Race Report RR: OTH round 3

The bottleneck at the start of the race wasn't fun, and to make matters worse my chain seized up on me on that first climb, sending me into another rider (sorry about that)! I was able to fix the chain, but the Beginner 3 class passed me in a cloud of dust - so I had some catching up to do. Tried to pass another rider on a section of the course as it was going from fireroad to single track, we ended up touching handlebars and down we went. Thankfully it was at a relatively slow speed so nobody was hurt. Felt like I had much more gas left in the tank when I finished, but probably that was due to the unplanned stops. Ended up finishing 31st which I guess isn't too bad given the circumstances. Still had a great time and looking forward to next week! :?:

 

Was also in the B3 duststorm/riders down beginning...but that's part of racing..only my 2nd every OTH race...the riders down caused a bike to somehow open my seat QR causing it to drop and turn...while I was walkng around the rides up the sand pits trying to move the seat I just watched riders pass me...wanting to catch as many as I could I kept going...but still had my seat lower than usual. The HAB was tough...trying to stay out of the way, remount and go...easy to type...hard to do. Love all the support of STR folk and non-STR folk..while I don's see myself as a racer, participating in an event like this on occassion is just one of the many ways mountain biking has been my choice or fun / exercise, and a form of health care. Keep going out and challenge youself folks....fun comes in many forms...and pain is one of them oh...32nd in B3

 

Kinda tough day for me. Thought I was riding alright until the last half of the 2nd lap when I had nothing left. Finished 75 of 83 in B3 when I was 65 last week. I got caught behind way too many bottlenecks. Actually had to stop and stand still a few times. HAB's sucked. Amazing that the pros lapped me before I got a third of a lap done. Did get a beer handup at the 180 bermed turn on the first lap, yeah! Bummer that the beer was gone on my second lap. Pretty cool that Dino let me warm up on Mike's Moonlander, too. Maybe doing a century on Sunday isn't te best for racing on Tuesday, but it's OTH and I had a great time.

 

Some Pics...











Look..one of the trainers at my Gym!!!





My Hero!!!

 

And some Post Race Pics. Big TY to BryN for taking the action shots!!

 

I did two races last night.

1. Rode behind my son in his first ever MTB race. We started at the back of the 6-8 yr olds, and rode sweep much of the course. He has a 16 inch coaster cruiser, so it's not exactly designed for this course. My goal for him: HAVE FUN! Goal accomplished I LOVE that they have made two categories for the kids. He certainly wouldn't have like the longer loop the 9-11's did, and I think the length for the 6-8 was just perfect. He had a great time, and can't wait to race next week. He came in second to last, passing one kid on the home stretch with a big smile on his face to all the cheering fans. I was nearly in tears from joy. It truly was priceless.

2. Last year I rode Retro Rocket as he was my only bike. This time I was on my shiny Kona. WOW! What a difference. I stayed back when the horn blasted and started sweep in the Women Sport/Clydes class. I'm more of a distance rider, and talking with BROWNIE after I think he's onto something riding to the race. I always feel like I'm getting into my groove at the end of the 2nd lap. HATED the HAB hill. Calves were sore from running Monday, so going up that effing elevator (as Ted called it) sucked big time. Not a big fan of running the race backwards, but it is good to mix things up. Tried to keep the ladies in sight, and for the most part did pretty well at that. These sport ladies are hard-core. Major props to them for handing me my arse time and time again! Missed a pint glass by one place (4th/7), but not bad for a first race of the season. With Traverse and all the distance races I've been doing I definitely need to adjust to this sprinting.

SUPER fun as always. Thanks to SXP (Masters Sport Samir June 12!!!!) and his lovely bride for manning my kiddos and cheering me on, AJ for just being you, Ted for yelling at me to hurry up as he blasted by, BROWNIE for cheering like a madman, FB for sponsoring this weeks race, all the marshalls helping and cheering on the course, and OTH for putting this on. I'm super tired today because I was so pumped up last night after the race I couldn't go to sleep Still on my racer's high! LOVE IT. See y'all next week, and one of these weeks I'm determined to podium!!!

 

Hi Guys and Gals. It's Steve from PLS Photography. Had a lot of fun shooting you guys on the big hill last night. I have a busy week but I still plan to have the pics posted on my web site by the end of the week. Here's a link to where the pics will be: http://www.plsphotography.com/Sports2012-2/Mountain-Bike-Races-2012

 

Yes, SS on a Green Niner.

 

I think the scoring system needs a little twinking. Some of the top riders in the beginning classes have faster times then the Cat 1. Take a look at my class, Beginning Men 50+, as an example. Total time for the two laps 21 minutes?

 

racing is fun.
Even better when is just the SS group going out alone.
Was able to grab the hole shot with another guy and punish the pace until everyone started falling off....then my rear tire burped on the 2nd lap in a turn/bump/berm thing in the sand pits and the walk of shame back began. A mechanical out there means race over, its too fast of a pace to try to catch back up but I had a blast ripping the legs off guys half my size

 

There Neil, fixed it for ya! That's how I feel on EVERY ride I do with you :lol:

 

Another fun time! Not sure about all the hike-a-bike, but I think I liked climbing the other direction on the east part of the course better in this direction. I really need to start further forward and figure out how to come out of the gate faster. It's really frustrating to pass 15 people and still finish 42nd.

I have to say I'm really disappointed in the people who start ahead of their class. There was a B4 starting with us B3s right in front of me, and I later passed a B4 that I know hadn't passed me previously, which means he started ahead of me. Makes me wonder how man of the B3s are starting with the B2s....

Nice to meet some STR peeps I hadn't previously last night. Congrats to everyone that participated, and especially those of you who went home with a pint glass!

 

You won't catch up, but you can finish. dburdett broke a chain, walked back to his car, fixed the chain and finished. Last, but finished.

 

Best part of the race for me was trying to chug a drink on the first lap in Super Sport while trying to maintain the hardcore pace these guys set. Thanks to the race fans for making this race a little bit more CX!

 

Wow, you are awesome.

 

Yep, Actually he is!

but i'm biased.

 

why thank you but I still had a big ole dnf. perhaps next week.

 

Exactly but at that point the walk of shame shamed me right into a cold adult beverage:beer:

 

you sound like a bully i used to know

 

ouch!