Racing at Boughton Farms always brings variety. The final two races last year were case in point. The first race on 11/26/06 had beautiful weather with a high of 64*. While the following week the course was muddy with some snow, and the temp was freezing causing lots of problems with derailleurs. Sunday's weather was in the low 40's with a bitter wind. While it wasn't raining for the race, there was mud-a-plenty from the rain earlier.
The 'B' race lined up on the lane leading to the first long field crossing. The lane and path through the field was somewhat narrow, and we were lined up several rows deep (with me being toward the back). After the start, I was right on John Bodell's wheel and as we picked up speed I encouraged him to push it as the group started to string out. Once we made the right hand turn into the field, I was able to start getting around people. I pushed it hard for the first 500ft or so and then I started to settle in just a little. As 1 or 2 people came around me toward the end of the 1000ft field crossing, I knew I had to get back on the gas and keep pushing.
After the 90* right at the end of the field, I could see that gaps were starting to form up ahead with one large group still at the front. I really picked it up here to get back on the lead pack. As we made a right-left-right jog down and up a small rise, I picked off some more people. I yelled to Rick that we've got to catch on that group as I came up on him.
A quick left led us onto the grass which would take us all the way back to the woods. I think I passed Rick at this point and maybe another rider or two. Turning right through the woods, I'm not sure if the lead group had shed some riders, but I came up on a few riders. Exiting the woods and hitting a short rise we started jockeying for position. A couple of riders got off the front including Ed Delgros and I think I passed Julie at this point.
The right turn around the field to lead back toward the farm took us up a long muddy incline that just seemed to sap every ounce of energy in order to get passed it. Over the top I was able to downshift and get some speed going. Going through the first quick section of single track, we headed back near the S/F and then made another right around the corner of the field to take us back to the woods.
The lane we were riding down was muddy, but it had some packed soil beneath the mud. The real factor in this section, however, was the headwind which was probably 15mph. I can't remember if I had someone in front of me at this point, or if I was on my own.
Wrapping through the woods and then heading back toward the farm took us though some quick rises and 3 quick sections of singletrack. I made good time through these, even though they were rutted with mud and had tight turns. I was pushing pretty good because I knew I had chasers and I could see Ed Delgros up ahead, but with a pretty good gap.
Through the first set of barriers and out up a grassy lane there was a 180* switchback across a quick rise and then leading slightly down to a really muddy right hand turn. We then wrapped left around the oil well, over a 2nd set of barriers, through some more sloppy mud and up a small incline to cross the start/finish line. Hopefully you can tell by my description that the lap was long and painful.
Only 3 more to go! Ugh.
Crossing the field for the 2nd time, I finally managed to close the gap to Ed. I wanted to stay on his wheel at this point because he usually finishes ahead of me and through the long grass stretch back to the woods there was a headwind which was blocked a little by the trees. I also didn't want to push the pace against him and have him chase me, because he was racing Master's and I wanted to give Rick a better chance of catching him/us.
I had to fight hard up the muddy incline to stay with Ed, who had gapped me just a bit by the time we got over the crest. I could have passed him on the downhill, but I still wanted to hang on his wheel for the reasons mentioned before. When we hit the single track, Ed slid out and fell. There was no way I could pass him at this point because it was too narrow. He recovered quickly and we continued. Going back toward the woods, I was RIGHT on Ed's wheel through the wind. I really had to work not to bump his wheel, I was so close.
Going turning out of the woods I could see that Rick was back there, but I wasn't gaining any ground. Through the first technical section of single track, Ed went down again. Again it was too narrow here to get by and I hoped that Rick was getting closer. As we came to a lapped 'C' rider in another section of singletrack, I yelled up to warn him we were approaching as it would be tight. Just as we were passing the junior who had pulled off on the left, Ed washed out and fell to the right. I made a quick decision to split between the junior and Ed's bike before he had a chance to get up, and it worked well.
