Sucker Brook

[onegeardoug]

I guess I'm the only one vain enough to write race reports anymore. Oh well.

I went to Sucker Brook today and raced the 40+ 1/2/3. After yesterday's disappointment in Boston, I knew I wanted a much better result. Cross-Results had me in 5th, which got me a front row call-up. My plan was to lead the whole race, gap the field and win decisively. It didn't quite work out that way, though. I had a great start and slotted into 3rd by the first turn. A few turns later on the back section, I passed into 2nd. Geoff McIntosh (Corner Cycle) was leading and riding very well. Mitch Medeiros and Todd Burns were behind me, and we turned lap after lap stuck to each other like dog-shit on the bottom of your shoe. I tried a few times to go through Geoff, but he'd accelerate and deny me. "No problem", I thought, "I'll let you do all the work". I stayed between 6 inches and 6 feet from his wheel for 4-1/2 laps, and benefited greatly from the draft.

On the bell lap, I'm still sitting second with plans to make a "winning move". Just after the bridge, I attacked and took the lead through the steep dirt hill, over the barriers and into the woods. I drilled it as hard as I could down the dirt trail, but somehow all 3 of the lead group went around me and by the hard left-hand turn, I had gone from 1st to 4th. Downhill raw power isn't my strong suit, but I didn't expect that at all. So, now it was Todd, Mitch, Geoff then me...over the horse jump towards the sand. Based on the last 4 laps, I knew I could take Geoff through the sand, which turned out to be easier than expected as he bobbled his dismount. Todd, Mitch and I came out 1-2-3 and drilled it to the finish. I sprinted as hard as I could, but raw power isn't my thing. We finished in the same order that we came out of the sand. Geoff came in 10 seconds later. After not allowing anyone else to work at front of the lead group...he shouldn't have expected anything more.

It was a great race, and I felt great the whole time.

[Jacob]

It's not vanity Doug, it's enthusiasm. Great work.

[JeremyC]

Nice

[swawersik]

While Doug was up front kicking ass, I was flailing around on my back in the mud. Starting from the back of the scrum, I tried to move up on an "off" line, caught a weird rut and went down hard. I got up, caught back on to the back of the field, started picking off a few riders, then crashed even harder coming off the slick bridge.

From there, I settled down and set three goals: ride smooth, don't finish DFL, and don't get lapped. By lap three, I actually started seeing a few numbers from my field, and in the end managed to catch 3 or 4 guys. I didn't see Doug until after the race ended, and post-race data nerdery shows lap times dropping each time around. So, by the measure of lowered expectations, my day was a success! I'm sticking with that story...

[cbusick]

Doug sprinting for 3rd.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... 338&type=1

[Mkidd3]

Well done dude!

[Smudger]

Nice one Doug and Stefan.