Providence Day 1

[rusto]

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[Len_E]

Awesome Smudger. Great job.
Just look at that winning smile!
-L

[rusto]

Love this one of Bruce:

[swawersik]

My Dad saw Smudger's MRC kit and thought I'd won the race - he was under this impression for several minutes while Heidi and the rest of my family were trying to find me.

Smudger was like a frieght train rolling away from the rest of us at the start. I was second wheel, by a good distance, until I suffered major pain in my calf during the first run-up on lap one - but that didn't stop me. My kids were watching, I wasn't going to quit! I got passed alot on the run-ups because I was hobbling up them, but was still sitting top 15-20 by lap three when I managed to mistime my bunny hop on the hole shot at the start of lap 4 and pinch flatted my rear tire. Rode to the pits and changed the tire, then proceeded to mistime the bunny hop again (I'd like to think it was the calf problem, but I think I need to practice that skill more) and pinch flat my backup rear tire too. Done.

Frustrated by my second DNF in a row. To make things worse, my calf pain is from a ruptured plantaris muscle, so I get no chance at redemption on day 2 and will be out for several weeks.

This is all made slightly better by the fact that Smudger got an impressive and well deserved win today. Congrats man!

[onegeardoug]

Frustrated by my second DNF in a row.

Cross is as much about luck as it is about fitness, skill and preparation. Sometimes you eat the bear, and sometimes the bear eats you. Hopefully more of the former, and less of the latter.

[rusto]

Imagine my surprise as the Cat 4 35+ race started and the announcer called out, "Look at all the Minutemen Road Club guys coming up the hill, with Russ Campbell and Todd Savage in front..."

Somebody obviously messed up over at registration and my name got connected to John's number. It might some time before I hear my name announced as leader of a race again...

[jraguin]

Great job John S. I saw on Thursday night you were still thinking Gloucester Day 1 as "the one that got away". Hopefully this makes you feel whole!

John

[onegeardoug]

Since I witnessed the entire thing, and Smudger is obviously too busy...I'll write his race report for him:

"I had a great starting sprint up the hill, but didn't get the hole shot. Obviously those guys didn't know who they were up against. By the time we hit the barriers, though, I was leading and gapping second place. I rode clean and smooth, and lead the entire race. I felt great. The fact that Doug was constantly yelling at me what the gap to second place was, and that it was growing, helped me tremendously. So did his fabulous and repeated advice to "ride smooth" and his encouragement that "today was my day". I continued to open the gap; the Quad rider in second was no match to my awesome power. I dropped my chain on the bell lap, but it didn't matter. I won easily. Russ got an awesome pic. I'm a big stud with a big engine. I can't wait to be racing in the Cat 3's."

[Smudger]

I was just writing this but it looks like Doug beat me to it. Anyway here you go in my slightly more detailed style.

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Thanks guys. Yes I was slightly pleased.

It was pretty much the perfect race as far as I was concerned but before I get into that I need to say that this is an amazing club and I'm honoured to be part of it. I owe a large part of the win today to Bruce Thomson and Todd Savage.

I had a 2nd row call-up and as I was about to slot in behind Stefan who was on the front row Bruce, who is also on the front row, calls me over and gives me his spot. Very grateful for that. The other thing that I didn't realise was that lining up on the outside where Bruce and Todd were was actually the fastest line. The start was a slight uphill left hand sweep then into a right hand hole shot. I thought the inside (left) line would be quicker but the outside (right) with slightly less incline and a straighter line to the right hander for the hole shot was definitely faster. Bruce and Todd's experience showed here. I had lousy starts both days at Gloucester so in warmup I went and found a quiet part of the park and did 5 or 6 starts. It paid off. Clipped in and with the right gear jumped off the line. Didn't intend to get the hole shot but as we passed under the finish I was in the lead. Felt Todd accelerating on my right and was happy for him to pull through and lead the way over the curb and onto the grass. As we approached the 1st tight right hander the full effect of team MRC came into play. Todd pulls wide and shouts for me to pass. I jump through and he sits up a little to slow the chase and I immediately have a gap (didn't realise it was Stefan that was in 2nd though). I thought it was too early for me to be in the lead but i didn't want to waist it. My lines in the corners on the 1st lap weren't great but I was being very conscious about staying upright. The commentator shouted my name as a came through the line but also mentioned that my rear view mirrors were full. I didn't bother looking though. Coming past the pit just before the barriers on the 2nd lap I heard the tell tale grunt of the guy behind me going down. I immediately pushed hard on the pedals and with Doug as my race coach giving me splits started to build a comfortable gap. Cornering was pretty smooth for the rest of the race and on the straight sections I was able to put my head down and pull away. With 25sec going into the last lap I started to feel a little relaxed and thought I should just make sure I didn't make any silly mistakes. I decided to take the barriers a little slower and the proceeded to kick my pedal and cause my chain to come off. Fortunately I didn't panic. I lent over and pulled the chain on then mounted rather than trying to ride it on. Mounted the bike and still had 12 sec according to Doug...phew. Didn't relax for the rest of the lap and kept an eye on 2nd in the corners and saw I was pulling away again before the run up. Nice and steady on the off camber, onto the pavement, little dig up the hill and then......Do I just ride across the line or do I celebrate???? What the hell....let's celebrate. Thanks Russ for capturing it. Could be another facebook profile pic for you!

