The 27th Annual West Hill Shop Cyclocross Race
Posted: Mon Nov 06, 2017 4:57 pm
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 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