Boggs II Race Report - Sauce & mp3

[sauce]

More pics to come ... I'm just copying this from my myspace blog ... apologies if it's a bit "me" centered.



Mario (mp3) taking his 2nd place medal.

This was my longest (to date) race - an 8-hour solo event! It was also my first official "NORBA" event. Since NORBA axed its marathon series this year, mtb racer Mario Correa (http://team-shoair.com/team.asp?r=10) decided to give this new event a go. So, we drove up Thursday together and pre-rode the course Friday.

PRE-RACE:

When we pre-rode the course I was in for a surprise. Though the elevation gain (1100 or 1200 feet) per 9.2 mile loop is similar to my training loop (Fullerton Loop), this course is 2 miles shorter! Thus, the hills were way steeper. I knew immediately I was pushing too high a gear on my single-speed (32-eighteen). The race organizers informed me I was the only female single-speeder registered, so I figured, "heck, I'll just do my best and treat this as a learning and training experience." Right now I'm having one of my spare wheels outfitted with a 20 cog, and believe me I'll be using it! :-) Having ridden Keith's 32-20, I know what a lower gearing can do for speed.

Mario and I tried to get my gearing swapped at a local bike shop, but because this is not a perfect world ... and not everybody has "seen the light" and gone single-gear ... the shop didn't have a 20 cog lying around. Mario got his rear hub adjusted, and I drooled over the new, shinny single-speed bikes (especially this rust-colored Bianchi).

One day it will be mine. Mark my words. :-)

Then we turned my motel room into a chemistry lap and mixed all our race nutrition products up. Mario crunched numbers in order to set lap goals and race strategies for us. He told me to shoot for 9 laps, which, given my lap averages on long days at the Fully Loop, would make sense. However, given the steepness of the course, I knew that goal was lofty. But as my mother always says, "I'd rather miss a big goal by a mile than a small goal by an inch." So, I rehearsed the strategy in my mind.

I'd tell you Mario's plan, but then he'd kill me. :-)

RACE:

We arrived at the race at 7. So, we had an hour-and-a-half to chill. I was able to stay calm - a first for me. By 8:30 the weather was perfect (and it stayed that way the whole day). One couldn't wish for better racing weather.

Mario shot off. I saw him again at lap 4 or 5 ... and then 6 minutes before race end. Boy was he cookin'!

There was enough fire road at the beginning to spread people out. I managed to get up to a group of fairly fast-paced, adept riders - nothing like the traffic jams I've experienced in other races. Now I know the importance of going strong at the start, then pulling back. :-)

The course was incredible. Mostly single-track! Barely any fire road. Since technical and downhill are my strengths, the course was perfect for me. And the whole day I was only passed once on the downhill - by this tall, old guy on a white hard tail. Fricking amazing rider! Go dude!

My hard tail had the perfect tires on it (thanks to Mario), so I was taking turns tighter and faster than ever - really pushing it, just to entertain myself for 8 hours. This did wonders for my psychology! As did my mp3 player, which Mario added agazillion songs to. So no, I wasn't bored. Although, I do think Mario ought to listen to less 80's music and techno. :-) Dangerous music. Do you know how many times I almost feel while trying to fast-forward through those songs?

Mario and I each had one crash, but we didn't get hurt. I hit a rock that was buried in the dirt and went flying a few feet over the bars. Kinda gave me a nice adrenaline kick. The landing was soft. :-)

Unfortunately, the course was poorly marked, and I ended up losing 5 minutes on an accidental out-and-back "detour." Again, I turned it into a learning experience: NEVER FOLLOW ANOTHER RACER, EVEN IF HE LOOKS LIKE HE KNOWS WHAT HE'S DOING. BECAUSE HE DOESN'T.

After taking the first few laps at about an hour each, I began to slow down. Exhaustion set in. I knew it would - I was out of the saddle so much, and my bike felt like the stair master! Laps 4-6 were closer to 1:10 each. Not so hot. But the fast single-track kept me happy. And though walking my bike and getting passed majorly sucked, I got to recover some modicum of self-esteem on the downhill. :-) There were no assholes at this race - whenever I wanted to pass someone, she/he just moved. On the uphill and flat sections, I paid other racers that courtesy. And of course, I cheered fellow single-speeders on.

