down). way to gooooooo, meece! props to everyone out there it was a tough scary fun course...
cool: - the start and the first barrier/run up, only Altezza gal passed me and i could hear D close behind...
Things that sucked - that run up! whew a lungbuster (i'd like to say that the day after is more of a lungbuster...in hindsight)
Good: D passing me while running (and i was riding) up that little killer non-hill after the log - i ran it the second time
bad: when I decided to try and 'ride' that super loose corner by the tree.
Sucked: when i ate shit and endo'd by said corner and tree - and knocked the wind out of myself and could not do or say anything but MOAN and roll around like a shaken baby.
Good: i made D ride FASTER (says D) because she wanted to get someone to help me.
Bad: not being able to say "go ladies-i'm fine" because i couldnt say or do ANYTHING whilst rolling on said dirt with bike in the middle of the race..
Good: the two wonderful samaritans that found me and helped me up and walked back to the mouse tent.
Good: all in all, i have no broken bones and i should be ready to race next week.
Good: larry's max strength ibuprofen
Also good: brooke's IPA
Also good: that sweet photo of T in that cyclocross magazine - where do i find one for you to autograph T?
Thanks everyone for yet another stellar crazy race day.
I've never been so proud to be on such a kick ass team! I LOVE
being out there racing and hearing my name on every corner,
hearing "wooo" from my awesome teammates (like dana...who rocked the
course!)... and of course the joint puking at the end... no not really
any puking this time around...
My fam made the pilgrimmage... how cool! They truly understand what I'm
talking about now, this 'cyclocross' thing ... it was inspirational for
them to hear how AWESOME this team is... they were also commenting on
how incredible it was to hear their daughters name all over the race
course....
Bottom line - larry said it all - it was a bumpy fast roadie course. I
used lots of my new skills that I learned last weekend to put the hurt
ON... i used my new sprinting skills and my new cornering skills... the
call up was special and awesome for the best place on the line.. the
full out 200 yard sprint to the first corner... got there first, got
passed by two ladies and then they both faltered on the first technique
(chain issues I think)... and I just said "sorry" and zoomed past, put
the hammer down early - and went. Noted in the race: Julie (my awesome
feed buddy, leader jersey wearin' take charge woman!) said "damn, i'm
not ready - you're too fast!" as i careened around the corner...
apparently i was out in front and nobody had tabs on my position??? I
hammered the pavement.. i believe I heard someone (julie?) say "dont
hammer too hard too early"... i thought about that for awhile too...
And then I think I heard Paule say "turn on the gas" right after
that :) thanks coach!
once I didnt see anyone around me any more - i saw Dana out there -
kicking @ss. way to go C women! WE had so much fun out there. :)
Timmay, DP, Mike P, Paule, Brook, Julie, Dane, Larry, and everyone - you guys ROCKED
the hizouse this weekend - HOORAY for pilarcitos. cant wait to race
again...
Yesterday was a TRUE TEAM affair. Glory to the Mouse. It was so fun!
I have to say that Paule and Julie devoting their ENTIRE weekend to
the elegant sport of cyclocross should be recognized HANDS DOWN.. Sun up to sun down they
set up, rode, conducted clinics, and finally tore up the course! My heros :)
The Saturday pre-ride was a must. For those of you not there, I
literally took 20 minutes to talk myself into that pit of death - or
whatever you call it. i walked down, walked up, got several
perspectives and decided the only line i liked was to go way outside
and cut the corner, taking the drop off as more of an offcamber ...
and then clip out in the mud and climb back up. That totally worked
in the C race. The best advice I got on Saturday was "bolt
like hell for the first 400meters" you have to get to that pit
first... and bolt I did... so i got to ride it like i wanted.
Nothing was more awesome then seeing Ren and Dana out there. I told
Ren "hey if you have enough breath to scream for me, you're not
riding hard enough" (just kidding!) the support was amazing.
The juniors started before us C women. I lined up as close to the front as possible. Joined by Dana, Renee, and Brooke. The whistle blew, and it just got better from there. I was bummed to forget to set my
watch/hrm to 'go' so i could register my heart rate. i didnt dare
look at it mid-race. I tried hard to use my new "skills" on the barriers but
wasnt comfy with them yet... i did okay on them but still lots of
room to improve. THEN run up and loop de loops- because the pre-ride was
so awesome, i knew just where it was time to get FAST ... and where
to hammer. I did take a slide down the easy downhill into gravel -
right elbow cut to shreds, knees bleeding... but didnt know it till it was all over.
(hey i'm still a beginner!) My entire forearm was dripping with
blood and dust. ick AND hard core! I was bummed that one girl (J) passed me
in the middle just after i fell - but i kept my game face on and
never let her out of my sights. so imagine my (guilty)
excitement when i watched her crash in front of me... easy to ride
around her and take first again...
The pressure was on, after her crash, i hammered to make sure she
didnt catch me again... at the end, I felt great - but was so happy
to have it over.. lungbusting craziness! The coolest podium ever,
cool leader's jerseys to defend in two weeks!
Post race was a blur of hot dog and beer induced laziness. I cheered, I sat in the surprisingly warm Brisbane sun, and I desperately wanted a nap - the pavement under Timmay's truck looked cozy.. Mad Props for J and A for braving the scene and the sun. Ladies it was 100% more fun with IM ladies there to cheer me on! woohoo!
