Scott's Right Of Way

Masters Elite Cyclocross Racing (or: This Is The NFL, Son; This Ain't College Ball No More)

So, I've threatened several times recently to give my mid-season thoughts on the move from the 3/4 Masters to the "Elite" (aka 1/2/3) Masters races.

First let me start with why I decided to make the move this year.  I waffled, I admit it.  I am a Cat 3 for cyclocross.  After a couple of podium finishes last year, I had 1/2 the points toward a Cat 2 upgrade, but at the same time, there were a couple of results where I came in around 20th.  So, I wasn't dominating the 3/4 Masters, but I felt like I was a contender.  This year I turned 44, which means I'm racing age 45 for cyclocross purposes.  This was something of a turning point issue.  I figured I would measure myself against the 45+ members of the 123 Masters.  Plus, I'd raced 3/4 Masters for the last 2 years and felt like I knew what I could do there.  Later start times and smaller fields weren't a bad thing either (until Jake decided that a 2 lap junior race wasn't really much of a thrill and suddenly I'm having to get him to the race early).  Finally, I had faired ok in the one Elite Masters race I did last year.  So, I should be able to do ok, right.

Realistically, I knew that this was a significant undertaking.  I had no illusions that I would be contending for the podium or even the top 10.  MABRA has multiple guys who are national-level competitors (and unfortunately, several of them are 45+).  So, I knew that I would have to adjust my expectations.

What have I observed/experienced?  First, it is not a "step" up, or even a "jump" up.  It is a pole vault up to the next level.  It is like they always say about the move from college football to the NFL.  Everything is moving much faster.  Everyone is at least as good as you and many are a bunch better.  They are bigger, faster, and stronger, and they have a lot of experience.  

The starts were the first thing I noticed.  I historically am a fast starter.  But obviously I'm not being called up to the first two rows.  Even from the third row, the starting minute is very aggressive.  Maybe I've been too passive, but there is a lot of pushing and people will shove in front of you at any cost.  In the 3/4 Masters there would be mass yelling and probably crashing, but here it is unnoticed.  It is the NFL, son.  David Crouse moved up for DCCX and is reported to have remarked on the same thing, saying "that mellow vibe went away real fast." 

Second, you are no longer even close to the best person.  There is a lot of parity.  So, if you make the slightest mistake you immediately are passed by 5 guys and probably lose contact with a group that you were only barely holding onto to begin with.  At least for me.  Yes, there are guys who maybe bobble, but then can quickly pass the 5 guys who passed and regain contact with the lead group.  Not me, at least not now.  They are genetic freaks.   And if you have a bad day, or maybe a particular course isn't the best for you, you are going backward at high speed.  Before I could eek out a top 20 if I had a bad day.  Now, I'm literally racing not to be dead last.

So, yeah, let's talk about the genetic freaks.  45, 50+ year old guys who are not only kicking my sorry butt but are driving the front 5 of the entire group.  Randy Root, Bernie Shiao, for example.  These are really nice guys, but they have been at this level for years and are amazingly fast and strong.  I can't touch them.  Certainly not this year (I did hold Root at bay for 2 laps at Winchester last year if I recall, so maybe, someday.....hah).  But, still, really nice guys who have been welcoming and free with input and advice.  Indeed, everyone has been.  It's a good group.  They've been racing each other for a long time, typically, and, as Crouse observed, before the race it is a very mellow vibe. 

I guess the hardest thing so far has been the mental expectations.  Other than the start, I felt like I had a decent race at DCCX.  My heart rate monitor would say afterward that my average heart rate was as high as it's going to get.  I was open and giving full gas, but I was 37th overall and 10th out of 17 among the 45+.  It can be hard to take away a positive affirmation about your strength and fitness.  On some level, I'm trying to learn who I belong with and where I should be focusing.  I've been right behind Shawn Downing in a bunch of races now, and on some level that's not bad.  I "knew who he was" before ever racing against him, which tells you that he's a legit masters racer.  Duking it out with him is not a bad place to be, I think.  And he's another very nice guy.  Very friendly. (Now, if only I can beat him).

