Ruts and Guts, a Friday evening race, had a huge payout for the open class which brought in tons of fast riders from the Midwest area and the trickle down payout to the other classes were pretty decent so it was guaranteed to be quality fields and all that sounded way to fun to pass up. Being a Friday race screwed with my weekly routine as finding an 'effort' day midweek was either Tuesday (still dragging from Cross Out Cancer double up on Sunday) or Wednesday (only one day to recover. I made it all workout and felt pretty fresh and ready to go Friday morning.
Picked up Peter Krause (a KC racer attending MSU) at noon and we made the I-44 cruise to Tulsa; we both were racing the 3's event at 5:30pm. Pulled up to registration and a couple things were obvious: 1) it was warm (upper 80's type) and 2) it was dry and super dusty. We walked the course while the promoter's crew was still putting it together and trying to patch up some areas the dozier/bobcat had messed up while 'cutting in' the course; no joke, that's what the workers told us. Interesting setup as the area had two levels (upper and lower) with the bottom mostly thick loose dirt/dust with rocks underneath. Oh, and lots of goatheads (see pic) which were a new item for me. The course had little to offer as far as technical/tight areas, but did include two drops that required a bit of skill to clear cleanly with speed. Tulsa is a big 'crit' town so I guess they like their courses wide open..Changed up, got in some warm up loops with Peter, and ended up with a flat (#1) on my Grifo XS (perfect for this course) right before the start. Got over to Bill Marshall's KCCX/Challenge compound and he kindly lent me a Reynolds/Grifo rear (thanks a ton). The air was getting kicked up as more riders pre-rode and the dust was as thick as I have ever seen it at a race; lots of snorting and hacking already.
Near 45 racers in the 3/4 event with Peter and I both getting a front row start position. We had no idea who was fast and who's not (which is a refreshing change) so it's full gas from the go. Setting around 5th in a small group going into the second 'barrier' (their idea of barriers is piling rocks up - that's it?!?!?!) and some guy makes a hard cut right in front of me, his rear collides with my front wheel, and POING front spoke it snapped. Oddly enough the wheel is still rolling without rubbing so I continue on catching the guy and unloading a little bit of 'conversation' with him. With the front still rolling (although pinging the entire time) I am sitting comfortably in 5th (Peter was 2nd or 3rd) or so heading into lap #2 as I go flat in the rear. This usually wouldn't kill me as I had a wheel in the pit, but this course's setup had relatively one entry at the end of each loop so not wanting to run Bill's wheel flat I called it a day. I was hacked to say the least; two laps in and my day is done... or was it?
Peter finishes a solid 5th after taking a nasty fall while I head to registration and sign up for the Open race at 8:30pm; I drove all this way and I was going to race something. Just before inking the Open the promoter convinced me to do the 50 minute Masters 40+ race. I knew this would be a fast field as the money/payout was pretty nice.
Regrouped, new tubes, warmed up, and hung out with Bill Stolte (yes, he was in the race and is super fast) on the start line for a bit to ensure we got a decent spot. Job done as we get a front row spot, but then the promoter starts calling up up folks and both of us go to the third row (super tight and short starting area); crap, lots of work to do early. Gun goes and I find a sweet seam on the outside before the short straight is over and I moved into the top 10 as Bill and a SoundPony guy fly away from the rest of us. Unlike last weekend at Cross Out Cancer I had a nice feeling in the legs early and was able to make several efforts in the first half of the race and figured I was somewhere in the top 5 or so and gaining on those ahead (except for Bill who was long gone). For a couple laps in the middle I towed around three guys as I chased until I set up on the longer climb and explained that I was not hauling anyone else around until they made the pace for a bit. Two guys gave me an empty stare while the third went to the front and laid down a furious pace; guess I either ticked him off and was trying to drop me or he understood my request and was willing to work. Either way I set on his wheel for 1/2 a lap while the other two were dropped. I took over on the bottom section as we moved way clear of the others, but the guy I was with took a bad crash in a 180 corner as I accelerated away. The SoundPony guy was not too far ahead of me, but I was not closing the gap. Meanwhile a three-person chase group was putting some time into me and I rode my butt off the last three laps to the finish keeping them at a short distance.
