Race Report: Fontana, March 8-9

[ODB]

Highs and lows at Fontucky ...

Today's results:
Men's beginner XC: 2nd place
Men's beginner Super D: DNS

Alternating a bag of frozen peas on my knees as I write this, but i'll get to all that later.

Things got off to a great start today. I arrived at Southridge early with a plan of attack in mind for the morning's XC race. I figured today likely would be a repeat performance of the race two weeks ago, with JSims and I neck and neck in a friendly rivalry for the duration of the race (he rode great last time out and got the better of me). With that in mind, I concentrated on scouting out the last half-mile or so of the racecourse, figuring out spots where I might be able to put a pass on Jeff or, conversely, where I might need to try to block him out if I somehow got ahead of him. But i was disappointed when the beginner men's 35-44 field lined up and Mr. Sims was nowhere to be found. We had pushed each other really hard at the last race, and I was banking on that motivation to improve on my lap time.

Still, I was happy that i'd taken the time to learn the course better. In fact, I had been out to Fontana a week earlier to better acquaint myself with the race route. At today's start, i knew which gears i would be grabbing for the different climbs, where i could recover a bit if i felt tired, the spots where i might benefit from pacing off of other riders, etc.

When it was time to race, there were six of us in my class. I was familiar only with orange Epic guy, a hammerhead who spun a sub-40 minute lap last time. The 37-minute lap guy who won our class last time out was at the venue today, but he didn't line up with us; must've bumped up to sport for the day. So, when the horn went off, I just tried to keep orange Epic in my sights as long as I could. I knew full well that i didn't have a chance of besting him today, but I figured just trying to keep him in sight would help boost my pace. When we hit the paved climb, he quickly put distance between us, but i was still trying to keep a bead on him, so I grabbed my middle ring like i'd planned all along and started hammering. He eventually disappeared on me at Cardiac Hill, but by the time I took the left turn at the top of the hill to begin the descent, I looked back and didn't recognize anyone else in our class. I wasn't about to slack off--remembering the guy at the last race who I thought had bonked but came outta nowhere to blow by me--so I continued to keep a strong pace on the next climb, pushing extra hard at the top to get by as many riders as possible before the downhill started.

The rest of the race was pretty uneventful, and according to my watch, i came in about a minute and half better than last time out, finishing 2nd with an unofficial 43:30. Absolutely ecstatic with the result.

Now it was time to turn my attention to Super D. The race was to start with the top of the DH course, then go up the paved climb, veering off at an uphill singletrack, down the fireroad and onto the final mile and a half or so of the XC course. I asked a guy with a Turner DHR how the the top of the DH course looked today, and he said it was pretty mellow, not rocky, lotsa switchbacks. Hmmmmm ... I had planned on riding the course on my Speshy Pitch, but it sounded like that might not be necessary. Maybe I could benefit on the climb by using my shorter-travel bike. After some waffling, I decided to do the race on my Iron Horse, which I had done the XC on. Went up to the top of the course to practice, and just didn't feel comfortable at all on the Horse, especially in all the loose stuff. So i headed back for the car to fetch the Pitch. Then on the lower part of the DH course, things went wrong.

One minute I'm cruising down the last rocky section of the DH, and the next I'm headed over the bars off a two-foot drop. I have no idea how it happened, but I quickly stood up and had two quite bloody knees (those Fontucky rocks are so unforgiving), a tender left hip, a skinned left elbow and a throbbing right thumb. The cover of my seat also separated from the seat rails. F-ck!!!

Got back to the car, rinsed my wounds and began to consider my options. I was still a bit shaky and, frankly, angry with myself for the crash, but i didn't have much time, so I hastily decided, eff it, i'm racing. Switched bikes and began to pedal off when a popping sensation in my right knee told me, "Not so fast, pal." I was done for the day. A big fookin' DNS for the Super D.

Did I mention that my two-day-old 661 Kyle Strait knee pads were sitting in my trunk this entire time? Figured i wasn't gonna need them cuz of the "easy" nature of the Super D course today. They also would've saved me a good amount of skin when i wrecked at last month's Supah D. I think I may just stick to XC from here on out. Those Fontucky rocks have it out for me bad.