And yes I have signed up for the 3s at NoHo. Fortunately it won't be Doug that gives me the smack down there though as he's taking the step up to the real big boys after another fantastic result today.

[onegeardoug]

I had a really good race, too. Front row start, pretty good off the line, 6-8th onto the grass. I don't understand why so many people THINK they need to shoot up to the front of the race, though, when they clearly don't belong there. Yes, the hole shot is meaningful, but not if you're going to go backwards for the rest of the race! I left about a wheel length in front of me in the first turn, got swarmed and lost a few places. Same thing in the next turn. "If you're not moving up, you're going backwards", I told myself. These guys aren't going to be there in a few minutes, though, so why can't they exercise a little more patience.

Crash before the barriers, plus lots of traffic...and I'm gapped from the leaders half way through the first lap. I picked off a few riders here and there on the first lap, and pretty soon it's Nate Campbell leading the race (shocking!), 3 guys chasing and me in 5th trying to get on that wheel. I chased for a few laps and finally made contact with 4th wheel on about lap #3 or 4...only to get gapped again. Burnt a few matches there. The announcer totally had it wrong at this point, saying that I was dropped from the group and I was in trouble. I had only been ON the group for 10-15 seconds, though. Kind of bums you out to hear you're in trouble...when you're not.

An Embro rider caught me and I knew immediately that he was my ticket. "Let him pull you onto the podium", I told myself. I had been on the rivet for a while, so it took a lot for me to keep him from just riding through me. I held on for almost a full lap though, and he pulled me into 4th before he went on without me. That's where I stayed through the finish. Embro got 2nd, with a gap on 3rd, so I called that one correctly! Too bad I couldn't match the pace.

The course was basically an "on the rivet power course". It seemed like there was no recovery longer than 10-15 seconds. Tomorrow should be more twisty with punchy sprints, rather than just pure power. Hopefully that will prove better for me, although I'm pretty happy with 4th.

[rusto]

Big gallery of Cat 4, Cat 4 35+, Women 3/4 and U15.

As usual, MRC members will get a PM or FB message from me when their high rez files are ready for download!

[JimmE]

To Smudger, OGDoug and all MRC CXers' Congrats!!! I've been lurking, reading your race reports, and watching you guys and I have to say I am mightily impressed with all of your results and enthusiasm.

Way to rock the CX scene. Keep it up for the rest of the season!!!

[rusto]

Felt Todd accelerating on my right and was happy for him to pull through and lead the way over the curb and onto the grass. As we approached the 1st tight right hander the full effect of team MRC came into play. Todd pulls wide and shouts for me to pass. I jump through and he sits up a little to slow the chase and I immediately have a gap...

MAJOR PROPS to Todd!

[Bruce]

John -- the right side was faster because you were on it! Nice race. You'll shock a lot of folks if you decide to race Elite 45+ next yr. Luckily I'll be doing 55+ so I only have to look at your arse in practice. (Speaking of arse's -- my last name is spelled with a "p"..u probably have some painful subconscious awareness of the Dane's kicking the Scots' arses around )

Russ it's great you are willing to come down and cheer and take pics even tho injured! Hope you're back soon.

Stefan, sorry about the injury. Had that same thing happen in '05 at Gloucester...just made it back for nats in the snow at Providence. So you can do it!! Ice, Ice, Ice...Vitamen I, and massage/electro stim. STRETCH. I learned (much too late) that the problem really stemmed from tight hamstrings/lack of flexibility all down back of l eg,muscle imbalance and insufficient hydration. Once that muscle weakens and or scar tissue develops it can easily recur (happened to me again in 06 & 07) .....so it will become really important for you to first lengthen and then strengthen/rebalance those muscles. Then be careful to warm up slowly, keep calves warm on cold days (Flexeral is great), stretch after warming up and before pushing hard. Oh! and it helps to have Rob Bauer and Jim E following you up hills going "small steps, small steps"!

BTW the correct way to stretch those calves is simply on a piece of wood put on bottom stair. Then straighten up, head to sky. The best way to rebalance muscles (lower back, hams, calves) in offseason = #1 exercise for cyclists= stiff legged dead lifts; try 'em one and 2 legged. That's from Tim Crowley--who coached jarrod Shoemacher to Olympics.

[PJ McQuade]

Lined up front row via fast Bikereg trigger finger. Crossresults style is definitely more fair but I ain't complainin'. Hit the hole shot in a nice position but slowly lost places and finished 14. Meh. Should be noted Mike Weiler started row 6 and beat me. Guy's a quick learner. Look out! Great day, awesome venue, sweet course. Smudger and Doug, way to represent!!