Dead Leaves on the Dirty Ground

Motivation to ride...slipping. Fitness...also slipping. It's not that I don't still want to ride, it's just that, after coming home from work, and it being dark before I can even collect my thoughts, it means every ride would have to be a night ride. I like night rides, but not as much as rides during the day. I’m usually only good for one night ride a week. It’ s just a lot of effort, and not as much fun. It doesn’t help that the past few nights it’s been down in the lower 30s. Like last night, for instance, I had every good intention of bucking the trend and strapping on the lights to hit up the trails, but when it came down to it, baked mac n cheese and watching House seemed like a better time.

My only real riding the past couple weeks have been on the weekends. Last Saturday I banged out a solid 75 miles on the road, going up to Newbury/Rowley and back through Georgetown/Boxford area. Atrocious headwind the whole way (somehow, despite it being a loop), and pretty chilly temps. Still felt good to get out, though. Weekend before last was a big one; 50-ish chilly, windy, (somewhat-hung-over) road miles up through Boxford, Breakheart (“full bitch”, or full loop for those unaccustomed do Team BH parlance), then a epic doubleheader on Monday, since I took Columbus Day off from work. First Matt and I hit up the Fells, then I rode home, crammed down a couple sandwiches, and headed up to Harold Parker with Nate. He showed me some an awesome new trail that someone (I’m guessing NEMBA?) had obviously built for mountain bikers and obviously put a lot of thought and effort into. Thank you, whoever is responsible for it! It is awesome, sweet berms, nice sheer drop off to the side at one point, and a super fun pump track - which I need to get better at riding ( I was never really a BMXer). In all, on Monday I’d estimate I probably put down 35-40 miles of trail riding, a solid day.

This may come as a shock to some of you, but I’m on the fence! I’m on the fence about getting into cross racing, but something that may have just pushed me off was coming across a sweet Independent Fabrications Planet Cross for sale in my size on Craigslist. If I can grab it, I will be off to the races. It looked like too good of a deal not to jump on, so I did. I’m hoping the seller gets back to me soon! I figure I’ll try a cross race or two…just having some kind of racing going on will help boost my recently flagging motivation to keep my fitness.

It’s tough staying fit when the daylight starts waning – I like Oktoberfest beer too much!

Fort Rock Revenge

To be honest, upon awakening to the sound of heavy rain at 7AM, my motivation to race was probably the lowest it’s ever been the whole summer, but with it being the last race at Fort Rock (the end of a 14 year era), and it being the last EFTA race of the season, I knew I had to do it. Having Nate to go up with also didn’t hurt. We got our free McDonald's coffees (which only meant we had to wait in the slowest drive-thru line ever for about 20 minutes), and headed up Route 95 through the chilly rainy morning towards Exeter. As I finished my coffee on the way up, I start to get excited about racing. The weather up north was actually not as bad; by the time we got to Exeter it wasn’t raining at all.

Turnout was a bit disappointing, but then I was reminded that the Vermont 50 was also being held today. Riding 50 miles on muddy trails in the pouring rain…jeeze, for once I’m actually glad I didn’t attempt the VT 50. My goal for this race was to clinch the EFTA title for Senior 1 Expert, which I was already pretty sure I was going to do regardless of my finish in this race, and second, to try to beat Brian from JRA, who has consistently finished 1-3 minutes ahead of me in every EFTA race this season (and most of last year). I got a good warm up in, heading down to Exeter center and back on route 85, and was feeling good. The race had a fun, relaxed atmosphere, and I was in a good mood. My race number was 13 - what could possibly go wrong!? I let a bit of air out of the tires, to put them right around 25, put a bit of air in the SID, and then it was time to line up. I was disappointed to see I was the only Senior 1 expert, but there was a strong showing from the Vet 1 and Vet2 field, and a lot of those ‘old guys’ are fast! They announced it would only be 3 laps for Expert, and a 4 mile course, so a total of only 12 miles, as compared to last year’s 18 mile course.

The first lap I didn’t quite get a hole shot, but was probably 4 or 5 bikes back from the front, and going at a good pace, keeping sight of the leaders until the first technical section where, of course, it bunched up. From then out, I was riding right ton Brian McGinnis’ rear wheel, until about the half way point in the lap, where I snuck by and hit the gas hard to try to put some distance between us. It worked. After the first lap, and going into the second one, I couldn’t hear the wail of disc brakes, nor see any riders behind me. I kept a pretty good pace going, but could tell the course was getting more slippery. I actually was really enjoying the course; although it was wet, it really wasn’t that muddy (no mud bogs ala Harding Hill), and other than one hike-a-bike section, the course had pretty good flow. Although they never showed the lap times, I’m pretty sure my first lap was my fastest. I’m not sure if it wasn’t getting enough sleep the 3 days proceeding, or if maybe I should have had a bigger breakfast, but I felt myself start to lose my technical edge about half way through the second lap; I was getting ragged around the edges. I think part of it was that the course was getting slicker, which started to affect my confidence in riding over the roots and slick rock faces.

Going into lap 3, I passed Elite rider Chris Gagnon, who looked to be having a bad day, I relaxed the pace just a bit, and focused on trying to ride everything smoothly and not crash. In retrospect, I probably eased-off the pace a bit too much, as about three quarters of the way through lap 3, I heard someone coming up behind me quickly, and, low and behold, it was Brian. He passed me almost like I was standing still, and I tried to keep contact, but bobbled on a rocky section after a wet bridge, and he got a gap. I knew the race was just about over, so I tried as hard as I could to keep him in sight. As we came out of the woods onto the approximately ½ mile double track trail leading to the finish, he was about 50 yards ahead of me. I gave it all I had, and closed the gap somewhat, but in the end it wasn’t enough, and he beat me by 7 seconds.

I didn’t beat Brian, but it was the most close I’ve come all season! Back at the Gloucester Grind in May he beat me by 6 minutes, in an equally technical, approximately same length race.( http://www.efta.com/PDF/results/2009/2009%20grind.pdf ) Overall the final race at Fort Rock was a very fun race. I got first for Senior 1 Expert (only person in it! ), and clinched my second consecutive EFTA Expert Senior 1 title. Next year I’ll be a Senior II, and have some very stiff competition, I’m looking forward to it.

With the mountain bike race season officially over, it marks the beginning of Cyclocross season and night ride season. While I’m avidly into the later; I have yet to get into the former. I’ve been keeping my eyes out for a moderately-priced Cyclocross bike. I did a road ride up to Gloucester this past Sunday to watch the Gran Prix of Gloucester, it definitely looked like a lot of fun.

Great night road ride last week, too. Did the Boxford loop with Nate. Left around 6:30, and within 20 minutes, it was time for the lights. With the super bright Planet Bike LED taillight, and my trusty Jet Halogen, at no point did I feel unsafe, or question whether cars could see me. Those quiet, dark (no streetlights) roads in Boxford are awesome to cruise down in the stillness of night. It’s just you, the bubble of light ahead of you, and the moon. The night scenery silently and effortlessly flies by, and it is simply, beautiful.

All the riding from here until the first snow falls will be for fun. No more intervals, recovery rides, or staying in on the weekends to rest for a big race. It’s the season of night rides, arm warmers, and beer. Bring it on.