Cross Crusade Weekend in Bend
Great weekend of racing in Bend. This is one of our favorite places in Oregon. This weekend was quite a difference then racing Nationals last December. The course was super dusty compared to mud and ice in December.
The start on Saturday was insane. 80 guys riding into a dust storm with zero visibility was crazy. You just cruised through the dust hoping that you didn't run into anyone or anything on the course.
After 2 laps the dust settled a little and it was game on...I finished 11th on Saturday. This was my best result in a CrossCrusade.
Sunday was costume day for the racers. Most everyone was dressed-up, even 1/2 of the A racers. I chose not to as I was there to race. The heckling every lap for all of us not in costume was crazy. The Oregon cross scene takes their Halloween cross races seriously. They ran the course the opposite way on Sunday which helped with the dust. I had my best race and finally finished top 10 with a 9th place.
another weekend of racing
brief update.. Grand Prix Molly Cameron on Saturday Ninkrossi race. Great course for me with some ups and downs.. I've been focusing a ton this year on my technical skills escpecially cornering and I'm opening gaps on guys this year with that..so that is good. I ended up 4th today. Not bad with a bigger field this week.
Sunday Cross Crusade at Portland International Raceway. I've yet to have a good race at a Cross Crusade, but today's dirt crit suited me and I was determined. I got a good start and got into top 10 or so. The race went on and I was starting to feel stronger by mid-race when I hear the familiar the nasty noise of a rear wheel going into my rear deraiuller.. really I'm 2 for 3 with this happening at Cross Crusades. I continue for 2 laps and deal with the skipping and then it happens.. Chain into the spokes. I frantically get it out and lose a few spots just as I was about to bridge to top 10. I get to the pits and grab the B bike and the gap is gone and I'm in no-mans-land and finish 16th.
tattoo collecting
I fell into an amazing opportunity this week. The tattoo convention was in town and I've been looking to get a tattoo for Skylar. I just finished Kat Von D's 1st book. In the back are recommended artists. Shawn Barber was one her recommended artists because of the amazing paintings that he does. I checked out his website and followed him on Twitter. The next day he tweeted that he was going to be in Portland and taking appoints at Art Work Rebels. I instantly shot him a message and got an appointment.
I've come to the point in my tattoo "career" that I'm only getting good tattoos and doing the due diligence on the artist. I tried to get an appointment with Grime, but he is booked up for 3 years.
The good artists are booked for months and even years. I just happened to fall into this amazing opportunity to get in with Shawn Barber. I chose to do black and grey for a timeless piece.
Getting a tattoo on your sternum is probably one of the most painful places you can get a tattoo. It was extremely painful for 4 hours, but worth every ounce of pain when I got home and Skylar said "it's beautiful"
I've come to the point in my tattoo "career" that I'm only getting good tattoos and doing the due diligence on the artist. I tried to get an appointment with Grime, but he is booked up for 3 years.
The good artists are booked for months and even years. I just happened to fall into this amazing opportunity to get in with Shawn Barber. I chose to do black and grey for a timeless piece.
Getting a tattoo on your sternum is probably one of the most painful places you can get a tattoo. It was extremely painful for 4 hours, but worth every ounce of pain when I got home and Skylar said "it's beautiful"
You're only as good as your last race
The Cross Crusades have been my nemesis. They are big and there are a ton of people and I've yet to have a good race at one. Maybe I left it all out there yesterday getting 2nd, cause today I didn't have it. I finished 22nd place when the guy I was battling with yesterday finished 3rd today. The course was fun and tough with mud and some killer climbs. It reminded me of the tracks in Belgium.
Oh well....I guess I've got some room to move up at the Cross Crusades.
Here's me getting lapped by Molly Cameron
cyclocross...it's like crack..You get a taste of the good stuff and you keep coming back
Today was the MCGP Heiser CX. These races are held on Saturdays while the Cross Crusades are on Sundays. As much as I like the big races and the circus of Cross Crusade, these races have been more like races to me. The fields are smaller so you aren't forced to battle 70+ guys at the start. I had a tough week of training thanks to JBV Coaching. This has been the fist year in over 16 years of racing that I decided to completely focus on cyclocross season. I was taking it easy in the winter and doing base in the spring and finally started ramping it up in June.
