Well I survived this race. But it took a couple of days of preriding to do so. I prerode the course two weeks ago with CoachRob and his crew of family and clients, learning some of the lines through the numerous rock gardens, roots, and jumps. Then prerode again with Giant on Saturday (the day before raceday).
Thank goodness I did!! This course was not only an OCup, it was also the 3rd race in the CanadaCup series, and to top it off it was the course for the PanAm Games being held here this summer. Which basically means there were features in this course (rock gardens, jumps, root, climbs, and descents) which were a little more extreme than normal, and required some practice. At least by me....before going at them full bore, redlined exhausted, during a race.
In fact, it was extreme enough, that Giant...after a couple of practice laps (including a crash), decided he would not race it on Sunday. If you remember (or go back to read the previous post/race review), Giant crashed in a rock garden and broke an index finger in the race last weekend. So, with a finger that didn't quite fing, it was not a good idea to chance this course.
So Fig and I headed up on race day...it was raining at home as we left...but subsided as we approached Hardwood (about an hour 20 minute drive). Fig was a little nervous because he had not pre-ridden the course. And when we arrived, he got more nervous as more and more people told him that was not a good thing. He was kind of starting to look like....
Of course, as good friends, we all reassured him...
Anyways, this is supposed to be a respectable MTB race review, right?? (Sorry...had to slip in cat pics, otherwise people...and misconceptionz...get upset).
Oh boy. (or is it, girl??)
So....let's get back on track...To not make matters any better, as we started to warm up it started to rain....which would not make the slippy logs more grippy...and made the warmup almost cold! Anyways, enough whining. The rain let up in time for race start...we got into the paddock...I was in between Bob530 (who was Bob537 last week....so let's just call him BobM from now on) and serious. Two of the fastest guys in my cat; two guys to keep an eye on...the goal to be as fast as the fast guys. We got called up to the start (except that they called me 'Michelle'...how do they mistake 'Riot' for 'Michelle'???...OK, there was quite a contingent of French speaking racers there, so that could explain it...) And then we were off!!
Again, a very fast start...I'm learning to be more aggressive off the start...which was rather easy on the very wide start track. However, I did not clip in cleanly and this cost me...losing some distance off the fast start. So once clipped, I powered to keep up to the lead group, up the start hill. The start at this race is a groomed 'road' 8 - 9 riders wide, but covered in very loose gravel...and it was 1 - 1.5kms of rather steep rollers, where if you tried to stand up and give too much power, you would spin out. So the series of steep loose rollers shot the heart rate up, and had one gassed right off the start....and soon dipped into the first bit of single track.
And the first bit of single track started with an innocent looking diagonal log over (or rather, a fanned out collection of 4-5 little logs) on a curve, that was easy to lift the front wheel over, but if you were not aware (ie: if you didn't preride the course), and didn't clear the obstacle with the rear of the bike, it kicked your back wheel sideways with a jolt that could knock you off the bike. Then the course continued into tight twisty single track...my greatest weakness. All the lean, fast/quick leaders I had kept in sight off the start were making distance on me.
Then the single track opened out into a bit of double track, including a couple of steep rollers. At the very top of the last roller, the course somewhat blindly dipped left into singletrack. But at the very mouth of the single track was an obstacle with a slightly hidden around. So if you were not aware it appeared that you had to ride the obstacle, and at first glance the obstacle seemed to be a rock drop that should have been possible to simply roll over. However, the drop was not only taller in the back than it appeared in the front, but there was also a bit of a gap on the back....just enough to grab your front wheel if you tried to roll the rock...and that is exactly what two riders directly in front of me tried to do. And over the bars they went. Luckily, they were able to pull off enough to the side, that as I launched the obstacle and cleared the gap I had room to avoid them. Then into more twisty singletrack.
Here is Seth clearing a log drop in some of the singletrack...
Me...more singletrack through the forest...a pic by John (he raced later in the day, and had his camera handy).
A combination of more single track and double track eventually led into Coffee Run which was a bit more twisty single track, but with a couple of very steep short rooty climbs...enough to keep the heart rate up. Then it led into a very sketchy, steep right-left switchback descent of rocks then sharp-dropping roots where a couple of riders were walking (one of them was MichaelL...one of the fastest riders in my category, which is why he passed me back on the next lap), allowing me to get by as I had previously scoped out a good line through.
A sharp climb out of coffee run dropped you into a short piece of double track that immediately dropped you into the JoyRide feature...a series of jumps that appeared a lot scarier coming into the first one than they were...and ended in a very slippery wooden berm. Of course the younger riders launched it like they were bored...
John was snapping pics as we came into the feature, and yelled something I can't repeat here (see I have some scruples), that made me laugh when I should have been concentrating...
Yup, I know....I look like a goof again! Luckily ApexTed caught a respectable pic of me clearing the thing...
