short:
5k @ 9am pacing DW, then DS4, then DS7
3pm Cyclocross Race #2, 3rd from last (one position better than last week!)
long:
first race was DW's "A" Race although she's been fighting injury issues, so she was unsure how she'd do. She finished in 41ish which was a course PR for her and an easy run for me. She nailed a 4-4.5min PR.
DS4 (dressed as Wolverine) finished 2nd in the 2-4yr old race. Really it was first because Spiderman was no 4yr old he ran in the 5-6yr old race TOO so we think DS4 won! Woot!
DS7 ran the ½ mile w/ the 7-12yr olds. Longest he EVER ran, but he finished. He was last to finish, but 3 kids blew up and DNFd so that made him feel better. He was mad a little girl stayed 10ft ahead of him and he couldn?t pass her!
I think ½ mile is long for 7yr olds and short for 12 yr olds, should have been 2 waves. But that's me!
The afternoon was my 2nd Cross race. After knowing what to expect I was a bit worried
30min of Z5 is never ?fun? in the traditional sense. My goals were to not be last and to learn and nail either mounts, carrys, or dismounts. I figured I?d start with mounts. I got there in time to watch the prior wave race and analyzed their dismounts. Amazingly, their dismounts were identical to my ?best? tri dismounts, the ones which I didn?t THINK about I just did (unclip right, swing right over and coast on the left and then unclip left, hop off, and start running). The only thing that had me nervous was complete lack of practice and these new cleats. I did practice 4-5x before the race and the new cleats are actually ideal for this kind of dismount (you have to twist INWARD not OUTWARD like Durace that I normally use).
The course was more riding, less dismounts ? I like that. We started off with some minor up hills and several hairpins, a downhill, hairpin and then 2 obstacles followed by medium hill. Then we looped around the outside of the course with some straight aways (my fav!) then some uphill, obstacles, more uphill. Then another nice straightaway, several hairpins, section through woods, more straight + hairpins + back through woods, more straight + hairpins, straight and then a 270degree turn and a hill that was darn near vertical! EGADS! Down that hill and a big U and repeat 4 times.
Lined up and we were off. I stayed with the pack for a while this time, all the hairpins were bunching everyone up. Up until we hit the obstacles, I was on the middle/end of the pack. Then it spread out. I paced myself better this time and there were still several people behind me. After a while, we settled into some relative positions and 1 guys dropped off the back and I never saw him again. There were 4 of us in the back jockeying for position. I was #2 of this pack for at least 2 laps, then #3. I reclaimed and lost that spot several times, eventually he was a constant 25yds ahead of me and I just couldn?t get him. I?d get close on the straights and I?d loose him on the dismounts. #4 challenged me on Lap 4 (soon after his girlfriend cheered him on) and we rode side by side for a while but I tossed him on some downhills and hairpins. The crazy factor won me that spot and I think he burned out as he felt further and further back after that. I was focused on trying to reclaim #2 spot but I just couldn?t reel him in. I finally managed to ride the ENTIRE hill on the last loop (go figure) about the same time as the top 5 guys lapped me. This is a far cry better than last week where I got lapped end of Lap 3 ? this time end of Lap 4.
Mission accomplished - I nailed the dismounts, I'm totally comfortable there. I tried something new on the carries (where you pick up the bike) which was go for minimal energy consumption - not a big fan, I think I need to just toss it over my shoulder and be done. I've got the upper body strength so I think I need to just suck it up and haul it.
And the mounts went WAY better, but still too slow. I struggled a few times because I couldn't get the clips going on quickly enough, and every mount was uphill - so I risked falling. So I really need the flying mount thing... next time!
And of course, I was spent afterwards but had a big grin. It was fun. HARD but fun. Chatted with the back pack for a while, #2 (of our pack) thanked me for keeping him on his "A" game because if I hadn't been so darn close he would have slacked off, but he could hear me on his tail and KNEW if he let up I was going to pass him. #4 and I chatted a while too (with his GF + someone who was clearly a mentor) and talked about the race.
Went for a 30min spin after, except I picked a nature trail and it ended up being a bit of work in spots. But again, way more fun than tooling around some neighborhood I didn?t know. Only downside with a new trail though is you never know what you'll get... I just randomly picked a direction at each fork and eventually I ended up getting sliced up quite a bit by thorns. Trail was not well travelled and I fell off my bike maybe 4-5 times because the trail "grabbed" my bike and prevented forward motion!! I ended up about 100yds into this field of 5ft sawgrass (I think, some tall grass) which was just catching so bad in my bike It'd literally stop me in my tracks. I walked it back to the woods, picked out the grass, and headed back. It was fun actually although I don't like that it beat me!!
They just announced another race in the series for this year for 11/18, not sure if I will go or not. There is another race next weekend which I likely will do. It?s a ?show up and race? kind of deal so I?m not stressing over it. If I make it, I make it. This has been a really fun learning experience. I can already feel the massive bike handling improvementsI 've made. When I was challenged on the 4th lap that made the difference - my bike skills and confidence (or crazy factor) kept me off the brakes and kept the other guy on them. I'm sure this will carry to the road. Necessity has you doing all sorts of goofy stuff you'd normally not consider!
If I can find camera (DW stole it) I will post some pix.