Once past Ed, I hit it hard to drop him. Past the barriers and switchback, I could see that I had a pretty good gap, but it wasn't what I wanted it to be. Rick was still a ways back from Ed and there was another rider who was gaining on us from behind. Past the S/F, I worked hard through the field, but my reserves were getting a little low. To borrow a line from
Ray's blog, I at this point hit a small pothole sized 'puddle and somehow fell right over going in a straight line.' It was seriously like I was JRA and all of a sudden my handlebars were plowing through the mud! I got up with the bike and was a little shaken, but I knew I was losing/lost precious time. I didn't look back at all, but started running with the bike, built my speed, and remounted from the right just before the end of the field.
Through the grass back to the woods and then around the corner of the field, the ascent again took its toll on me. I had caught glimpses of my chasers and could hear them on my wheel up the gradual climb. When the first rider passed I said 'good job', but I didn't recognize the kit. The 2nd chaser, Ed, also came around me, but he didn't push it in the descent and let a gap form between us and the other rider.
I was content to stay on Ed's wheel as it had worked OK for me. He went through the quick section of single track OK and I stayed right on him through the long windy section. In the woods he had a little problem on a wrap around left turn heading up a hill. I had the outside line and with him stalling on the inside, I gassed hard in order to shake him. I could see that I was gapping him and at the same time pulling that much closer to the rider in front of me.
Through the first set of barriers and at the switchback, Donny was eagerly cheering me on and yelling 'Get Julie'. Then it clicked, that it was Julie Lewis in front of me. Passing the S/F, I was thankful when they announced one lap to go! But, I had my work cut out for me, since Julie is a strong rider.
I slowly decreased the gap to Julie all the way back to through the woods, where she still had a couple hundred feet on me. I could also see that she was gaining on another rider, who ran up the long rise instead of riding it. Maybe I could catch both of them! This thought was very short lived as I struggled to make it past the muddy rise for the final time. Julie seemed to have doubled her gap by the time I made it over the peak.
Out of the singletrack, Sadie was yelling for me to go get Julie. I knew it would be hard with the windy lane coming up, but I'd give it my best shot. If I could have only gotten to Julie's wheel before the straight... I grunted it out and slowly the gap was decreasing. Coming out of the woods, it was back down to a couple hundred feet.
I could see Julie running one section of single track ahead, and knew I could make up ground to her. I kept good lines although I was unclipping my right foot a lot, which would cause my calf to really cramp up. Through the last section of single track, I hit the 'center of a bump and slid off' as Ray refers. But I slid off to the left and into the trees! I managed to stay upright and cut back to my right to the parallel trail. More time lost.
Onto the grass, I could see Julie all the way up at the first set of barriers heaving her bike over them. I gave chase and wasn't making up ground quickly on her, but time was quickly running out. Julie looked slow through the 2nd set of barriers and I knew I could make up time there, but the finish was only 100 yards from there.
I took the barriers and remounted as quick as I could. I then stood on the pedals and hit it as hard as I could, dropping gears as I went. It seemed to take forever to get to Julie and to the finish line, but when I looked down my wheel was a meer 6 inches in front of hers. The finish wasn't really well marked, as original start line in the mud was pretty much gone.
I rode through the finish and didn't stop for 50 feet or so. I didn't know for sure that I'd gotten Julie until I visited the scorers table a while later to warm up in the greenhouse. They had me down for 9th place (again!). This makes the 4th out of 5 races where I've finished 9th, which is a great improvement for me over last year.
Congrat's to everyone a great races. Drew Bercaw scored his first win in the 'B' race series after a strong race. Sadie Deckard continued to dominate the 'C' Women's race. She missed riding her singlespeed and forgot to shift from her 50t front ring to her 34t ring for the whole race. Rick Adams grabbed another 2nd place in the 'B' Masters. John Ehrlinger and Dave Steiner both had great results in the 'A' Masters and 'A' race respectively.
Results have been posted on Team Lake Effect's
website.
