'Cross season is here. Finally.
It rained all Thursday (9.21) night and a cold front moved in. Pikes Peak SuperCross was the first race on the schedule this year. Saturday 9.23. Bear Creek Park in Colorado Springs. It’s a fun, fast course. This year it was faster than normal since they skipped the big climb for 2 smaller climbs. One up the center loop cut-off and the other on the driveway up toward the exit. The long descent was cut short by the removal of the steep part and it also was straight into the wind. The corner by the parking lot was sketchy as usual. After the road climb we dropped back into the dirt and got muddy. Twists and turns on that power section. Then onto the start road for a sprint to the finish. 2 races of course.
1.8 mi/lap 35+ IV 5 laps, not lapped, 9.5 miles, 12.5 avg., 27.5 max.,
45:51 8:24> 170 <28:51> 160 <8:36. 20th of 26.
IV 5 laps, not lapped. About 2 minutes faster. Computer froze. 23rd of 25.
Sunday 9.24. Red Rocks Cyclery. At Red Rocks Elementary in Morrison. It warmed up considerably. Another fun course. Hard climbs and sweeping turns. One section with rocks half buried and spray painted orange. Of course there was the “pit of doom” An 8’ drop on a 45* slope followed by an even steeper run-up then more twisties on grass. The pit was better groomed than it has been in the past so riding it was just scary instead of deadly. ! couldn’t get my heart rate up. Afterward ! got a chiro adjustment. He poped my back. It was so loud people ducked. 2 more races.
35+ IV 1.2 mi/lap, 6 laps. Lapped by top 10. 7.2 miles, 10.2 avg., 18.4 max.,
42:19 0>170<14:57>160<27:22 47th of 54.
IV 6 laps. Flat on the start. 0.8 miles to pit. 6 laps. Lapped on lap 3. 7.3 miles, 9.9 avg., 18.8 max., 43:59 0>170<2:18>160<41:41 49th of 58.
Saturday 9.30. Boulder CX @ CU Research Park. In the 80s this weekend. Sunny and dry. And dusty. Lots of ups and downs. Fast sections and technical bits. On my 1st practice lap they were changing the course @ the top of the first climb to a sharp left, steep down in loose dirt. After the last run-up we went down then up a steep climb. The top had a pronounced lip on the only decent line. ! made it first time in practice only because ! hit it fast. ! didn’t mind it so much. They moved the course over a bit while we lined up to start. Too bad.
35+IV. 1.5 mi/lap. 7 laps. Not lapped. 10.2 miles, 13.6 avg., 24.0 max.,
45:08 7:08>170<22:49>160<15:16 33rd of 47
IV. 5 laps. Lapped on last lap. 8.7 miles, 13.7 avg., 141.9 max.,
38:10 7:41>170<19:56>160<10:33 36th of 59 beat Michael.
Sunday 10.1. G-Men CX. Coalmine and Bowles. 85* and sunny. ! wore the red bibs and the red sleeveless jersey. Usual fast course except on the south side of the lake. Drop-off to the beach and then run up the other side. Lots of dust. Lined up for race 1 w/ everyone else wearing 3xx #s. Beth Wrenn announced there were racers w/ improper #s. 101 and 102. They were to be in the IV race in 2 hours. Lined up for Cat IV and there they were again. One’s wife came over and asked for the car keys so she could get the camera. He pulled out a big wad of keys that he was going to carry around for the whole bumpy race. Through all this ! was thinking “rookie doofus” Afterwards ! realized ! know him from RMTC. Oh Ben. He can run.
35+IV. 1.6 mi/lap. 6 laps. Not lapped. 10.0 miles, 12.1 avg., 20.3 max.,
49:37 0:59>170<19:02>160<29:36 23rd of 28.
IV. 6 laps. Not lapped. 10.0 miles, 12.4 avg., 20.3 max.,
48:34 0>170<13:19>160<35:15 22nd of 31.
My strategy so far is to start in the back and take it easy on the start. The whole pack will bunch up again @ the first tight spot and ! can start passing then work my way up. With the exception of Red Rocks where ! flatted, my average speed increases for the 2nd races. It takes some practice to sort out the sections. Alas, the guys in race 2 are much faster than in race 1. Oh well. No more ‘cross for 3 weeks. ! don’t drive 3 hours each way for a short race (Gunnison on the 7th and 8th) and 10.15 is Tri Club Nationals in Vegas baby.