Ok.. back to the race. I got a decent start and settled in around 5th and could always see 1-4. After a couple of laps 1st and 2nd had a significant gap and I got into a group with 3,4,5. At that point I thought I was going to be racing for 3rd. But I was riding the technical sections as well as the flats and climbs faster than the group, so I opened it up and got into the infamous "no-mans" land with a gap in front and a gap in back. This is a scary place to be doing lap after lap as hard as you can with fear of getting caught and anticipation of trying to close the gap to the leaders. With 3 laps to go, one of the leaders flatted and I went past him and was closing on the lead and giving it everything I had turning myself inside out. With 2 laps to go the leader went into crux mud section and dropped his chain and I made the catch. I went to the front and drove the pace and tried to get away, but nothing was working so I tried to recover. With 1 lap to go, the battle was on. He went to the front and drove the pace. I couldn't drill it any more and was cooked from making the catch and with 1/2 lap to go I had to ease up. So..I rolled in 2nd. He is the series leader, so I knew I was riding with the top guy today.
It's races like this that get you hooked. I was ready to hang it up a couple of weeks ago and then got a win last weekend and 2nd today....I guess that means the "crack" is working.
Tomorrow brings the circus of Cross Crusade.
Smile
Cyclocross Racing
Cross is hard..one mistake, one wheel in the derailleur and you go from winning to mid pack.
Saturday was a small field at the Canby Cross-Word Cyclocross Challenge but it was a great course...fast with some techy stuff. I got a decent start and for some reason after lap 1, I thought 2 guys were off the front. I got into a group with 3 guys and we exchanged pulls. I tried to attack a few times but nothing would stick. With about 4 laps to go one of the guys took a corner too hot and went off course. Me and the other guy took advantage of the situation and worked together to open up a gap. The gap was never very big, so we had to work the rest of the race together. With 2 laps to go I started attacking, but could not get a way.... here is where things get interesting. Oregon has the 80% rule..check out Tilford's view on it. I share the same view.
(b) The Chief Referee may, after consulting with the organizer, impose the 80% rule. Under this rule, riders whose time gap to the race leader is at least 80% of the race leader’s time for the first lap will be pulled by the officials unless it is the final lap. The number of 80% is merely an approximation based on a typical course; the intent is that all riders should be pulled before they are lapped.
Anyway..be and the other rider hit the pavement with what we thought was going to be 1 lap to go, but as we rounded the final corner to the finish line they were waving the checkered flag and I sprinted and won the race. It was good to get the win, but it would have been more fun to have another lap to battle it out. The leader of the 1/2s was no where in sight, so we should have been allowed to do another lap..but not in OR racing.
The 80% rule sucks for the Master 1 racers because we race with the Pro/1/2 guys who start a minute ahead of us, so we are always in danger of the 80% rule.
OK.. Day 2 of racing in the infamous Cross Crusade. I've heard the rumors and the hype at how much of an event they are with 1,500+ rider and fans everywhere. The rumors are true. The race venue was insane with over 1,700 racers and tons of fans. There were food vendors and team tents everywhere. It was like a USGP. The parking lot at 9:00am was full.
I was looking forward to really testing myself today against a 70+ field. The gun goes off and I get a decent start and 100 yards later I hear someone's front wheel go into my rear derailleur and my shifting goes to shit...my chances at any sort of result are over. I limp my way to the pits and grab my B bike..which I find out is not dialed in at all and I have to stop twice to adjust the shifting. At this point I just cruise along and enjoy the event and the great course. The rain starts to fall and the course becomes super slick and riders going down everywhere. I too take a hard fall but get up and soldier on. At the end of the day I am 34th..but will fight another day. Skylar got to race the kids race and they even had barriers for them.
If you get the chance, get to a Cross Crusade. It's the closest to racing in Belgium as I've seen and I've raced all over the country. Families, kids, dogs are all out enjoying the race and eating frites with mayo and ringing cowbells. If I can introduce a handful of couch potato football watchers to a cyclocross race, I think the world would be a better place. It's way more fun to watch then a stupid football game.
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