Mount Snow Classic XC Race

Mount Snow Classic XC Race
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Location: Mount Snow, West Dover, Vermont

Turn out to the race was really good for the pro/cat1 open category (I am guessing over 30 again). Weather has good, a bit cloudy and humid and 80 degrees.

I had a bunch of mechanical issues in this race. The freehub wasn’t working right; it would make a loud winding sound when I wasn’t pedaling. Also my chain came off 5 times.  The three smallest rings of my cassette were packed with grass and mud thick enough that they didn’t work. That probably wasn’t too much of a disadvantage considering that everyone was probably having similar mud issues (except of Thom Parsons who was riding a single speed).  Also I had a flat tire on the last lap decent.  I am pretty sure I was in the top 10 before the flat but fell into the teens after.

The silver lining in it all is that now I know the things I need to fix before racing here again in a few weeks and Windham for the East Cup races.  Also I discovered the possibility of using the pond at he bottom of the course as a after race clean up place. I took a dip with Wheels and Burns after the race and it felt really good.  I Think I found a new Mount Snow tradition. 

I just registered last night for the east cup races. It was pretty pricey $65 per race.  I don’t get why it is so much more expensive for the east cup race than it is for regional races.  I can do 2.5 regional races for the same price as two east cup races.  I paid $25 dollars to race yesterday at mount snow.  In a few weeks I will race on the same course for $65.  Where dose the large additional expense fit in? more people sign up for the east cup races.  I would think the more people, the more profit and the less that would need to be charged to make the race happen.  Despite the lofty price tag I am looking forward to both of these races and I plan on having a good time.

Pats Peak Bike Race 2009

Henniker NH

The turn out was good; 30 something I think (didn’t count).  The weather was nice; around 80, sunny and dry but wet from the day before.

I think the hill intervals helped because was feeling better than normal on the climbs.  My climbiing did get noticably slower for the last two laps though (5 lap race).  I guess I need to do more hill intervals if i want to climb strong for the entire race.  I came in 7th ( I was happy with that) here are the rest of the results…

Why Dose Realizing I Missed A Race Make Me Panic?

Why dose realizing I missed a race make me panic?

I missed last weekends race. The root 66 one in ware MA; I didn’t realize there was a race till about an hour before the start of the race so I went through my panic mode for about 10 min till I realized that there was no way I was going to make it before the start. I was a little bit disappointed in myself and that I was so worked up and worried about it.  I go to these races for fun (I thought) so why did I get so flustered.

If I am alone riding fast and no one is around to see or care the ride doesn’t feel quite as fulfilling as if I rode fast in a race that had an official result and witnesses to prove that I had rode fast.  So I guess I to a degree I let my ego guide me.  The need for acceptance is pretty common I suppose.  If I didn’t care what anyone thought of me I would always we wearing the same sweat pants, I would ever shave and I would fart, pick my nose in public and wouldn’t race as much (if at all).