Race Results here. http://www.americancycling.org/results/2006/2006.htm
1.8 mi/lap 35+ IV 5 laps, not lapped, 9.5 miles, 12.5 avg., 27.5 max.,
45:51 8:24> 170 <28:51> 160 <8:36. 20th of 26.
IV 5 laps, not lapped. About 2 minutes faster. Computer froze. 23rd of 25.
Sunday 9.24. Red Rocks Cyclery. At Red Rocks Elementary in Morrison. It warmed up considerably. Another fun course. Hard climbs and sweeping turns. One section with rocks half buried and spray painted orange. Of course there was the “pit of doom” An 8’ drop on a 45* slope followed by an even steeper run-up then more twisties on grass. The pit was better groomed than it has been in the past so riding it was just scary instead of deadly. ! couldn’t get my heart rate up. Afterward ! got a chiro adjustment. He poped my back. It was so loud people ducked. 2 more races.
35+ IV 1.2 mi/lap, 6 laps. Lapped by top 10. 7.2 miles, 10.2 avg., 18.4 max.,
42:19 0>170<14:57>160<27:22 47th of 54.
IV 6 laps. Flat on the start. 0.8 miles to pit. 6 laps. Lapped on lap 3. 7.3 miles, 9.9 avg., 18.8 max., 43:59 0>170<2:18>160<41:41 49th of 58.
Saturday 9.30. Boulder CX @ CU Research Park. In the 80s this weekend. Sunny and dry. And dusty. Lots of ups and downs. Fast sections and technical bits. On my 1st practice lap they were changing the course @ the top of the first climb to a sharp left, steep down in loose dirt. After the last run-up we went down then up a steep climb. The top had a pronounced lip on the only decent line. ! made it first time in practice only because ! hit it fast. ! didn’t mind it so much. They moved the course over a bit while we lined up to start. Too bad.
35+IV. 1.5 mi/lap. 7 laps. Not lapped. 10.2 miles, 13.6 avg., 24.0 max.,
45:08 7:08>170<22:49>160<15:16 33rd of 47
IV. 5 laps. Lapped on last lap. 8.7 miles, 13.7 avg., 141.9 max.,
38:10 7:41>170<19:56>160<10:33 36th of 59 beat Michael.
Sunday 10.1. G-Men CX. Coalmine and Bowles. 85* and sunny. ! wore the red bibs and the red sleeveless jersey. Usual fast course except on the south side of the lake. Drop-off to the beach and then run up the other side. Lots of dust. Lined up for race 1 w/ everyone else wearing 3xx #s. Beth Wrenn announced there were racers w/ improper #s. 101 and 102. They were to be in the IV race in 2 hours. Lined up for Cat IV and there they were again. One’s wife came over and asked for the car keys so she could get the camera. He pulled out a big wad of keys that he was going to carry around for the whole bumpy race. Through all this ! was thinking “rookie doofus” Afterwards ! realized ! know him from RMTC. Oh Ben. He can run.
35+IV. 1.6 mi/lap. 6 laps. Not lapped. 10.0 miles, 12.1 avg., 20.3 max.,
49:37 0:59>170<19:02>160<29:36 23rd of 28.
IV. 6 laps. Not lapped. 10.0 miles, 12.4 avg., 20.3 max.,
48:34 0>170<13:19>160<35:15 22nd of 31.
My strategy so far is to start in the back and take it easy on the start. The whole pack will bunch up again @ the first tight spot and ! can start passing then work my way up. With the exception of Red Rocks where ! flatted, my average speed increases for the 2nd races. It takes some practice to sort out the sections. Alas, the guys in race 2 are much faster than in race 1. Oh well. No more ‘cross for 3 weeks. ! don’t drive 3 hours each way for a short race (Gunnison on the 7th and 8th) and 10.15 is Tri Club Nationals in Vegas baby.
Race Results here. http://www.americancycling.org/results/2006/2006.htm
posted by Doug!! @ 8:29 AM
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