Looking at recent results, it strikes me that this is a field of two groups.  There is the front group, which can be anywhere from 10 to 20 guys.  They are generally Cat 1 or Cat 2 (there are one or two guys who are "cat 3" but only because they haven't bothered to upgrade I think).  Unfortunately, they are not all under 45, but maybe most of them are.  Then there is a second group.  Many more Cat 3s, a big group of 45+ Cat 3s.  I think on most days I'm doing ok in this group.  Part of me wants to at least hang on to the back of the front group, but I don't think so this year (unless I get a big boost in fitness or freshness over these last 4 weeks).  The slowest guy in this second group would be top 10 in the 3/4 Masters on almost every day.

What do I think about the future. 

With Jake looking at options for High School (e.g., do you go into the super advanced track), I've been thinking about the idea of whether it's better to be the front of one group or the middle of the advanced group.  I'm not sure what the answer is for Jake (seriously, better to get As in advanced class, or get some Cs in the super advanced/College credit courses? Does all As look better for a college application? Does any "C" look bad, even if it's in a college level course when you're a sophomore in high school?).  Ultimately, it's not quite the same because if I fail miserably in the elite masters, it won't effect my college options and I won't end up working at McDonalds and turn to a life of drugs and poverty (but I will be very cranky).

Clearly, I can only race in this group if I'm healthy and able to train.  (This year's pre-season training was very very bad).  Any slight let down in training or increase in work would shoot me out the back very fast.  However, as long as everything stays the same, I don't see why I won't race it again next year.  Heck, I'm already thinking about what I'll do differently next year.  Riding with Jake more will be a good source of training.  And I've heard banter about a stand-alone 45+ race, maybe encompassing all categories.  That could be fun and interesting.  Still Root and Shiao and Heubner will dominate, but maybe without a big group of guys they won't be as far in front, or maybe guys like me can get on them from the start and have a better chance of staying with them.  But that's just speculation.

So, that's what I'm thinking.  Oh, and I need carbon tubulars.  Clearly, my failure to adhere to that simple requirement of the MABRA Elite Masters' By-Laws is dooming me.  At least that's my story.

 

Squadra Coppi Tacchino Cyclocross 2009 -- Vincere Insieme

This weekend was the big Tacchino Cyclocross race, presented by Squadra Coppi.  This is a lengthy entry, but it will have photos, podiums, and inside dirt.

First, the dirty little secret is that the Tacchino CX was a hair's breath from not happening this year.  The fine folks at Ida Lee Park in Leesburg informed us that they weren't interested in our having our event there this year, and we were having a hellava time finding a new venue.  Then Jim McNeely stepped up, big.  Jim single handedly brought victory from the jaws of bitter defeat.  Jim did serious work to develop a relationship with the folks at Rosaryville State Park, which is a well known mountain bike destination (remember Jake and I went on New Years Day this year).  Jim also stepped into the position of "promoter" which means, he's in charge.  He did a super job of laying out the course with Ken (I couldn't get out of work to go help them) and really put his heart into developing an "Event."  He got some teams with tents to set up around the course; he scored a band and Belgian-esque food vending.  So we're were back in business. 

So, Saturday I went out there and helped set up.  The course was clearly "Classic Tacchino" -- fast, swoopy, with fast turns that dare you to not touch your brakes, while testing your fitness.  It's really interesting how the same set of people end up creating the same basic "type" of cyclocross course regardless of where they are.  Very cool.

We had a record number of registrants.  Last year we were in the upper 200s, this year we had nearly 350 preregistered, and that's with an unknown course.

As usual, the club as a whole stepped up.  For those of us who live for cyclocross to get the support of our teammates who are no so enlightened ;-) is a beautiful thing.
The officials had some last-minute changes for our course, so we're making changes as the Cat 4 race starts.  Causing Jim some headaches.

Ok, so my race, the 3/4 35+.  First of all, it was hot, damn hot for November.  Luckily, I had my short sleeve skinsuit stashed in my "race bag" because by 10am the sun was STRONG.  Unfortunately, someone was seriously injured (broken ankle) in the 9am race, so our race was delayed by 30 minutes (and I was the one who arranged for the EMT so I was running around a little making sure he was there).  But we lined up, 100+ strong (these photos by Joe Metro). with my series points I got a front row call up.  After DCCX I felt like I could stay with the front group if I could get a good start, and so I did.  I jumped off the line and slotted into 2nd behind series leader Jay Morali. I stayed on Jay's wheel for the entire first lap, much to the surprise of the announcers, I think. as a result I won a "Preme" for 2nd on the first lap...Ommegang beer (which I'm enjoying now; it's very good) thanks to them for the sponsorship  .  We had a pretty nice gap developing.

