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The Ice Weasel Cometh at White Barn Farm - CycleCyclocross


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Wrentham, Massachusetts
United States
23F / -5C
Sunny
Total Time = 32m 35s
Overall Rank = 10/16
Age Group = Women Cat 4
Age Group Rank = 10/16
Pre-race routine:

Arrived at race site about 8:15 for 9:15 race
WW toast w/PB-2 pcs
Registered & pumped up tires to just over 40 PSI
Event warmup:

Rode the course once and was surprised at tight turns they had put in which makes toe overlap (shoe hits front wheel unless I back pedal) and then got to back of course with steep downhill with a couple folks in front of me endoing (going over their handlebars) made me nervous so I walked down which then played in my head if I could ride down it safely. Issue was it was pretty steep, with a 90 degree turn after hill, and the hill itself was still pretty rough as the trail had just been made. About 9am went to car to get lighter gloves, NEBC vest and take off a layer.
Bike
  • 32m 35s
  • 0 miles
  • 0.00 mile/hr
Comments:

Started in front row but like always don't go super hard to try for hole shot got stuck behind lots of folks then as we string out on tight technical part of course loose lots of time. #1 thing to improve at in cross for next year is starts.

Rode the course okay, over first barrier then a slight uphill with frozen dirt/mud tire tracks. Some ran up but I would ride up as hard riding tires me less than running with my bike. Get to the back of the course where the sketchy steep down hill was and I wasn't sure if I'd ride it or walk/slide down it. Skipping riding it during warm ups played in my head.It is steep, newly dug so not very packed trail with uneven ground and a 90 degree turn at the end. There were a few spectators encouraging us all on then I see Kevin at other side of hill taking photos so no way I'm not riding it now, perfect motivation...but I'm not clipped in stupid, down I went and it was great fun and I screamed with delight. Up the run up and around the tall barriers. Each loop had 4 dismounts: single up hill low barrier, double tall barriers, up hill run up and tall double barriers. I realized my right cleat was loose and I had a lot of play and after last barrier I looked at it and saw it was about to come out. I made the decision to go to the pit and ask them to tighten it because if it fell out I'd either be DNF or riding cross with only one foot clipped in..not good...wicked hard.

I go into pit and see Pitt83 from BT there with pit guy and yell what I need. Pit guy get wrench and works at tightening my cleat. Seems like takes 1.5-2' and I loose a lot of time but was glad for the break and was not confident in my cleats.

Lap 2/3 were much of the same...everyone is strung out and we basically see the same folks. Losing time in the pit I wasn't close to many but started to see them on lap 3. BTer Pitt83 yells to me at start of 3 lap there are 5 that are catchable..really. I figured out the rhythm of the course and felt more confident which lines to ride when to hammer to gain speed and when to ease off.

Back side of the course I see a team mate I can catch. Normally she is strong rider but I'm gaining on her. I get to the challenging downhill right when she gets there and she gets off and walks..for my skill ability no way I can ride and pass her walking on narrow rooted path then she stops and mounts her bike right where I would do the 90 turn...once she clears area I zip down the hill, scream with delight again at bottom hammer hard and pass her on the flat section before run up. At top of the hill I see women up ahead potential to catch.

Mess up mount after barrier but one lap to go..super happy didn't get lapped by the leader a BTer KSB. I did lap one women a triathlete here.

Last lap, I'm feeling really good, pushing to my limit, feel more confident on the course, I catch one women at twisty turn section but can't get by her, go over the barriers, remount while she runs up the slight incline, clear the nasty terrain and hammer by her...passed...keep going, get to the long straight away and see another, jump on other trail and hammer hard past her, down the hill last time with another shout of joy and run the uphill.

Man I see about 5 women in front of me..ride smart, ride hard Kathy. I get through the zig zag part and get to the barriers and have passed two folks (one on previous lap), over barriers and off goes the pink shirt women on mountain bike...down the final straight away, I give it my all, pass her and finish content and happy.

