CrosstoBEERfest
Posted: Thu Oct 19, 2017 4:08 pm
I've done the Crosstobeerfest race the past 3 years since it's fairly close to my office. The course is a little boring, there really isn't a lot to work with in that location but they make it as interesting as they can and overall it's worth it. The beer garden is awesome and the band is great, not to mention the two food trucks. I don't know how I made it to the start of my race at 8:30 without having a beer and burrito.
I did the Elite race, I've done the 3/4 the past two years but I think I have really moved passed that category (although the guy that won the 3/4 race is actually a CAT 1). Both the 4/5 and 3/4 fields were maxed out at about 100 riders, the elite race had about 35. (time to upgrade people). I was hoping to finish in the middle of the pack considering all age groups were mixed together. Adam Myerson, Pen Powers, Bobby Nash, Josh and Silas Anthony were all in attendance so it was sure to be a fast race. My start was ok and after the 2nd lap I was in 14th place and starting to settle in when I slid out on a sharp U-turn on the grass, it was like I was on ice. I quickly regrouped but my HR was maxed and I lost 4 or 5 spots. After a couple more laps I was settled into a pretty good pace with Mark McCormack (you might have heard of him). I was following him around and was starting to relax, I could have gone harder but I was feeling comfortable so I decided to stick with him for a while. I made the pass on Mark with two laps to go and caught another group of 2 guys. I stayed with them at a fairly comfortable pace for the last 2 laps. I planned my attack and decided I would make the pass on the short straight leading to the super tight twisty section and try to hold them off from there (about 2 minutes from the finish). I made the pass and got through the tight twisty section smoothly and slowly built a gap from there. I held them off and ended up 15th overall, 4th in the 40+. On to Casco Bay.
I did the Elite race, I've done the 3/4 the past two years but I think I have really moved passed that category (although the guy that won the 3/4 race is actually a CAT 1). Both the 4/5 and 3/4 fields were maxed out at about 100 riders, the elite race had about 35. (time to upgrade people). I was hoping to finish in the middle of the pack considering all age groups were mixed together. Adam Myerson, Pen Powers, Bobby Nash, Josh and Silas Anthony were all in attendance so it was sure to be a fast race. My start was ok and after the 2nd lap I was in 14th place and starting to settle in when I slid out on a sharp U-turn on the grass, it was like I was on ice. I quickly regrouped but my HR was maxed and I lost 4 or 5 spots. After a couple more laps I was settled into a pretty good pace with Mark McCormack (you might have heard of him). I was following him around and was starting to relax, I could have gone harder but I was feeling comfortable so I decided to stick with him for a while. I made the pass on Mark with two laps to go and caught another group of 2 guys. I stayed with them at a fairly comfortable pace for the last 2 laps. I planned my attack and decided I would make the pass on the short straight leading to the super tight twisty section and try to hold them off from there (about 2 minutes from the finish). I made the pass and got through the tight twisty section smoothly and slowly built a gap from there. I held them off and ended up 15th overall, 4th in the 40+. On to Casco Bay.