I had no idea where I finished as riders were getting lapped early on, the dust was so thick it was hard to see very far ahead of you (no joke), and the darkness of the night environment added to the mayhem. I figured I was 5th or so and was super happy with that, but when the results were posted I found out I was 3rd (super stoked now)! Ended up with a nice little payout that covered all my expenses for the weekend - always a bonus.
In hindsight the course turned out super fun (and fast) as it 'raced' way better than it felt in warmups, but the dust was a choking factor and for the rest of the night (and into the next day) everyone was hacking, snorting, and coughing up dust balls.
Stuck around and watched the Open boys lite up the course; super CRAZY fast. Peter caught a ride back home with Cale and I found my way to a shower at our (Justin Bowes and I split a room) nearby hotel; left a couple pounds of mud in the shower basin from all the dust. Steak N Shake with JB (double flatted in the Open), Andrew Coe (6th in the Open), and his wife Janelle then it was sack time; I was beat.
Below is a compilation video of the night:
Woke up Saturday morning to pretty decent feeling legs, but still hacking up dust balls from the night before. Originally planned to race the Cat 3 event at 2:30, but got to looking at the schedule and the Masters race at noon would get me home 2 and a half hours earlier (which meant Deb and I could make our Sunday School class social event) so noon it was. Stopped off at Lee's Bicycles in downtown Tulsa on the way to the Newblock Park race. The Lee's boys tried to get me a new spoke, but found the hub flange was damaged and rendered useles (one wheel down), but they hooked me up with some slime tubes as Saturday's course was said to be GOATHEAD HEAVEN. Good guys at that shop and I'll be back when in the area.
Quick warm up (didn't need much to loosen up as the temps were climbing fast) on the course found another super fast layout with nothing technical or tight, but it did have one run-up that was short but crazy steep and a three-set of HIGH barriers that seemed placed way too close together. Anyway, a fast 'crit' style race was anticipated.
Not as many racers as the night before (think it was mid-20's) and a third row start, but not much to worry as the opening straight was over 1/4 mile long; plenty of time to work through. Gun goes off, sitting 2nd wheel, and watched two guys come around and roll off the front just a bit; not too big of a gap and figured I could close it down anytime, but I got caught behind a couple guys on a turn and when I came free the two were up a decent gap. I went into a TT mode solo at the end of the 1st lap and chased them the entire day; gaining little and losing not much to finish another 3rd. Legs felt decent and I raced clean, but was a tad disappointed to not make the earlier effort to close the gap initially; oh well, race and learn.
Banked a little more cash prizes, loaded up, and headed home. It was amazing how many flats folks had during the day. I ran by Hutchinson tubeless (with sealant) in the front and a 'slime' tube in my Challenge XS in the rear - no flats, but I pulled a ton of those things out afterwards.
Got home in time to hug on the boys and make it to my brother's house for a wiener roast Sunday School group evening. A 6 on 6 game of football broke out which was tons of fun (especially since our team dominated). Back to the casa and Jake and I headed out to catch a movie at the theater.
Sunday was the first one at home in over a month and it was awesome. Church early, Mexican for lunch, tons of lawn/garden (got the tiller out and 'turned' it)/shrub work done while including Ian's basketball team practice and several sessions of tossing a football in the backyard. Jake had a busy day with various church related groups and we didn't see him until late afternoon. Deb spent the day doing to some 'her-time' shopping in SGF (good for her). Sunday evening was Amazing Race, snacking, and quick to bed.
Taking a huge rest/recovery week with only easy riding (several longer ones) with no racing next weekend. I have 9 'cross races in so far this year and the 'second half' of the season I'll have near 10 to 12 more so this is a good time for a little break.
Our basketball season at The Courts starts this Friday evening with a double-header and Ian (and I) are pretty excited. Our squad looks pretty decent, but you never know until the ball goes up.
No comments:
Post a Comment