Hope everyone had a great race today, and good luck to all the DHers tomorrow. Be safe out there.

[J_Sims]

Congrats on the podium!!! sounds like a great time until the whole lower rock garden incident... I have been on the road for the last 2 weeks and decided to just go ride my bike. no race/no training.. Hope the knees bounce back in no time Lots of Vitamin I should help along with the frozen Pea's...

[Lor]

Sorry to hear about the endo Toby! Hope the wife doesn't get too upset.
Good job in XC today. 1 and 1/2 minute improvement that's huge.

[ODB]

Originally Posted by J_Sims

Congrats on the podium!!! sounds like a great time until the whole lower rock garden incident... I have been on the road for the last 2 weeks and decided to just go ride my bike. no race/no training.. Hope the knees bounce back in no time Lots of Vitamin I should help along with the frozen Pea's...

Thanks, Jeff. Look forward to facing off against you next time around. Funny you should mention Vitamin I -- I just went out and filled my prescription for that.

[Hanzo]

Well written! Congratulation on the 2nd. Hope the healing process is quick!

[Jman]

Hey I wish I would've introduced myself, we were in the same class. I finished fourth, quite a ways behind you with a 56 minute something time due to a flat and the need to run the last quarter mile. Sorry to hear about the accident, i tried the Super D my first race at Fontana but was called away by the 4x the second race and I've found a home there. Of course its only a matter of time before I go down!!! That course can be brutal sometimes.

Congrats on your placing. I'm hoping to get down to the 40 minutes time by next Winter.

[queenwilhelmina]

Toby, when I saw you yesterday I said "have fun tomorrow." You clearly did not listen! Endos and knee gashes are not fun!!

Heal up quick!!

[Jman]

Originally Posted by queenwilhelmina

Toby, when I saw you yesterday I said "have fun tomorrow." You clearly did not listen! Endos and knee gashes are not fun!!

Heal up quick!!

Oh I don't know a few mtn bike tattoos aren't bad as long as there is no long term problems....and besides I heard somewhere that chicks dig scares!

[J_Sims]

Originally Posted by ODB

Thanks, Jeff. Look forward to facing off against you next time around. Funny you should mention Vitamin I -- I just went out and filled my prescription for that.

I think every MTB should come with a standing Vitamin I prescription... Feel better

[tbowren]

Originally Posted by Jman

I heard somewhere that chicks dig scares!

I don't know any chicks that dig scares.

Scars, however, they might think look cool.

Good job on the race. I have been meaning to try that beginners XC race sometime. I keep signing up for things like Counting Coup and 8 hours of Adrenaline.
When Warrior's Society had their "short" mountain bike races I really had fun. Suffering for only 1 hour now seems like cheating.

If you are on the level of J_Sims, that's pretty good. He has passed me numerous times going up Blackstar when he had a busted ankle. He would pass me and stop, then pass me and stop, repeat. I can just imagine how fast he is without an injury.

[ODB]

Originally Posted by Jman

Hey I wish I would've introduced myself, we were in the same class. I finished fourth, quite a ways behind you with a 56 minute something time due to a flat and the need to run the last quarter mile. Sorry to hear about the accident, i tried the Super D my first race at Fontana but was called away by the 4x the second race and I've found a home there. Of course its only a matter of time before I go down!!! That course can be brutal sometimes.

Congrats on your placing. I'm hoping to get down to the 40 minutes time by next Winter.

Hey Jman. I recognize you now from the photo in DavidB's post. Nice job finishing out the race despite the bump in the road. See you out there next winter, if not at some other event. I'm getting kinda hooked on this whole racing thing now.

[Jman]

Originally Posted by ODB

I'm getting kinda hooked on this whole racing thing now.

Same here, the whole idea of racing has totally raised my riding ability in general but my joy of mtn biking. Even the idea of 'training' is cool. Gives a purpose to the gym time and a reason to push yourself on certain sections that I've ridden a hundred times.

[Rockinthecasbah]

i think we need amerge before this gets out of hand we have 3 or 4 race reports already