Gonna Race Sunday

[Crank]

I have participated in a few MTB races over the years (like 3 in 18 years) though more as a personal fitness goal than as a serious contender. In fact, I am slow. If there was a turtle division I would be in it.

Last July I raced in The Horror At Harding Hill, which is in Sunape, NH, just a mile from my friend's place. It was 90 degrees and humid. I was DFL. Would have beat 1 guy but I fell on some slippery roots a half mile from the finish and couldn't manage to catch him. This year I am in better shape, have maintained my weight under 200lbs since last winter's Aspen Gathering; I was about 210 when I did this race last July. Sunday's forecast is 80 degrees, 58% humidity. I am gonna beat that sucker!

The beginners race I do is 2 laps, 10 miles and, as you can guess there is a lot of climbing involved.

Wish me luck. I will report my result.

Any other casual racers out there? Got any good advice?

 

[Erik Timmerman]

Good luck!

I did my first downhill race in about two decades last weekend. Mostly because my daughter wanted to do her first ever. We went down to Mt Snow hoping to beat the weather. Not so much. It rained so hard that water was coming under the door of the base lodge and making the drains go in reverse. We did three practice runs before serious lightning closed things down on Saturday. She followed me down all of the safety lines" such as they were. On Sunday after a full night of downpours the course was pretty deteriorated. The kid took a big slam in her morning warm-up run and decided to sit out the race which just left me. I hadn't tried going fast yet or practiced any lines other than the safety lines, so I just went with it. I had an awkward moment with a tear-off and a scary little tank slapper, but stayed on the bike and made it down in one piece which is about all I ask for at this point.

 

[Ron]

Best of success to you. I dont like saying best luck to you since you have worked so hard, i am sure all that effort will pay off. Cheers!

I am in a similar place: Tour De Steamboat is coming up in 10 days, I'm riding the 46 mile route with 2200' climbing. Its not much but I have been in PT since April and trying to get back into some kind of decent shape.

 

[scott43]

Well..I don't race that much either..but..don't go into the red if you can avoid it. Ride your own pace. It's really hard to pass on singletrack so try to be ahead by the time you get there. Unfortunately, the best time to pass is on the uphill so if you need track position, get it there. Don't get stuck behind slow people on the climbs and if you do, choose another line so you don't lose momentum. Nothing worse than having to get off because the people in front can't make it and block the line. And line up at the front. Let others pass you. You'll get stuck in the back otherwise. Unless you're dog-slow like me..,in which case, the back is nice and quiet! Be aware of the conditions. Usually hacks like us start early in the morning and you may encounter wetter conditions because of dew than you may think. This is mostly for grassy parts but if you are going to be on grass at all, be aware. For a 1 hour ride, you really don't need that much water..so don't take tons with you..hydrate ahead of time and you'll be ok until the end with minimal water. No big breakfast either..diverts blood to the digestive track. Protein when you wake up or the night before and some light stuff in the morning..at least that works for me.

And remember, lapping stays to the right, chocolate milk is on the left. And for goodness sake, don't get hurt!

 

[KevinF]

I had an awkward moment with a tear-off and a scary little tank slapper

A tear-off? A tank slapper? What???

 

[Jim Kenney]

“It's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game.”
― Grantland Rice
I wouldn't dream of any kind of racing on a bike. Good for you! Go for it, but keep your eye on the real prize - being in shape for ski season.
I've been bike commuting several days a week during daylight savings months for the last 11 years. I'm slow as crap and after all this time I still feel like I am finishing DFL every damn day It's humbling, even us old guys have some pride. As I watch all the three-days-a-year bike riders blow by me I can only console myself with the thought that maybe I'll see a few of them again as three-days-a-year skiers next winter?

 

[Crank]

Jim, The main reason I ride is to get in shape and stay in shape for ski season. I sometimes ride with a bunch of guys who go off jumps and rollers and while I can, for the most part, keep up with them on climbs and techy terrain I never do anything that might cause injury! I do love riding, but skiing comes first by a mile!

Epic, I rode the NORBA XC course at Mt. Snow a bunch of years ago... Was there working with HB, aka Greg Herbold who was doing wraps and some commentary for us. He took a casual run down the DH course just for fun and just smoked it. I don't think I would try DH...even the "safety" lines.

Scott, this race course is a bit weird in that most of the climbing is on double-track...not sure if they were originally logging roads or built as snowmobile trails. Hopefully I will doing at least some passing. The beginner groups start last so we get lapped by the experts and elites. Grass is not a problem but the singletracked pine forest sections were super slick last year.

Ron, Thanks and best of success to you too!

 

[Lauren]

Any other casual racers out there? Got any good advice?

I've casually raced the 24 Hours of Great Glen for the past 5 years. Only mtb race I've ever done. Actually won the women's 4-person one year! (We won't discuss how many teams there were). The 4-person class kicked my a$$ so figured why not do a 2 person the following year.

As for advice...Go fast, take chances. Good luck!

 

[Erik Timmerman]

 

[Erik Timmerman]

A tear-off? A tank slapper? What???

Kevin, tear-offs are thin plastic sheets that you stick on your goggles. When they get too muddy, you tear them off so that you have a clear view again. Tank-slapper is when the bike wobbles back and forth - picture your thighs slapping the gas tank on a moto. Or search tank-slapper on Youtube. If you dare.

 

[KevinF]

search tank-slapper on Youtube. If you dare.

I dared. I wish I hadn't. Yikes.

 

[scott43]

I've had a few good ones over the years.. Nearly head-on'd a bus once. It can all go bad very quickly if you're not careful.

 

[Erik Timmerman]

Epic, I rode the NORBA XC course at Mt. Snow a bunch of years ago... Was there working with HB, aka Greg Herbold who was doing wraps and some commentary for us. He took a casual run down the DH course just for fun and just smoked it. I don't think I would try DH...even the "safety" lines.

HB was/is awesome, and the old Mt Snow XC course was pretty legit. That downhill on the skiers left side was fairly pucker inducing. At least on a 1990 vintage bike it was! I remember being in sock and awe the first time I saw Tomac slash through those woods with his tension disc wheel sounding like thunder! My first encounter with HB was in the dual slalom at Snow in '90 or '91. My first NORBA National. I was in Sport class, but they put everyone together for dual-slalom. The line for starting was very long and as I got closer to the gate I was counting how many people were ahead of me and looking at the other line to figure out who I'd be racing. By the time I was about 5 from the gate I realized for sure it would be HB. Let's just say he passed through that round very easily.

Have fun at your race! My advice - Pain is temporary, glory is forever! So you might as well go hard.

 

[Crank]

Had fun. Finished the 10.5 mile course in 1:26:11 Shaved exactly 6 minutes off last year's time. Not a lot of racers there and not many at all in the novice classes. There was another race somewhere the same day so that may have hurt attendance. I came in 2nd, but it was out of only 2 in my class. This year's time would have been good for 2nd in last year's race with more participants as well. I felt good...could possibly have pushed it a bit more but rode pretty hard and legs were pretty darn tired on the last mile. I now have a new goal - to shave another 6 minutes and 11 seconds off my time and finish in under 1:20!

 

[Ron]

Great job!

 

[Superbman]

Best thing about racing is that it is the no bullshit assessment of your ability, skill, and fitness. Strava times mean nothing, and being fast or strong on a group ride mean less-with regards to whether or not you are fast compared to others who are fast. And that's true for all types of racing: DH, Enduro, Marathon, Endurance, and XC. Compete in a race and you'll know something about your abilities you didn't really know before.