Race Report #7. That was fun...but it couldza a been more funner

There's a first for everything. Today at LARPD, the SS entries outnumbered the A's. And this time Cheetah was on hand. He's the series leader so I was looking forward(or not) to see how I'd stack up and to see how my new training plan was working. It goes something like this. Train hard, get sick, race poorly, take week off, race well. Rinse and repeat. When the whistle blew, Cheetah, myself and Ace (one of the A's) hit the front a got a quick gap. The legs, they had good sensations and with some much lucky, maybe a good race. I saw no need to push it too much as we built a good cushion on lap 2. It was shaping up to be a fun race. I could tell Cheetah and I were riding about the same so we began toying with each other a bit to see who had what where. Then I thoughtI noticed my front tire getting squirrely. I rode lap 3 in denial: "it's not going flat...it's not going flat. then lap 4 trying to will air into the tire. Ace and Cheetah had gone to the front but didn't really jump until I hit the pit. Thanks for not attacking earlier when y'ins knew I was running on about 5 psi (It took awhile for the sealant to do it's thing I guess). That was classy. Jesus met me for a wheel change...smooth as butter...Thanks Bro! but it still took about 15 seconds. Cheetah gassed it w/ Ace and I could never make up the ground. Too bad. It was going to be a battle. Cheetah has the series locked up. I missed too many races, but we both were bummed about the flat and I hope he shows up just to keep things interesting!

Race Report #6. From bad to worse.

This race started off w/ bad karma nearly from the minute I pulled into the parking lot. All the main lots were full as my race was the 2nd to last of the evening and given the carnival atmosphere that is nighttime cross, no one was going anywhere. I pulled into a nearby office building, parked and started to get my gear ready. I pulled my bike of the car and w/o really thinking, leaned the rear tire against the bumper of the car next to me. I pulled out my B-day gift (thanks Zank!) and began to inflate the tires. Mr and Mrs C&C D roll up and Mr C yells (not politely mind you) "Hey, That's My CAR!" as if I'm about to boost his stereo. I reply in kind w/ a not so polite. "Relax" and moved my bike away. He then demands an apology. I'm a little dumb struck by this but manage a "Sorry dude, it's only a tire". "Exactly!" he says, which dumbfounds me still further. What kind of life does one live if someones tire on your bumper at a bike race stresses you out like that. Now over the past 4 or 5 years, despite racing in probably 30 or 40 of the same races, those words are the sum total of our interactions. I'm not hopeful for a budding friendship. Such a strange exchange from such a strange little man. And in case you were wondering, it was a Mazda MPV. Oh yeah, the race itself. Well if that little interlude didnt' leave a bad taste in my mouth, the dust cloud that enveloped our race certainly did. I was still caughing up bits of Brisbace at 11:00p.m. I didn't feel great all day and it foreshadowed the race. The course was short, dusty, and bumpy w/ zero recovery. 4:30-5:00 minute lap times were going to be the norm. Not really my cup of tea, but c'est la cross. I actually had a really good start, passing people easily and running as high as 8th before the lights went out. I suddenly had no answer for any of the surges that soon followed. I was suffering pretty bad when I saw 5 to go, and really thought of heading for the car. I still have know idea how I managed a mid-pack finish. I'm sure I owe it all to mechanicals or bad lap scoring. In retrospect, I was sick and didnt' know it. The whole family was feeling it on Sunday with one kid even throwing up. It's Tuesday as I write this and I still feel like I was thrown under a bus. It could be worse...my initials could be C.D.

thanks photoblake

Why Cross Rulz #51...and Race Report #5

So I'm pre-riding the course with JohnnyGreenGiant as he is cooling down after just taking 2nd in the 35A's. I'm racing SS today with the Open A's and I'm rolling around on some file treads I raced here a few weeks back. Today though, the course has nothing in common w/ that speedway. The fast grassy sections have been replaced by sand the the long straights have been balled up in a knot. I'm tip-toeing through every corner....and I didn't bring any other wheels cause I decided to sleep instead of glueing them up late into the night. JGG offers his front wheel to me. A flexus glued up on 58mm of C14 heaven. That's cross for ya. Complete strangers will hand you the sweetest set up to flog without thinking twice. I politely declined, but did accept his offer of a pit wheel, a clincher running a racing ralph. Hallelujah!. The rear still had a mind of it's own but the front was cooperating nicely. The SS field is never big at this series, but I tell myself in a Nietzsche-esque sort of way that it's good training. Lots of curves, lots of sand, lots of barriers. Even a six-pack on this one. Oh, did I mention that I also decided to run a taller gear (that's me in the photo showing the gearing I chose) as I was often spun out on those long straights last time. Well, I was able to stay mid-pack w/ the A's until the gear began to expand. What started out as a 42x17 somehow ended up as a 215x17. I was caught w/ two to go, hung on for a lap as the attacks started then got dropped half way through the last lap...ARGGGH. I still managed to hang on for the win in the SS cat, but was further down in the A's than I should have been if had I turned myself inside out (which I'm not wont to do). I won't mention the size of the SS pack, or the fact that half of them had also raced earlier in the day. A win is a win is a win and at this stage of the game, I'll take 'em as they come.

The Stick....Race Report #4

I hate the 'stick' almost as much as Mclaren. It's a dusty, bumpy, power course. I few days of rain leading up, however, can work miracles, even on that wretch of a course. I wasn't sure how things were going to go. I had gotten the flu two weeks back which forced me to miss the Halloween Surf City race. I still haven't gotten over that loss. It's my favorite race of the season and the last course I ever won on....*sigh*. Anywho, Leading up to this race, I had to scale back the training block. The course as I said is bumpy and twisty save for a long road stretch. The rain at least made it sticky and Flexus @ 30psi hooked well. My start was not great, but not bad yet the legs felt a little sluggish and didnt' have the punch necessary to push through the 35 A traffic we start catching midway through the first lap. It took a good two laps for them to loosen up and to accelerate on demand. By that time, Jesus had caught me and we rode half a lap until he bogged down a bit on the run section and I went on by. To be honest, I really wasn't paying much attention to the race up front. I had my eye on Cornbeef, gaining on my six. So I have to say I was a bit suprised when I rolled up to a 4-pack as we hit the long paved section on the last lap. I quick glance and I saw three #5xx series numbers. My race series. Holy Crap, a 4 up sprint.
Now, let me remind y'all, I haven't been in this situation in quite some time....and I run a "junior" cluster in the rear (14-25) leaving me w/ a top 44x14. I honestly didn't ever think I'd need much more. I had about 3 seconds to contemplate my navel. Dan jumped 1st to see who'd come out to play and George bit hard. I jumped George's wheel. I was in a good gear to accelerate up, but it was also the same gear I'd have to run the last 100 meters with and. could. not.come...around. Missed it by a tire width. That's racing. It was a good all things considered. I'm looking forward to Goldden Gate. I just need to stay healthy.