CX is fun, but some CX events are more fun than others. For me this race fell into the not so fun category.
The production quality of this race felt lower than the other CX events I've done this year. In particular, the communication and race organization felt very hap hazard for an event in its 27th year. Races were cut short (blame USAC i guess), results weren't posted prior to podiums, no staging announcement, no pre-ride announcements. Maybe it got better as the day progressed?
As to the race itself, around 10:30 I saw Ian Stratton and jumped on the course with him with the intent of getting a little more warm up in. After about 200 yards a friend from Monadnock Cycling yelled 'Hey they're staging. Get over here.' So much for warming up. The starting line was chaotic and I let it take my focus off the actual race. As a result it took a lap or so to settle in. At that point the staggered group (1 min ahead) had become an additional obstacle leading to delays and allowing a significant gap to open for the leaders.
Out on the course, the run ups were muddy and very steep. By the 3rd lap I'd figured out the best line to take up each of them. The setup for the second run up was such that it was about 50 ft after the top the first run up, so you climbed, got on your bike for 5 seconds, rolled down a steep embankment into a sharp u-turn and directly into another run up. I found these two, nearly consecutive, run-up sections to be the most physically demanding parts of the course. To add insult to injury those two run ups were immediately followed by a twisty, mud bog section that sucked any energy you might have had left out of your legs.
I treaded water for most of the remainder of the race with Ian catching (and passing me) around the end of the 3rd lap. I stayed on his wheel for pretty much the rest of the race. Just didn't have any extra matches, or gears, or anything to go to. Not sure what is up with that -- likely lack of knowing how to train for CX (or anything other than XC).
I'm hoping others had a better experience. I blame myself for not doing a little more homework on the pre-ride scheduling. The nearly 4 hour total drive time to get to the race combined with the shortened race lead to this race being kind of a waste. I'm still learning the CX ropes and how to pick races, venues, etc. So I'll chalk this up as a good learning experience.
-Don
The 27th Annual West Hill Shop Cyclocross Race
Re: The 27th Annual West Hill Shop Cyclocross Race
I like the small race feel at the West Hill Shop and I really like the course but I agree they could do things a little better. Staging was awkward at best and mixing some of the categories the way they did affected races.
I raced the Masters 1-3 45+ my goal was a podium finish, as a Masters racer those opportunities are few and far between and at this race I knew I had a shot (I finished 5th) . They staged the juniors and the Masters 1-3 35-44 guys in front of us and started us with a 30 second gap behind them (not even close to enough time). I took the hole shot and led out most of the first lap, I wasn't sure I could stay there but wanted to lead through the first part of the course that was technical before the long dirt road stretch. A BMB guy went off the front on the dirt road and no one really wanted to chase him down so I sat in with places 2-5. The BMB guy was never to be seen again, in hindsight I should have gone with him. About the middle of the race I was in 3rd right on 2nd's wheel, right where I needed to be. We had a little gap between 4th and 5th and things were looking good. Well, half way through the last lap in the technical section my group (2nd and 3rd) caught the 2 leading juniors and they wouldn't let us by. By the time we got by them 4th and 5th were with us and 2nd had a bit of a gap on me. I was still ok, all I had to do was get to the end of the dirt road up the steep run up and I could hold them off from there for a 3rd place finish. My luck went from bad to worse, 4th place caught me right at the top of the run up and as I was putting my bike down to re-mount he stepped on my rear wheel which somehow knocked my bike over and flipped me into the air, I'm not sure exactly how it happened but I was on the ground and 4th and 5th were now 2nd and 3rd and I was 5th. I was able to fight back and get pretty close to them at the finish but it was all slow and technical until the finish so they were able to stay away. I'm kinda disappointed but thinking back there were many ways I could have finished in the top 3 in that race and I just didn't play it right. I could have raced a smarter race, this year I've been slowly learning how to do that. I doesn't get any easier this weekend, see you in Northampton.
Brian
I raced the Masters 1-3 45+ my goal was a podium finish, as a Masters racer those opportunities are few and far between and at this race I knew I had a shot (I finished 5th) . They staged the juniors and the Masters 1-3 35-44 guys in front of us and started us with a 30 second gap behind them (not even close to enough time). I took the hole shot and led out most of the first lap, I wasn't sure I could stay there but wanted to lead through the first part of the course that was technical before the long dirt road stretch. A BMB guy went off the front on the dirt road and no one really wanted to chase him down so I sat in with places 2-5. The BMB guy was never to be seen again, in hindsight I should have gone with him. About the middle of the race I was in 3rd right on 2nd's wheel, right where I needed to be. We had a little gap between 4th and 5th and things were looking good. Well, half way through the last lap in the technical section my group (2nd and 3rd) caught the 2 leading juniors and they wouldn't let us by. By the time we got by them 4th and 5th were with us and 2nd had a bit of a gap on me. I was still ok, all I had to do was get to the end of the dirt road up the steep run up and I could hold them off from there for a 3rd place finish. My luck went from bad to worse, 4th place caught me right at the top of the run up and as I was putting my bike down to re-mount he stepped on my rear wheel which somehow knocked my bike over and flipped me into the air, I'm not sure exactly how it happened but I was on the ground and 4th and 5th were now 2nd and 3rd and I was 5th. I was able to fight back and get pretty close to them at the finish but it was all slow and technical until the finish so they were able to stay away. I'm kinda disappointed but thinking back there were many ways I could have finished in the top 3 in that race and I just didn't play it right. I could have raced a smarter race, this year I've been slowly learning how to do that. I doesn't get any easier this weekend, see you in Northampton.
Brian
Brian Anderson