Downeast CX Day 2

[onegeardoug]

Chris Pare and I carpooled up to Maine for Day 2. Since we both just "did the right thing" and upgraded before the shouts of sandbagger got too loud, this seemed like a good opportunity. We both thought that a distant race that was lightly attended would be a good place to score some Verge points, helping us later in the season; me in the M35+1/2/3 and him in the Cat 3.

The course was a lot of fun, with lots of twisties, no long straights, a few banked "moto" turns and several off-camber. It required lots of turning, and lots of short sprints out of the corners, a little bit of mountain biking skilz but no sustained efforts. There were 2 forced dismounts, a rideable rock-wall obstacle but no run-ups. In other words, PERFECT!

I lined up in the back, in row 4 out of 5. I had a good start, but wasn't overly aggressive. I wanted to move forward and pick up places, rather than blow and go backwards. Through the first few turns, one noticable difference between the Cat 3 and the M35+1/2/3 was that when the course necks down and everyone is forced to wait for racers to get out of the way, the Masters kinda wait in line with some degree of civility like at Mike's Bakery in the North End. Cat 3 racers push to the front like a mob at a Lady Gaga concert thinking that just one place closer to the front will make a difference for them in the end. It doesn't. I immediately liked the Masters better. Patience can be a good thing.

When I settled into the single-file...I was probably in 30th place. I picked off several guys on the first few laps, but also gave away a few spots.

One of my marks for the day was Peter Sullivan; I thought I may be able to hang with him. I was at the back of a group of 5-6 in the early laps and Peter was pulling our little train. That was a confidence boost. Then Chris yelled to me that I was in 29th. Surely he couldn't count. 29th? You mean 20th, right? The group split a little and I tried to move up, but I went down in a slick corner trying to pass. I dropped my chain, 10 seconds, and Peter was slipping away. That was my only mistake of the day....other than thinking I could hang.

We did 7 laps and I raced with the same few guys most of the time. I finished in 30th...thinking that I should have done better. Peter finished only a few places in front of me. Not a good race for either of us. My biggest regret was not sprintng harder off the line. As Sweeney says, where you start usually dictates where you finish.

Resultsboy added to my misery saying "I would have thought that top 5 in the Cat 3 would do better than 30th in the M35+." Yeah. Me, too. Fukker.

Chris had a similiar expericience, but went a little farther backwards in the middle laps. I'm not sure what place he got. I'd guess high 30's. We drove home and discussed whose piece of humble pie left the more bitter taste...

[michaelcole]

Doug you beat Brant Hornberger who is a fast master and you weren't too far behind Mike Rowell who is a very fast master.
And you had to deal with mid pack racing which is tougher than being at the front the whole time the way you've had it recently.

Don't beat yourself up. that was a solid result.

One question...did you guys do an extra half lap or so as compared to the M45+?

The times don't make sense. Hines and Bold would have finished in 30th place in the 45+ based on times. That's not possible.
But you guys couldn't have done an extra lap unless the lap times were only about 4 minutes.

[DPatnaude]

Michael,

I am just making stuff up without being there:

35+ - 44 minutes / 7 laps = 6.29 minutes per lap

45+ - 40 minutes / 6 laps = 6.67 minutes per lap

45+ at 7 laps = 46:40

If the 45+ did one more lap at their pace, they would have placed in the low/mid 20's of the 35+ race.

Dave

[tsavage]

An interesting turn of events?! While leading the 45's, Sam Morse struck a photographer that got on the course. I believe I heard that the two guys with him waited, though Sam got third anyway. The interesting part is Sam's son Nate hit the deck also, very near the finish of his race, to finish third too. The announcer had told Nate at the start that he would have to carry the family honor. Like father like son had new meaning.

[onegeardoug]

I don't know what the M45+ did...but M35+ did 7 laps. I think Patnaude is correct.

[michaelcole]

Michael,

I am just making stuff up without being there:

35+ - 44 minutes / 7 laps = 6.29 minutes per lap

45+ - 40 minutes / 6 laps = 6.67 minutes per lap

45+ at 7 laps = 46:40

If the 45+ did one more lap at their pace, they would have placed in the low/mid 20's of the 35+ race.

Dave

I guess...
That has too many numbers and too much math for me to follow.