[GW] Weekend Womens Cx B3 rpt

Mon Nov 5 11:07:03 EST 2007

Someone tell me what the ditch of death was.....sounds like fun.

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From: Sara Brokaw [mailto:sara_brokaw at lycos.com] Sent: Monday, November 05, 2007 9:59 AMTo: Jeff InghamCc: gophersSubject: Weekend Womens Cx B3 rpt
Opted for the double after not racing last weekend.  Separate womens starts both days...interesting to see where I am compared to the others without having the big start.

Ham Lake 

5/7 startersAfter watching rodents rip it up in the C race (Derek's return), I lined up with a field of the usual suspects (Lindas, H-wood, B-wood, Bella) and local road racing superstar.  Went into the woods with the group when the mudhole took out half of the field & I was suddenly in third place!  Wow!  Attempted of course to capitalize on this but my tech skilz are not quite up to par with those in this field and others eventually passed me.  Fun while it lasted!  Soon I rode by local road racing superstar (who actually was out of breath) and attempted encouragement at chasing b-wood who was now up the road.  However she was done.  LindaC was a casuality of a stick in the derailleur and so was also behind me now.  Focused on B-wood ahead who I kept in sight for roughly half of the race, something which is a dramatic improvement over my forays into the B races last year (where I would see folks for a 1/2 a lap and that was it).&nb! sp; Superfun twisty sandy course.  Towards the end Rich & then Jeff I came roaring by having good races.  Moment of absentmindedness on the last lap at the barrier on the top of the hill....almost forgot to get off the bike.  The Crit-worthy ksyriums and michelin Jets worked really well.VeloCx

6/7 starters

Usual suspects + IScorp & Lee (for awhile).  After fun in the woods Saturday, I wasn't really looking forward to all the grassiness expected on the 'drome course, but Grumpy's did an outstanding job of making what turned out to be the most epic/technically challenging course yet!  Kept fellow womens racers in contact and was passing guys until midway through the race I lost it in the mud on the off-camber section of the ditch of death.  I think 5 or so guys went by me (bella moved out of reach) & my rhythm was a bit destroyed.  Part of the problem was my tire choice of the day..muchelin Jets...since I'd expected a dry hardpacked grassy course, not a muddy one!  Other note of interest is that I ended up running the "endo corner" on the "ditch of death" after the second lap of the race.  Not alot left by the end of the last lap, but still a super fun experience!  

Stuck the bike in the car & spectated the A race at the ditch of death.  It was reassuring to note that they had trouble with it too.  

Upon getting into the car post race I was overwhelmed by the swampiness of the bike/clothes....  For the third or fourth time this year I had to use a hose to clean off the bike when I got home!  I think we're having a real cx season, though I hope our courses are not causalities of this oddly rainy year.

Thanks for reading..next up Milaca!

Sara

---------[ Received Mail Content ]----------Subject : [GW] Ham Lake Race Report B1Date : Mon, 05 Nov 2007 09:21:37 -0600From : Jeff Ingham <jeff_ingham at starkey.com>To : gophers <gophers at mcf.net>Ham Lake....as cyclocross courses go this one is fun to ride but not much of a "Cross" course. One long paved section then off into the woods for the majority of the race, two single barriers. Got a crappy start and there an immediate gap between the leading 4 to 6 riders and me in the next group of 4. The 4 of us are trying to chase back on pretty hard, on lap 3, I'm last in line in our group and I bite it on one of the sandy turns. It takes me almost a whole lap to chase back on. On the next lap I'm second in line behind a Bike Club rider and he bites it on a turn. With nowhere to go I slam right into him. Rich comes to a stop but manages to miss the pile on. It takes another lap for me to regroup with Rich and Adam Birr and a Silver Cycling Rider. We ride around like this for awhile. We are into the lapped riders and I got caught behind Linda Copper at the mud pit. She's going really SLOW and a big gap forms between Rich and me and Adam. Last lap I pull like mad on the pa! ved section then take mucho risks to try and catch Rich. We never make it, one more lap and we would have caught back on. Adam out sprints me at the line. 13th overall 10th in B1 I don't think I had one lap that I nailed perfectly, the corners were super sandy and loose. I'm sure there were plenty of crashes other than my two. Seems like I'm cursed this year this was my third week in a row when I thought I was good enough for a top 5 finish and I've managed to screw it up by crashing. I did manage to add another nasty bruise on my upper thigh, this ones about the size of a purple baseball. That's the end of my cross season, I've got to be a hockey dad and then I'm out of town for State's. Good Luck to everyone for the next month. 

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