I was comfortable and felt like I could go faster but it was too soon to do so.  On the second lap I went to the front on the uphill on the "Back 40" and led for a little but then sat up on the gravel road to let someone else pull.  This was very "Euro" cyclocross, with real group racing at the front.

From them on it was a group of 6 or 8 but I tried to stay in the top 4 or 5 for positioning.
  We weren't given a lap card until 1 to go, which candidly took us a bit by surprise I think because the hammer dropped hard then.  Jay was driving it hard. 
I was in 5th behind Jeff Anderson and Scott Stahl.  
  After the barriers Stahl let a gap open to Morali and Sapp.  Jeff and I needed to close then but it was a bad place.  Instead, after the down/up in the back woods, Jeff accelerated by Stahl and I knew it was time to go.  I followed Jeff and shouldered past Stahl.  Essentially the first one to the maze by the pavilion would get to the line first, but Jeff was going all out and short of an all out sprint up the grass toward the pit I wasn't going around him.  I threw it in the big ring just before we hit the last turn.  I tried to launch down the hill but as I had predicted yesterday during set up, the first guy around that corner pretty much was guaranteed the sprint. 

So I was 4th, a bike length from 3d and 5 seconds from 1st.  My highest result in a MABRA 3/4 masters race.  I hate to miss the 3rd, but Jeff is a good friend and a tough, smart racer.  
 
My plan from the beginning of the season was to sacrifice Charm City and Sander to be strong at the end of October and November. So far that is coming around nicely.  At DCCX I got 7th, but felt like if I could have been in the front 5 at the start I would have stayed with them.  Today I feel like I proved that.  Podiums are fun.        

Now, for the rest of the day.  Loren brought Liam after Sunday school.  It was nice of her and great to have her there.  

We had some sausages and listened to the band before the Lil Belgians.  

JAKE'S RACE

Jake also had a great race.  His usual competitors, Noah Bell (who's dad races for NCVC) and Tanner Brown (his dad Bill Brown was a cat 2 master for Bike Doctor, good guy) were there.  Noah (13) jumped out to the lead, with Tanner about 50 meters back and Jake another 50 meters behind him.  When they got to the barriers on lap 1 Jake got close 
but lost ground on the grind back toward the pavilion (although passed lots of women)
  He was solidly 100 meters behind at the end of lap 1.  Tanner connected with Noah at the finish and I thought that was the end.  But when they came back out of the woods, Jake had closed the gap and passed Tanner, moving into 2nd and was moving fast.  Noah is a year older and always beats Jake and Tanner, but Jake had the bit between his teeth. 
Coming out of the woods from the back, Jon Seibold noted that Jake appeared to be closing the gap to Noah,   (that's Tanner down the end of the field behind Jake). But they were all balls out at that point so it wasn't to be.  So Jake was 2nd with a very impressive ride.  All 3 of them were flying and lots of people noted how fast they're going.  Expect to see them in a Cat 4 race near you soon.  (I'm not sure what the hats are).  Jake and Loren after, note Jake's helmet hair and the fact that he is damn near as tall as she is!!!!!


A nice day.

NCVC Ed Sander Cyclocross -- How Deep Is Your Mud

Sunday Me, Jake, and Liam made our way up to Lilypons Water Garden (at 7am) for the annual NCVC Ed Sander Cyclocross race.

It had rained all afternoon Saturday and through the night, so we knew it would be a muddy mess at Lilypons.  Indeed, it was still drizzling when we got there.  Not much to report on my race.  Lilypons is a flat, slog of a race even on dry days, which doesn't really match with my strengths, but 6 inch deep, sticky thick mud in many places and soppy grass in others made for slow going.  I got a decent start but ran into a pile up and then made a tactical mistake trying to ride rather than run a muddy uphill during the first lap.  You can see this clearly in a helmet cam video taken by the folks at In the Crosshairs (you'll see I'm well clear of him until the 7:15 mark when the second group catches my front group as we have a pile up and then I stall and they all run past me).  I made some more mistakes like that, and generally am still not where I want to be physically, although I did put in a strong final 1/2 lap.  I finished 25th.  My friend Jeff Anderson did real well, finishing 9th (and 1st in the 45+ sub-group).