Alas, 2pm rolled around and I decided earlier that I just had to see how these women's B races feel -
just to see how it was different. It felt just like i felt in the C races last year (i did 3 c races on a too small mtn bike)... fast and crowded. i was in the middle of the pack. Nothing cooler than having ALL the Meece out there SCREAMING for me again. This is the
best team in the world! I heard from the crowd "what, one race wasnt enough for you"? I think that was just after I ate sh*t over the barrier on the second lap. I twisted my left ankle (ouch - again - see my previous injury) and this time landed with my right knee down and bike on top of me! SWEET. I'm a dork.as I limped back up the hill, i thought... "do i quit???? hmmmmm. nope - if you can clip in you can race"
I played a little cat and mouse with a dfl girl (yay team dfl... booo bad pun) and caught her a 3rd time on my last lap... I cheered her as we rode up the last steep section and we just flew through the twisties... and got to the bumpy straightaway just before the end... and i poured it on.. dfl gal just laughed at me as I pulled around her to take 17th. Ha! so 17 out of 24 B women. Not bad to be in the middle of the pack on my second race... whew - that was a tough race... but I didnt bleed any more!
We rocked out there... no other team came close! It's enough to make
this tough gal shed a tear :) The clean up and tear down was like race
3 - brutal... i feel kinda like i was beaten with some 2X4s a few
rounds yesterday... how do we recover from this??? 12 hours of
sleep? check. but i didn't sleep well b/c no matter which way i turned - i hurt!
Whew - cant wait to do it all again with this awesome team!
Cross race 2 - this course scared the crap out of me. I was actually nervous, staring down the scary offcamber's - I just dont practice them at all. Really, it was a fast course - but the offcambers... well I had no clue. So I made a pact to just hop off and run up them, because then, at least I wouldnt crash... SO - that's what I did... AVG HR for the 42 minutes = 171bpm. That is well into zone 4 - almost zone 5 for me (hrmax 192) SO - 42 minutes of screamin pain - that was ef - you - en. (FUN).
1 = how many times i was clipped in going down the short bumpy and STEEP downhill into a lovely left turn... YIKES (out of a total of 6 laps - 4 racing and 2 warm up)
2 = amt of times I tumbled and fell off (once was a real fall, rolling downhill and everything - totally funny as i was moving about .5mph when i went down) and the other was not really a fall but rather a scraped left shoulder and left brake hood which actually hurt more than the fall...when I scraped up a 10 foot section of concrete wall (there's a longer story for anyone who cares)
3 = the amt of times I gunned it for the final offcamber/run up of each lap AND MADE IT WITHOUT RUNNING UP (out of 4 laps)
0 = number of dollars stuck in beer cans along the course (there's always next time).
FIRST = my place amongst the C women. Next race - it's the B's for me!
Livermore Cross (LARPD series) #2 was my FIRST race of the season. FIRST race on my cross bike. And I came through the finish line tied for FIRST - though the results say SECOND. either way - it was a heck of a great day. From the get go, team mate D and I played cat n mouse for an entire 30 minutes. I'd pass her on the cornering areas, she'd pass me in the horsie doo doo section - we'd be almost neck and neck up those grandstand stairs.... and then we do it all over again. Wow. F. U. N.
Things to improve on for next time: 1) cornering was good but can still improve a bunch - keep looking where I WANT to go, not down! 2) more more more practice on barriers and mounts... geez - i'm getting better and the end of the race was much better than the beginning... on those flying mounts KEEP LOOKING UP... much easier but counterintuitive... 3) deep sand practice... i am good in practice - not nervous - but i come into those areas with speed and freak out a little.
Regardless - we had a great time. Hopefully i'll have the 'winners' photo to share soon (it was on a cell phone...)
woohoo! Livermore Rodeo grounds RULE!
Next up: have to power shop today for a dress (i know, cross racers wear dresses?) I'll let you know what I find!
I already got her a little dirty. Of course I'm naming the new bike "Dirty Girl" - how can i not? anyway - she's not as light and svelte as my roadie - but um, hello? the cross bike kicks major ass. It's sturdier - absorbs way more shock (I think thats the knobbies talking) - and FAST - at least on her first foray into ggp. I explored all of the park. Did you know we even have an archery range in the park? who knew? first buffalo and now archery? at least the archers arent aiming for the buffalo. Actually it's spelled in the rules 'you can not shoot animals" ... but i digress...
the bike ride thru the park was fun. It had me smiling like a giddy little girl again. bikes bikes bikes. Speaking of which, I'm selling the Bianchi. awwwwwwww (moment of silence).
Last bit of hilariousness... on a ride with the guys last Sunday (thanks again DP and James for rescuing me and my flat) we ascended Mt Tam via the fire road. On our road bikes. Yes we got some stinkeye from the mountain bikers we passed on the way up (those HUGE tires? way too slow) or maybe it was bewilderment....
Mtn Biker to DP: um, where you guys going?
DP: up the fire road.
Mtn Biker Looking Perplexed: but you're on road bikes...
Okay so maybe that wasnt verbatim - how would I know, DP was way ahead of me...
Next up - ride the cross bike up that fire road...
Oh - and I have two Noob questions - 1) which peddle on the Cx bike? and 2) how clean do you keep your cross bike? Mine is one dirty girl (and it's only been off road an hour!)
