Another wednesday night race in No. central Mass. This one was a bit later start, so it would be under the lights. We had a few days of drizzle/rain, so it looked to be pretty wet, and maybe a bit muddy. Another race at a ski area, so a bunch of sidehilling and up and downs. Arrived early enough to get 2 laps on the course before the start. Not really muddy at all, just a lot of wet grass, and a few loose marble sized gravel patches. I was staged close to the back. Cat 4s lined up first, and the cat 4 35+ riders just behind them. It was still dusky, so the lights were not lit yet. The gun went off, and I immediately started moving up. I was feeling really strong, and was powering through the gravel, around a few wide turns, then up the switchbacks to the top of the bunny hill. Not too steep, so I kept it in a pretty big gear and grinded up at a low cadence. I ended up riding the whole race in one gear, never shifting out of the 46x24. It was bit heavy going uphill, and spinning out on the flats, but seemed to be working for me so I stuck with it. There were a few pretty rutted sections, where a big gear works better than a small one. If you're spinning too much through the bumps, it tends to throw you off the bike.
After the first few laps, started to settle into a good place. Passed a few more riders, and was mixing it up with a couple of other masters for the last few laps. I got lapped toward the end of the last lap, then came around a few last riders on the flats at the bottom of the course and finished alone. Pretty happy with my placing. A bit disappointed to have been lapped, but about 1/3 of the pack was lapped, so would have had to finish around the top 50% to avoid getting lapped. I'm getting close to that, but have not yet arrived. The form I had in August during those points races has not yet come back around, but I hope it I'm feeling it this weekend at StarCrossed, which I am really excited about!
After the 4s race, I had 15 minutes to kill before the cat 3 35+ started. I was super tired, and knew this was going to be tough. Got a drink, ran into Tim from Keene, and talked with him a bit about racing and getting together for some cross practice sessions in town. More about that later.
Photo of Tim
It had gotten dark by now, and the lights on the course were on Race started, and I was immediately off the back. Working as hard as I could, but after the first lap, it was just myself and one other rider out there alone at the tail. At one point I mentioned to him how it was kind of relaxing being out there all alone.
Him: "Either alone off the back, or alone off the front"
Me: "Alone off the front is too much work. I'll stay here for now."
Party at the back indeed.
He passed me after two laps, and I was content to stay just a couple of bike lengths back and keep him in sight. Then he wiped out in a greasy corner (there were a lot of greasy corners, you really had to pick your lines well), and I was forced to pass. I never saw him again.
Most of the areas were pretty well lit, but there were a few spots in the shadows. One of which was an off camber corner at the top of the course. It was super rutted, but in the daylight it was possible to pick a reasonable line and ride through it. In the pitch black, everyone was unclipping at least one foot and scooting through it, or running the corner.
Digging deep toward the end of the race.
I got lapped at the end of the 3rd lap, and hear the announcer say "3 to go" Wow, this was going to be tough. I was already in the bag with another 25-30 minutes to go. Kept riding along, getting lapped by the leaders every so often. On my last lap, the leader passed me again! and I finished just before the second and third place riders passed me for the second time. Ended up placing next to last. Happy just to have avoided finishing DFL. I have done doubles before, and the second race is just for fun and experience. After 40 minutes full throttle, there is nothing left, so the second race you are working just as hard, but can only hit about 80% of your top end speed.
At the finish, I met the guy I had been dueling with in the race. Turns out he races with the A group at Loudon. Bad Ass! I just upgraded from the Cs to the Bs for the last race of the season. He lives just a bit NE from me, and was interested to hear of our plans for a weekly cross practice session.
Checked results for the first race, stopped at the ski area bar for a beer and cookies, then they posted the results for the cat 3 race. They had me placed way higher than I had finished. I found an official, and let here know.
"Hi, you placed me 54th, but I really finished 75th"
"You want me to move you down in the placing? Really?"
"Yes, just trying to be honest on the account of all the other guys I really did not beat"
"OK. Go talk to that scorer."
"Hi, I wanted to let you know there was a mistake in the scoring. I should have been 75th, but was listed at 54th"
Something along the lines of "Why should I believe you, I don't know why you are telling me this. I will have to check my notes, and if they jive with what you are telling me, I will change the results, but if not then they will stand as they are."
I understand she was busy scoring riders as they came in. In hindsight, I may have had a better reception if I had waited until after that race was finished, but did not think about that at the time. She was polite, just a bit busy and distracted maybe. It turns out the results stood as marked. Sorry guys, I tried to get it straightened out.
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