RR: TBF MTB Challenge #1 (NorCal Race Series)

[jschwart73]

For those that have missed the n00b thread here, I ran my first race yesterday. I've been riding and doing spin classes for about 3.5 months and wanted to make sure I stayed focused. Figured training for a race would be the best way to do it.

The racing organization offered a First Timer race and a also a Novice class race. Most of my rides have been in the 8-12 mile and 2500' elevation gain range and the First Timer class was a 7 mile lap with about 900'. I wanted to challenge myself, so I went ahead and signed up for Novice instead, which was two laps. They tried to talk me out of it at race registration, but I wasn't having any of it!

Saturday afternoon, the wife and I headed up to the race venue so I could do a pre-ride. It was drizzling rain, but the course was mostly DG and drained well. There were a couple water crossings, I ran through them slowly to make sure there weren't any rocks hiding underneath and otherwise did a slow loop around the course.

Hit BJ's for a big bowl of pasta (and a Pizzookie) for a pre-race meal, cleaned up the bike and hit the hay. It had dumped a lot of rain overnight, so I figured the course would be wet. Got up early Sunday morning rearin' to go. Got the pit area set up:



And then got myself all signed in. Took some SportLegs and Advil about an hour ahead of time and then just chilled out waiting to warmup. Did a 20 minute warmup on the trainer and then headed over to the starting line:



And off we went:


After the first 1/2 mile or so, the course gets into more XC type terrain and I've gobbled up by quite a few of the 19 and under, 20-29 and 30-29 Novices that we started with. I was probably in the back 1/3rd of the group, but I knew I couldn't keep with the rabbit pace they took out of the gate and be able to do two laps. After the first climb that's pretty gradual, the course flattens out and I started to make my way through quite a few people, then settled into a pace with a group of about 5 or 6 guys who were swapping places (I'd catch up in the technical and rolling sections, they'd smoke me up the climbs). Came around for lap 1 at around 40 minutes, swapped out my bottle of Cytomax for some water, took a shot of gel and got back on it.

For the rest of the 2nd lap, I was in close contact with two other racers. I kept pushing the first of them that was in front of me and he finally made a mistake, going OTB in a rut because he was pushing really hard. I checked to make sure he was ok, he said he was so I kept on going. Next up was a member of the 40-49 Novice group that had gotten by me about midway through lap one - He was at least 30 seconds ahead of me, so I just put my head down and went after him, determined to at least get by him. We came out of the beach run section pretty close to each other and I hung on his back tire for about 200 yards after that, then made my move:



Made the final u-turn to the finish straight, dropped into a little gear in the back and pedaled hard through the finish:



A couple more pics (can't link the pics from the photog's site) that show one of the water crossings and the beach area:
http://jamesprattphotography.exposur...bike/img_18346
http://jamesprattphotography.exposur...bike/img_18334
http://jamesprattphotography.exposur...bike/img_15572

The course was really wet in a few spots and the DG managed to get into every nook and cranny of the bike. My RD started to protest pretty early on, but it managed to stay in gear and not slip on me for the race! There were 3 pretty fun water crossings that were axle deep on my tiny 26'er, ...

Here is the MB log of the race:
http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/4906058

So, finished the race and waited for results - I ended up 6th out of 11 in my class, 6 minutes behind the winner. I wish I could say I was satisfied, but the first thought in my mind was that if I just worked a little harder on some of the climbs, I would have been in at least a podium spot.

I had a great time and cannot wait to race again in 3 weeks!

I'd like to take a second to thank first of all the Mann's - Never before has buying something, except maybe my wife's engagement ring, changed my life so dramatically - I was becoming the classic mid-30's couch potato suburban Dad with a beer gut and high blood pressure. They sold Stumpy to me and it literally has changed my life, I am losing weight (at last count, 25 lbs since October 21st) and getting healthy. Thanks guys!

I'd also like to thank the whole STR crew, who even though I am geographically an outcast, has welcomed me and helped with with my stupid questions and all your advice.

Finally, I'd like to thank my wife, who is hesitantly accepting yet another expensive hobby!

[mp3]

Nice RR. Great job for your first race.

[Red Hot Sloth]

Good job, keep it up and you will podium

[allison]

Way to go on 6th out of 11th!! Nothing to shrug at for you first race AT ALL!! Most probably had experience with race strategy and may have even known a bit about the other competitors.

One question - did you stop for the gu and bottle switch? Next time try a quick hand off of bottles (toss yours to the side prior, then pick up the new one) and have the gu with you. You can also take a gel 15 minutes before the race (washed down with plenty of water) to kick start the race pace!

I can probably send up a Hammer flask if you don't have one. We're using the smaller flasks that fit in the frame mounted cages, so I have at least one brand new Hammer flask that you can put in a pocket. Easier than dealing with tearing the packet open, and there's no trash!

BTW, did she enjoy spectating and helping out?? If so, very cool!!

[tkblazer]

great race report and congrats on your finish! i hope to be doing my first xc race soon and look forward to the pain

[allison]

Originally Posted by tkblazer

great race report and congrats on your finish! i hope to be doing my first xc race soon and look forward to the pain

Ooh are you coming out this weekend?? The weather should be PERFECT!! Is there a crossing the fingers smiley?

[jschwart73]

Originally Posted by allison

One question - did you stop for the gu and bottle switch? Next time try a quick hand off of bottles (toss yours to the side prior, then pick up the new one) and have the gu with you. You can also take a gel 15 minutes before the race (washed down with plenty of water) to kick start the race pace!

I can probably send up a Hammer flask if you don't have one. We're using the smaller flasks that fit in the frame mounted cages, so I have at least one brand new Hammer flask that you can put in a pocket. Easier than dealing with tearing the packet open, and there's no trash!

BTW, did she enjoy spectating and helping out?? If so, very cool!!

I did use my Hammer Flask (mounted on the top tube of the bike), did it on the go. Also did the bottle drop and handoff with Jen, so I never stopped for that. Took the gel shot about 10 minutes before.

It was cold. Jen does not like cold, but she did seem to enjoy hanging out, but she was ready to leave the moment I crossed the line... I made her stick around until results were posted, just in case I had podiumed. Now she wants to do a triathlon with TBF some time in the spring, so that's cool...

[allison]

Originally Posted by jschwart73

It was cold. Jen does not like cold, but she did seem to enjoy hanging out, but she was ready to leave the moment I crossed the line... I made her stick around until results were posted, just in case I had podiumed. Now she wants to do a triathlon with TBF some time in the spring, so that's cool...

Sweet! Is it off road or on?

Lots of Tri guy's here at work (a few do xterra).

[tkblazer]

Originally Posted by allison

Ooh are you coming out this weekend?? The weather should be PERFECT!! Is there a crossing the fingers smiley?

naw i've been working on sat's lately... plus my 4" IH is 35.6 lbs

[northshore]

6 out of 11 is a great showing for your first time out. Even more respectable is you made sure the other guy was ok after the tumble! STR Material!

[garys]

Great race report, you should be very proud of your first race. I think it's cool that you bypassed the beginner race and did so well in the novice group.....Congrats!

[xhuskr]

way to go both on the race and the new lifestyle you're embracing!

[shudder]

Loved your play-by-play (and it's nice that the wife took all the pics!). Love that Pratt pic of you going through the water. You should buy that one from him.

Congrats on your good finish.

shud