To make a long story short (because the RR is turning into an endurance event itself), I finished at 4:20 (the race began at 8:40) with 7 laps. My last lap was 1:03, so I was glad to be able to speed it back up a bit. I think I may have been allowed to go out for another lap (the cut-off time was officially set at 4:15, but the race started 10 minutes late). But I honestly don't think I could have done it in one hour, as required. It would have been super close and majorly painful. So no biggie. The gear difference would have given me the slight edge I needed to do 8 laps, but I was just happy to have finished my first 8-hour race in big gear without bonking.

Mario finished his 9th lap at 4:14 or so. But the race organizers informed him he was second in his category and fourth overall, and another lap wouldn't make a difference. So he stopped, fresher than ever. I, on the other hand, collapsed at the finish ... while some of the organizers snapped pics of my unconscious self. I really hope those don't end up online! I know I remember thinking it was the most painful, exhausting endurance event I've ever done ... but I honestly can't recall the pain now. Just the fun.

My selective memory keeps me riding and racing. Seriously!

Congrats to Mario for taking 4th overall and 2nd in his category (masters)! He raced strongly and seamlessly. I got 4th overall for women (no single-speeders besides myself). And I got a medal and a case of Red Bull for being number one female single-speeder. I beat 7 male solo single-speeders, but I don't know how many beat me yet. It'll be interesting to see, as I like to compared myself to other single-speeders - results-wise and riding-wise. The number one female did 8 laps. Very nice.

I'll be back next year. :-)

POST-RACE:

I still owed Mario dinner, because I bet him I could beat his Vision Quest time (mind you, I was riding the shorter version - Counting Coup). So, I bought him dinner in Napa Valley. This took two burdens off me: 1. Repaying my debt and 2. The worry of driving through Napa without having a glass of red! Being the wine snob that I am ... all those wineries were making me antsy!

I was daydreaming of building killer single-track to link up all the wineries. I admit it.

We stayed in San Jose at the house of mtb racer Louise Kobin (http://www.team-shoair.com/team.asp?r=12). I had the pleasure of doing a killer, 3-hour ride the next morning with Lou and Mario (and Lou's friend, Nate). I was hurting, but the downhill single-track was out of this world! Trees galore and tons of jumps! My grips were moving all over the place and my shifters were cocked too far out, but I was still enjoying the ride. It's a wonder I didn't crash.

San Jose is heaven. And meeting Lou was absolutely awesome - she is one incredible racer! I can't wait to see her at Hurkey 8-hour later this month. Major thanks to Mario for coaching me and inspiring me. You're amazing.

[mp3]

Great race report and nice job! With a 32-20 on the back instead of a 32-18 I'm sure it would have been a close race between you and the fastest geared female racer. Next year!! We gotta make reservations at Mustards though ... 6:30ish?

I was really impressed with your riding considering that we still need to get your bike dialed in for endurancing racing but the real kicker was seeing you tough it out on Sunday's ride with La Ruta Lou....her rides (even the fun ones) are never easy. Needless to say, Lou and I both think you've got a ton of potential for the endurance thing.

Oh, one minor correction: I was in the men's category instead of the masters -- I'm not that old yet.

[sauce]

Mustards now? Dude! You're gonna break me w/ your expensive taste! J/K. Mario is not a cheap coach. And I am never betting him again.

If you're not that old ... then stop listening to all that 80's music.

[mp3]

Originally Posted by sauce

Mustards now? Dude! You're gonna break me w/ your expensive taste! J/K. Mario is not a cheap coach. And I am never betting him again.

Ummm, from my recollection my eyes weren't the ones that almost popped out when we passed.

Ya wanna bet?

[ApexMan]

Wow! You've come a long way since the backbone ride we did... A-1 JOB!!

[Wrecker]

Congrats on the race and a great RR! Sounds like a good time for all pain seekers.