How to properly Sand Bag a Cross Race

If you remember from last year I gave some advice on how to place top 5 in a Cross race.

This year is how right proper win and sandbag a race:

-leave home town so no one knows you( even better is to leave taunting friend behind too)
-drive 14 hours south
-ride for 2 days, enter local cross race in proper category
-get feel of local talent
-ride more
-enter local cross race but at different location
-choose different category
-ride as hard as you can, win
-get free bottle of Gin

Okay that maybe how it unfolded but that was not my intention. I came down to Oregon for a bike trip on the cross bike. the idea was that Dave and I would ride the buff trails. I would get a feel for the cross bike and enter a weekend race.

Rode the MacKenzie River trial and ran the lava sections, super cool. Was getting forecasted flats but also got the unforecasted broken fork. Doh!!

After going form shop to shop we got what we need at Webcycyclery who were also hosting a Thursday night cross. We replaced the fork, jumped in the truck and got to the start with 15 min to go. No warm up, thought I missed the "A40" start started behind "A" but in front of "A40", waiting for them all to pass so I would not be thought of as a cheater and then fought back to race.

Rode Friday on the Phil's trail network for 3 hours.

Okay so why B group, it was earlier in the day and I could still ride after. I thought that it was the start of the season and people would come out from Portland to race. Thought the "B" group which was 35+ would bring more people out. It did not. I think I raced the same guys from the Thursday but I dropped down a category. The course was also in my favor with long flats and few run ups. I missed the bell lap and did an extra, talk about showboating. After the race I got a free bottle of gin as the race was held at Bendistillery. I did not even change and Dave and I went for a 2 hour ride, then washed in the stream and went to the HopsFest. 5 bucks get you a mug and $1 gets you a 4oz pour of way too many. Drank many samples and listened to good local musicians.

So, do I feel bad about it? A little, I hope that the guys from Bend will forgive me inthat I just wanted to get a race, ride and beerfest all in one day!!!!

End of the Race season....sort of!

My "race season" ended officially on Aug. 13th with the end of the TR4 in Canmore. Completing stage 8 was easier this year and it was I who was waiting for Alana to finish her victory lap of the bar and not vice versa. Actually she usually just leaves me there when she gets tired.

TR3 and TR4 went well but took some moments of reflection and input from friends to realize this. It was in my mind to win the BCBR, TR3 and TR4. Second in all left me with the "always the bridesmaid....."feeling.

TR3/4 was interesting as a tactical race. After day one I knew I couldn't get the time back from Ian but made him work on Day 2. Day 3 I had to run a smart race with Coach Cal riding most excellent and threatening my spot. I could not go too hard as I still had 4 more days to go. Just so happens the Day 3 was a crazy vertical day and moderating the pace was not always in the cards. Day 1 of the TR4 saw Simon take the lead but I caught sight of him near the end of the day. Good battle with Simon as we rode within sight of each other most of the race. Thanks to Craig and Jonny for the chase car cheering while I imploded inwards into a black ball of pain holding Simon off the last pavement climb of Day 2.

Day 3 unfolded as precisely. I held Simon's wheel for the first half of the day jockeying back and forth. I attacked just before the top of Jumping pound ridge then tried to stay out of sight. Things were going right proper until the double slash on the Cox Hill downhill, one switchback from the trees.

SO that was it. Aug 13th happened and it was back to work and to slowly dig myself out of the hole that trying to juggle work, training and athletes creates.

One shining light was the 4 weeks until the Oregon trip with Dave on my cross bike.