Get to area I can get off the course, jump off my bike, and breath as my asthma is really kicking in. A big group of guys are waiting for us to finish to line up and one asks, "Did you win?" I didn't answer but breathed but thought wow I gave it all I had and he heard/saw that. Someone asked if I was okay and I nodded. This was the best I had done at picking folks off and passing them.




What would you do differently?:

Learn to start better and not be afraid of down hill. I need to have a better warm up as I feel I do better longer I race which may be a warm up or endurance issue.

I was less than a minute out of 7th place and I lost more than a minute in the pit..I find that very encouraging...
Post race
Warm down:

Worked on exhaling so I could stop wheezing.

Chatted with teammates and Kevin. Left pretty quickly but sad that cross season is ending this weekend.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Age,genetics, sex, but I do this for fun and I had blast.

Event comments:

Great venue, close to home, great close to cross season!

I love the vibe at cross races.


Profile Album


Last updated: 2008-12-13 12:00 AM
Biking
00:32:35 | 00 miles | 0.00 mile/hr
Age Group: 10/16
Overall: 10/16
Performance: Good
Wind: Some with gusts
Course: Generally flat with one ride/run-up on the backside and one shallow hill you will scale a few times. A low set of barriers for hopping and a tall set for running. Some long straights around the field and some tight stuff in the hedges and trees around the house. A "mulch pit," aka riding through the garden. Double pit. Will be fairly short (6 min) if it's dry, great for spectating as riders will spend over 2 minutes snaking around the compact house area each lap. The venue is a quintessential New England Farm
Road: Rough  Cadence:
Turns: Cornering: Average
Gear changes: Hills: Good
Race pace: Drinks:
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5] 4
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks?
Post race activities: Average
Race evaluation [1-5] 4

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2008-12-13 8:28 PM

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Champion
19812
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MA
Subject: The Ice Weasel Cometh at White Barn Farm


2008-12-13 9:53 PM
in reply to: #1852868

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Royal(PITA)
14270
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West Chester, Ohio
Subject: RE: The Ice Weasel Cometh at White Barn Farm
That hill looks like it's a blast to ride.  Great race. Sounds like you have found someting really fun to do too .
2008-12-14 2:37 AM
in reply to: #1852868

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Melon Presser
52116
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Subject: RE: The Ice Weasel Cometh at White Barn Farm

You are HARD CORE! I love the pics! Congrats on a great race and such good placing.

The name of this race is great, too. Put a big smile on my face.

2008-12-14 3:11 PM
in reply to: #1852868

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Champion
7704
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Williamston, Michigan
Subject: RE: The Ice Weasel Cometh at White Barn Farm
glad you had fun you crazy thing....you need like total contact triathlon..maybe xterra would suit you !!
2008-12-14 3:16 PM
in reply to: #1852868

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Science Nerd
28760
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Redwood City, California
Subject: RE: The Ice Weasel Cometh at White Barn Farm
You make it sound like so much fun in your race reports!  You rock!!!
2008-12-15 6:39 AM
in reply to: #1852868

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Champion
16151
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Checkin' out the podium girls
Subject: RE: The Ice Weasel Cometh at White Barn Farm
Nice job Kathy! I knew that you had those women just ahead of you. Sometimes just that bit of info will encourage you to go deeper and go chase down places.

The neutral support pit guys are terrific. It feels like an eternity when you're standing there just hopelessly waiting for a fix. By quantifying that minute or 2 lost as being in 7th place, that really brings it home. Trust me, that stop meant a DNF or a good race; no worries there.

Congrats on a great first cross season!

BTW: I was the one who endoed that downhill. During warmup no less

Edited by pitt83 2008-12-15 6:40 AM


2008-12-15 7:16 AM
in reply to: #1852868

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Master
1655
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NJ
Subject: RE: The Ice Weasel Cometh at White Barn Farm
Very cool!! So way different than just plain ol' tri's ~ glad you enjoy yourself so much!!
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