Here's a picture (not of or by me) that gives an example of the conditions (this is not the really deep stuff)

I thought about jumping into the Elite Masters race later for training, but decided that the potential damage to the bike was not worth it.  So me and the boys hung around a bit, waiting in line to clean my bike at the hose and watching some other races.

Liam did the "Lil Belgians" race at 1pm (my race as at 10, so we were hanging around for a while).  Unfortunately, my camera batteries were DOA, but Jeff snapped some pictures for me.

Liam had fun, but his bike is too small so he had to stand the whole time, which was tiring and other kids on better bikes were able to ride faster. 

Like I said, he had a grand old time.

click on the small pictures to see larger versions. 

We'll need to work on the barrier technique. 

See how his legs are too bent and his butt is practically on the back tire.

Jake's race was at 1:30.  The course had dried significantly by then, but it was still very slow deep mud in many places.  He was in the 10-14 race, which is 2 laps and run at the same time as the women's races (they send them off 30 seconds after the Cat 4 women (i.e., beginner women).  Jake and I talked about him needing to go out faster than he did at Charm City, and stick with Tanner Brown. 

 

He got a good start and through the prologue section, it was Jake, Tanner, and Noah Bell (who also raced last year; and won some last year, remember Urban Cross...look at the picture of Jake's podium here). 

They were together until Noah started to pull away through the thick mud.  Out of the mud, Tanner was a few seconds back and then Jake was a few seconds farther back. 

Here's Jake on the gravel road after the mud (photo by Tanner's Dad Bill Brown).

There are some steep muddy climbs and muddy drop-ins on the back side where I expected Jake to make up time.  I learned after that he had to dismount and run down the second drop in.

Here's why, this happened just before Jake got there (and Jeff was there to capture it all)

When they came through at the end of the first lap, Jake was about 5-10 seconds behind Tanner and I yelled to him that he could catch Tanner.  Jake really dug in, was clean over the barriers, and ran past Tanner in the deep mud around the lily ponds (Bruce Buckley got a picture right after the pass HERE

I'll have to get the original from Bruce.  Jake had a 5 second gap when they came out of the ponds and he drilled it onto the gravel road. I rode my bike to the back side of the course, and he arrived with a 10+ second gap on Tanner (about 100 yards), which is a good gap.  He rode the muddy uphill that I had stalled on earlier to the cheers of the crowd and the announcer, Joe Jefferson, and I yelled that he was clear.  All he had to do was ride clean the rest of the lap.  He ran the drop in again just to be safe.

Jake did really well powering up the steep step up hills that led to the final down hill (he and Tanner and Noah passed a lot of the Cat 4 women)

He bombed the downhill and came across second, one minute behind Noah and one minute ahead of Tanner (who we learned crashed in the technical turns back by Joe Jefferson). Jake was destroyed.  He dug very deep.  A super effort. 30 minutes of hard work.

So, other than my funk over my dismal condition, we had a good time.

Charm City 2009 -- It was the best of times; it was the worst of times

It was a beautiful fall day in Baltimore, the Charm City.  The course was the usual with a new set of stairs on the back and a little trip through the trees after. Jake and I headed up at the crack of 7am.

In my race, the 2/3/4 35+, it would be me and 124 of my closest friends.  Yes, 125 (and someone said the actual number hit 140).  Candidly, I failed in most respects of this first test.  I knew I wasn't at peak strength, and that's ok.  I want to be in peak strength in a month.  But still, you want the opening race to give some confidence.  Unfortunately, I also woke up with a sore throat Saturday morning.  I assume it's the cold that's been going around.  It hasn't gone away, and I woke up this morning with a raw throat and the desire to go back to sleep.