Thanks Ted!!
Here is a racer on the wooden berm...(pic compliments of ApexTed once again).
Wait...is that...
Yes...that is Emily Batty...
Ooops!! OK, that's enough!
Actually, although this is her home province, it is pretty awesome to have a world class racer attending the same event us weekend warriors are in.
Anyways, sorry....easily distracted here....back to the race report.
The course then led over a series of fun, small, wooden jumps then through the feedzone, then up The Big Z....a steep double switchback rock climb...here are some racers on the Z...
JeffS...
MTBmeister...
Guy....
Then the rest of the course included mostly twisty single track including features of EndoRock (one of the toughest features, and one I chose the around on), the BigRock&Bridge...
Then a loooong, steep, twisty, rooty singletrack climb called GruntUp, which came out to the BMX section....a long, fast, open downhill of dirt jumps, rocky berms, and wood bridges...
DanBan of the LapDogs Race Team rockin some wood...
Then it was up to the Start/Finish to finish lap 1...and as I approached I heard the announcer announce (as announcers do), that BobM had just finished his first lap in 5th place. I looked up and could see him heading up the start hill. I gunned it to catch him...CoachRob cheering me on at the sideline...up and down the rollers of the Start section...I pushed hard to catch BobM...and was within several metres as we entered the first single track.
But the effort cost me...I was trashed...and as we entered the single track, I recovered while BobM pulled away, and I never saw him for the rest of the race.
As I continued and recovered, a couple of riders passed me back...one of them a rider for the LapDogs Race Team. I made him my target...and pressed on to keep him in sight. Then another rider was on me...and for a while we took turns passing each other through lap 2. He rode for Two Wheels Racing...and as we passed through the feedzone I heard others cheering him on "Go J.P.!", or "Vite, Jean-Pierre!"....I assumed it was the same guy.
Towards the end of the feedzone was thedumbopinion being all commissarey again...and telling me there was a guy right on my tail...I said, "I know...his name is JP....disqualify him or something!!"...but I think he actually cheered JP on.
And we headed up the BigZ again...with JP on my tail, and the LapDog in my sights. Finished lap 2...on to lap 3. This time I played it a little more conservative on the start of lap 3....hoping to save some juice for the finish. JP passed me...but at least I wasn't spent....so I managed to stay on him. And so went the 3rd lap....with me pushing and him daring me to keep up...
Then, on Coffee Run, the piece of singletrack with the sketchy switchback descent...(Note: Coffee Run runs alongside a section of road where other riders, racing in a later category, would warm up)...CoachRob and some of his family were riding up the warm-up road and cheered me on:
"Go Mike!!!" "Catch that guy, Riot!!" "Warrior!!!"
JeffS was riding down the warm-up road, and rode alongside us for several 100 metres cheering...very loudly and vociferously (that means more than 'more loudly' and with more gusto...or something like that...)...
"Go Mike!!" "GO MIKE!!!" "CATCH THAT GUY!!" "YOU CAN DO IT!!!" "LOOK I'M RIDING WITH YOU!!!!" "PASS HIM!!!" "MIKE, YOU'RE AWESOOOooommmeeee!!"
I was laughing...JP looked a little worried....coming out of Coffee Run and through the JoyRide features...
Then, through the feedzone I passsed him, and as I did he called...
"Go Mike!!!" "Your friends scare me!!"
I laughed, "Yeah, they scare me too!"
I powered up BigZ, and for the last half of the 3rd, and last, lap I had energy for a strong finish. I put some distance between JP and me, managed to pass a rider racing for Team Marin, then into the finish I could see the LapDog racer I was still chasing up ahead with a couple of lapped racers. I gunned it to catch him...but couldn't quite do it...finishing about 15 seconds behind him...
I finished 8th...not quite as good as I was hoping for...but not bad. I was about 3minutes behind first place. BobM finished 2nd, MichaelL 3rd, serious was 4th....the top 4 were all within seconds of each other; well done guys!! serious, that was a mighty fine race coming back from a back injury!!
Well another race....and one of the toughest OCups in the books.
We are still missing a couple of racers...
Blaze (shattered wrist)...where are you?? We miss you....stuck on a boat somewhere???
Oggie (broken collar bone)...where are you? I know, you will be back soon, faster than ever...
So...what's next?
The Summer Solstice 24HR Relay Race is this coming weekend...yes 24 hours...starts at noon Saturday...ends at noon Sunday. Giant and I went up to pre-ride the course yesterday (Wednesday)...it is not technical, somewhat climby, but mostly flowy and fast. Should make for a fun 24 hours of solo suffering. Giant, VVagabond, and CptSydor are also solo racing it (along with a whole host of other soloers that scare me!).
My son MattyT, and my loving, caring wife Lois (cuz apparently I am her Superman); will be my support crew.
Wonder if Emily will be there??
Stay posted!!
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