------------------
Yup That's me[/URL" target="_blank">
5k @ 9am pacing DW, then DS4, then DS7
3pm Cyclocross Race #2, 3rd from last (one position better than last week!)
long:
first race was DW's "A" Race although she's been fighting injury issues, so she was unsure how she'd do. She finished in 41ish which was a course PR for her and an easy run for me. She nailed a 4-4.5min PR.
DS4 (dressed as Wolverine) finished 2nd in the 2-4yr old race. Really it was first because Spiderman was no 4yr old he ran in the 5-6yr old race TOO so we think DS4 won! Woot!
DS7 ran the ½ mile w/ the 7-12yr olds. Longest he EVER ran, but he finished. He was last to finish, but 3 kids blew up and DNFd so that made him feel better. He was mad a little girl stayed 10ft ahead of him and he couldn?t pass her!
I think ½ mile is long for 7yr olds and short for 12 yr olds, should have been 2 waves. But that's me!The afternoon was my 2nd Cross race. After knowing what to expect I was a bit worried
30min of Z5 is never ?fun? in the traditional sense. My goals were to not be last and to learn and nail either mounts, carrys, or dismounts. I figured I?d start with mounts. I got there in time to watch the prior wave race and analyzed their dismounts. Amazingly, their dismounts were identical to my ?best? tri dismounts, the ones which I didn?t THINK about I just did (unclip right, swing right over and coast on the left and then unclip left, hop off, and start running). The only thing that had me nervous was complete lack of practice and these new cleats. I did practice 4-5x before the race and the new cleats are actually ideal for this kind of dismount (you have to twist INWARD not OUTWARD like Durace that I normally use).The course was more riding, less dismounts ? I like that. We started off with some minor up hills and several hairpins, a downhill, hairpin and then 2 obstacles followed by medium hill. Then we looped around the outside of the course with some straight aways (my fav!) then some uphill, obstacles, more uphill. Then another nice straightaway, several hairpins, section through woods, more straight + hairpins + back through woods, more straight + hairpins, straight and then a 270degree turn and a hill that was darn near vertical! EGADS! Down that hill and a big U and repeat 4 times.
Lined up and we were off. I stayed with the pack for a while this time, all the hairpins were bunching everyone up. Up until we hit the obstacles, I was on the middle/end of the pack. Then it spread out. I paced myself better this time and there were still several people behind me. After a while, we settled into some relative positions and 1 guys dropped off the back and I never saw him again. There were 4 of us in the back jockeying for position. I was #2 of this pack for at least 2 laps, then #3. I reclaimed and lost that spot several times, eventually he was a constant 25yds ahead of me and I just couldn?t get him. I?d get close on the straights and I?d loose him on the dismounts. #4 challenged me on Lap 4 (soon after his girlfriend cheered him on) and we rode side by side for a while but I tossed him on some downhills and hairpins. The crazy factor won me that spot and I think he burned out as he felt further and further back after that. I was focused on trying to reclaim #2 spot but I just couldn?t reel him in. I finally managed to ride the ENTIRE hill on the last loop (go figure) about the same time as the top 5 guys lapped me. This is a far cry better than last week where I got lapped end of Lap 3 ? this time end of Lap 4.
Mission accomplished - I nailed the dismounts, I'm totally comfortable there. I tried something new on the carries (where you pick up the bike) which was go for minimal energy consumption - not a big fan, I think I need to just toss it over my shoulder and be done. I've got the upper body strength so I think I need to just suck it up and haul it.
And the mounts went WAY better, but still too slow. I struggled a few times because I couldn't get the clips going on quickly enough, and every mount was uphill - so I risked falling. So I really need the flying mount thing... next time!
And of course, I was spent afterwards but had a big grin. It was fun. HARD but fun. Chatted with the back pack for a while, #2 (of our pack) thanked me for keeping him on his "A" game because if I hadn't been so darn close he would have slacked off, but he could hear me on his tail and KNEW if he let up I was going to pass him. #4 and I chatted a while too (with his GF + someone who was clearly a mentor) and talked about the race.
Went for a 30min spin after, except I picked a nature trail and it ended up being a bit of work in spots. But again, way more fun than tooling around some neighborhood I didn?t know. Only downside with a new trail though is you never know what you'll get... I just randomly picked a direction at each fork and eventually I ended up getting sliced up quite a bit by thorns. Trail was not well travelled and I fell off my bike maybe 4-5 times because the trail "grabbed" my bike and prevented forward motion!! I ended up about 100yds into this field of 5ft sawgrass (I think, some tall grass) which was just catching so bad in my bike It'd literally stop me in my tracks. I walked it back to the woods, picked out the grass, and headed back. It was fun actually although I don't like that it beat me!!
They just announced another race in the series for this year for 11/18, not sure if I will go or not. There is another race next weekend which I likely will do. It?s a ?show up and race? kind of deal so I?m not stressing over it. If I make it, I make it. This has been a really fun learning experience. I can already feel the massive bike handling improvementsI 've made. When I was challenged on the 4th lap that made the difference - my bike skills and confidence (or crazy factor) kept me off the brakes and kept the other guy on them. I'm sure this will carry to the road. Necessity has you doing all sorts of goofy stuff you'd normally not consider!
If I can find camera (DW stole it) I will post some pix.
------------------
Yup That's me[/URL" target="_blank">