So, with a little illness and less than 100% fitness, did I race smart?  Ride within myself?  Oh, hell no.  Lining up on the front row, when the wistle blew, I hit the clip-in perfectly and sprinted out in front of the field to go off the pavement first.  I hope there were some nice photos at that point because it was the highlight of the race.  I went way too hard.  I dangled on the back of the front 5 all the way through the first 3/4 of the first lap.  By a lap later I was coming unhinged, mentally and physically.  I really started to get passed. I tried to stay with people but there was a serious power shortage, and mentally I was way too negative.  After 3 laps they put up 3 laps to go and I died inside.  It had only been 22 minutes.  I tried to go tempo and carry as much momentum as I could through turns.  Running through the sand and up the steps really hurt.

Fitness -- C-minus.  Although very hard to say given the brewing illness (I wonder how sick I'll be tomorrow); I definitely need to work on my core strength, as my cornering went to hell as my body got tired.

Racing smart -- F (Come on Scott, you learned this lesson 2 years ago and had good results last year by racing within yourself at the start)

Jake did the Under 19 at 11am.  They would do 45 minutes.  The MAC (Mid Atlantic Cross) series has UCI races, so their junior race options are not good.  But there were a decent number of kids, around 15, who went off right after the 3/4 women.  Of course, they ranged from Steven Kendell, who's like 16 and a Cat 2 or 3 on the road, to little Avi Rohr, who is 9.  Jake started out kind of slow, I/we think.  He rode in tandem with teammate Nick Battan for the first lap or so.  But Jake eventually rode away from Nick.  He seemed to be riding a fairly constant pace, and ultimately started to pull back the boy who had been well ahead of him, but couldn't quite make the junction.  He was pleased with his race (none of the boys his age really "train"), and realized that he probably could have, and in the shorter MABRA races will have to, go harder from the start.  Here's some photos and video:

  Through the Sand

Download MVI_3994 Here's the video

Post race, the officials really screwed up the results.  They had Jake at 4th, which we knew was wrong.  The boy that he almost caught was listed dead last.  Unfortunately, even with the boys and parents trying to tell them where people were, they "fixed" things, but still had them wrong.  Jake was placed like 7th (we think he was 6th) and the boys who should have been 4th and 5th were stuck somewhere else.  The officials clearly were having issues with all the boys mixed in with the 3/4 women and Masters women (you had 3 boys lap most of the women and all of their own field; you had Jake and his peers passing a whole bunch of the 3/4 women; still, it shouldn't have been such a mess).

Overall, the Team and Day were great.  In the 9am Cat 4 race, Rob Sheffield won (I think he's had his bike for a week), and Andrew and Kevin got 4th and 5th.  Awesome.  In my race, Steve "Boom" Robinson, launched by my opening attack (yeah, that's the ticket), stepped on the field's throat and laughed as he crushed the souls of the unworthy, winning his first ever cross race (he got his bike 2 whole weeks ago).  Friend of Coppi, Jonathan Siebold got a super 2nd riding a single speed that weighed like 2 pounds.  Jeff Anderson came by me during the dark time and had a strong race, I think.  I could see him up ahead of me.  Same with Joel, Gwadzilla, Gwadz.  I tried to close on Joel on the last lap but just couldn't build up enough momentum.  KenBob Woodrow, who was sick for 10 days until this week, had a good ride considering that lead-in and finished 32nd (achieving his goal of improving on last year).

At the same time as Jake was doing his thing, the dynamic duo of Coppi Cross, Jean "Wouter" Woodrow and Lindsey "Gunnhildr Foeflattener" Hillesheim worked together to get 2nd and 3d in the women's 3/4.  Those two are just money in the bank.

Now, I'm just trying not to stew too much, and clearly my throat a lot.  Hopefully, next Sunday's race will go better.

Charlottesville -- Urban Cross -- Family Trip

This is a long post, and I may post more pictures in a later post.  Otherwise, there are some distinct parts below.  Sunday was the "Urban Cross at IX" in Charlottesville.  This was the first year this race was part of the MABRA series, so several months ago I talked Loren into coming down for the weekend, so the kids and she could see UVA.  Hotels were actually hard to come by, but I found a nice room at the Hilton Garden Inn on the East side of town. 

