Sunday, November 18, 2007

I GOT POINTS!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok, so it was A point, but still... I finished high enough up in a bike race that it gets recognized by people other than me. Ok... I'll take it down a notch now...

BRC cross race at Lowell was this morning. I went to this race last year and it was the first day out for the SS which subsequently ate itself and I walked off the course half way through the race. I have trained so little on my bike since NoHo that it's almost laughable, but I have been running some so I haven't been totally idle. I think I rode once last week so I really was going today for the mental release and had no expectations. Got there super early and got ready in the nice chilly weather. I did in fact finally have my tubular act together and I'll say in advance that they were awesome now that I've actually finished a race on them :) Warmups revealed that some sections of the course were nearly identical to last year and the upper half was quite a bit different due to construction on the park. Everything was very crunchy and frozen due to the temps, but you could tell it was going to thaw out quite a bit as we got going... did it ever. The dirt track on the lower half ended up with about 150 yards of mud/dirt soup that was doing a good job of getting all over everything and everyone throughout the race. The start line location was a bit of a mystery up until the last second so we all sort of rushed over there at once and I found myself front and center... woo hoo! We got rolling and I got an ok start, but I went the first 100m clipped into only one pedal and then when I got the other I skidded my front tire along the side of some guy's rear tire for a second. Didn't panic so no big deal. First turn was an up and down 180 and somehow the guy in like 10th ate it and it stacked up. I got through quick and then the barriers were right after it which I got through ok. The interesting part of the course for me came on the ride/run up. There was a sharp right into it so you couldn't get much momentum and it was long, but most guys were riding it (slowly). I chose to run every lap of the race and I honestly can't say I lost any spots on it. In fact I passed a bunch of people. Throughout the race it seemed like I just kept catching guys and then dropping them very quickly. I was riding pretty clean, but was being too much of a pansy on some spots and having to catch back up to other guys. Late in the race I started to catch Cookie who finishing top 10 at NoHo and is a good benchmark for me. Next to last lap I caught him at the barriers and then somehow got ahead of him on the run up while chasing an MIT guy. Well, I spent the rest of the race chasing said MIT guy and never did get him. I knew I was pretty high up since I had a decent start and also because I was reeling in Steve who I heard over the PA was 4th at one point. I busted it across the line, went and wiped some mud off, and then walked over to find the results. Turned out the MRC crew bagged 4th, 5th, 7th, and 8th with yours truly in the coveted 1 point spot. Watch out mofos... 30 more races like this and I'll be taking a whooping from Zank and CCC ;) Pictures of the mud covered bike later.

Ok, I think I was supposed to have been doing something else all this time... oh yah, homework... dammit.

Sterling next week... here's hoping for another good day.

4 comments:

Bad Brad said...

Nice riding out there today Rich! MRC let the 'cross world know that we mean business! Can't wait till Sterling!!

GCDavid said...

Nice work. Great seeing you guys last night. Refreshing to read a non-sad sack post. Get after it!!!

GCDavid said...

BTW, 10 top 10s in a year gets you a three. Don't need the points! How many does this make?

trackrich said...

Um, that's only two so far... I've just been sort of the top third most of the season.

And CCC, I hear you are the one who needs congrats... nice work taking it to the big boys.