Cat: Mstrs 45+B
Team mates: None
Place:30th (35:42)
Granted the BASP races are a bit more expensive that other races but Boy do they put on a show and it is truly worth the extra $5 reg few for such a well orchestrated event.
The Race: Man this was a hard mans race! The whole course was more or less held at the top of the knoll amongst the eucalyptus and loamy ground. Overall the course had a mixture or dirt, loam, Asphalt, sand and grass. I had to ask myself is it possible to go up hill more than downhill on a closed course.
The Start was from asphalt up the hill and transitioned onto the dirt. Not a hugely heated start but there was a real bad crash with a few riders going down with chains and frames a flying. Once past that crash I was making my way up the side of the group and trying to gain Position. On this course it’s really hard to do as a good portion was more or less single track give the lines were either on a beaten path or through a bunch of soft stuff, sticks and duff. The run up section was rid-able if you could find a clear line most cases you were stuck behind a train of bodies all grabbing for the same section of narrow real-estate. But at one point just before the top you had to dismount. Once up top you either had to hit it or take a moment to recover for the upcoming Sand pit. Once through the pit it was on to the softest grass covered soil I’ve ever been on, I couldn’t wait to get through it so I could hit asphalt and downhill section to try and gain some ground through the technical section. I wish I could recall more of the race as I was in oxygen debt and just trying to survive and it was a blur of passing bodies of both gaining and loosing positions.
The last lap I was being gained on by Jeff Sobul from Kaiser who I had passed when he dropped a chain through the barriers and had a few riders up front of me by maybe 5 secs. I figured, ya I’m not even close to the podium but at least I’m not dead last and I want to make sure of that. In cross racing it’s all about finishing Strong!
We are just getting through the Sandpit and it’s time to leave it all out there.
I put more pressure on the peddles and gain some ground. We get on to the asphalt and I figure I brought all 195lbs of me might as well use in on the gravity section and push harder. I get with in striking distance of a 35+ I need to pass to get to the 2 more 45+ guys. I hit it at the bottom of the next up hill get by the 35’r and just keep going to the top and get the two 45+’rs.
No time to let them figure out what happened and I just keep going. Now on to the last up hill , I just want this sufferfest over with! I get up on to the Finish area totally blown up, DONE!
Ugh..... Can I throw-up now?
You’d think guys hitting 45+ would slowdown, I think they just get faster and become real hard asses, WHOOF! Man that was the hardest CX race I think I’ve ever done for a 30th place, but after looking at the results of the 45+A race our times weren’t too far off at least for the lapped riders.
45+B winner (34:58)
45+A winner (38:14) I’ll have to assume they put a lap on us in the B’s.
I may just have to up my game and enter with the A’s to see just how hard an “A” race really is.
Cheers
Jim
Team mates: None
Place:30th (35:42)
Granted the BASP races are a bit more expensive that other races but Boy do they put on a show and it is truly worth the extra $5 reg few for such a well orchestrated event.
The Race: Man this was a hard mans race! The whole course was more or less held at the top of the knoll amongst the eucalyptus and loamy ground. Overall the course had a mixture or dirt, loam, Asphalt, sand and grass. I had to ask myself is it possible to go up hill more than downhill on a closed course.
The Start was from asphalt up the hill and transitioned onto the dirt. Not a hugely heated start but there was a real bad crash with a few riders going down with chains and frames a flying. Once past that crash I was making my way up the side of the group and trying to gain Position. On this course it’s really hard to do as a good portion was more or less single track give the lines were either on a beaten path or through a bunch of soft stuff, sticks and duff. The run up section was rid-able if you could find a clear line most cases you were stuck behind a train of bodies all grabbing for the same section of narrow real-estate. But at one point just before the top you had to dismount. Once up top you either had to hit it or take a moment to recover for the upcoming Sand pit. Once through the pit it was on to the softest grass covered soil I’ve ever been on, I couldn’t wait to get through it so I could hit asphalt and downhill section to try and gain some ground through the technical section. I wish I could recall more of the race as I was in oxygen debt and just trying to survive and it was a blur of passing bodies of both gaining and loosing positions.
The last lap I was being gained on by Jeff Sobul from Kaiser who I had passed when he dropped a chain through the barriers and had a few riders up front of me by maybe 5 secs. I figured, ya I’m not even close to the podium but at least I’m not dead last and I want to make sure of that. In cross racing it’s all about finishing Strong!
We are just getting through the Sandpit and it’s time to leave it all out there.
I put more pressure on the peddles and gain some ground. We get on to the asphalt and I figure I brought all 195lbs of me might as well use in on the gravity section and push harder. I get with in striking distance of a 35+ I need to pass to get to the 2 more 45+ guys. I hit it at the bottom of the next up hill get by the 35’r and just keep going to the top and get the two 45+’rs.
No time to let them figure out what happened and I just keep going. Now on to the last up hill , I just want this sufferfest over with! I get up on to the Finish area totally blown up, DONE!
Ugh..... Can I throw-up now?
You’d think guys hitting 45+ would slowdown, I think they just get faster and become real hard asses, WHOOF! Man that was the hardest CX race I think I’ve ever done for a 30th place, but after looking at the results of the 45+A race our times weren’t too far off at least for the lapped riders.
45+B winner (34:58)
45+A winner (38:14) I’ll have to assume they put a lap on us in the B’s.
I may just have to up my game and enter with the A’s to see just how hard an “A” race really is.
Cheers
Jim