FAMILY CONTENT
So Saturday AM we loaded up the car.  I ran out Thursday and bought a new tray for the roof rack so we could get all three bikes on top (mine, my pit, and Jake's).  This made me kinda nervous, so this this is the view I kept checking every 15 minutes for the drive down.  (click the small pictures to see full size).  I know my readers really want Cross Racing news, but be patient (or scroll down). 
We got to C'ville around noon, dropped the bikes off at the hotel, then went and had lunch at the Virginian, a long-time restaurant/bar right across from the UVA quad/rotunda.  Then we wandered across the street so the boys could see the pretty campus (think indoctrination here for future in-state tuition).  I had never been, and it really is very beautiful, particularly on a sunny November day.    
Then we went to Monticello (Thomas Jefferson's home), but it was packed.  They had just opened a new visitor's center and the next available tour was at 5:50.  So we drove up the road to James Monroe's home, Ash Lawn Highlands.  It is nothing like the columned masterpiece of Monticello, but it was interesting and very pretty.        For dinner we went to the downtown mall.  It was all nice.  Too bad we didn't have more time.  Next time.

CYCLOCROSS CONTENT
Sunday morning we loaded up the car again (no minor feat), and drove over to the course just a few minutes away near downtown.  It was a very different course.  Very tight with lots of turns and lots of short steep climbs.  There was also a long stairway climb (about 200 yards after the start) and a short set of steps just before the finish line.    Also a 20 yard sand pit.  During warm up I hit something hard and noticed after that my front Challenge Griffo tubular wasn't holding air too well, so before my race I switched it for the new Fango tubular...its virgin ride (not even a warm up -- yikes, would the glue hold?).  Also, my dad and his wife Lee drove down from Warrenton.  Last year he came to the Tacchino (click here to go register now only 2 weeks away) and I got my only top 10, so I hoped he would be good luck again. 

Ken and I lined up for the 3/4 Masters at 10.  I got a front row call up and a good start, slotting into the top 5.  It was a chaotic first lap and I went through tape twice and smashed through the rear wheel of a guy who crashed in front of me (visions of last week flashed through my head).  It was a very hard race, just repeated standing climbs.  I fell into about 6-7th after the first lap.  I hung with some guys for a while, including Albert Greene and the guy who won the Richmond race I did, but then I got dropped as the relentless repeats beat me down.  But there was a pretty solid gap behind me as well.  I could see the front group as the course would turn back on itself repeatedly.  I wasn't far behind them, but I wasn't going to catch them either.  By the last lap I lapped a couple of guys.  I came up on one of them at the steps just before the finish.  I wasn't sure if he was down a lap so I sprinted past him just in case.  The announcer said I was 9th, which I was pretty happy about.  BUT they had started Fred Wittwer and the 55+ race with us, and he had won the combined group.  Since he is a Cat 2 and not part of our race (the man is 60 and reigning national champion and kicked all our butts, just think about that for a while), I was actually 8th in the 3/4 Masters race.  Cool.  My dad's good luck had come through again I guess.

Here are some shots by Loren during the race:      

JAKE CROSS CONTENT

So, then we waited.  Loren and Liam and I ran into town with my dad's car to get some sandwiches.  We came back and it was time soon for Jake's race at 1:30.  There was a big group of kids (11).  Jake got a good start, trying to be aggressive, but Noah Bell got ahead of him (Jake and Noah were tied in points and tend to go back and forth, but he beat Jake at Rockburn).  Jake slotted into 4th.  A couple of boys were close on his heals, but Jake powered up the steep hills and created a good gap on the first lap.  He was doing well on the climbs, but it was hurting him and wasn't as fast on the few flats as Noah.  Here are Jake and his chasers going over the barriers in the thick of it early in the first lap   I got some video of Jake through the sand pit at the end of the first lap

Download MVI_2461.AVI  and over the barriers  

He didn't catch Noah, but he put a big gap into his chasers and finished 4th.  Which was super, as he beat the 14 year old that won the Richmond race.  For the Virginia series, they do 10-14 and he was 2nd in that group:  

The drive home was a little long with more traffic.  The views were pretty again, seeing the mountains from the opposite direction.  Big appreciation to Loren and Liam for coming and supporting, and to my dad and Lee.

Tiring, but a nice weekend, I thought.