Winder

SERC #4 GSC #3
Fort Yargo State Park, Winder Ga.
My favorite trail so far.

The weather was magnificent.  Warm and breezy for the pre ride on Saturday and cool to cold for the race on Sunday.  The event is held beside a lake making it even more beautiful. 

The first time I raced here was 2011, I can't wrap my mind around that being 7 years ago.  FB came up with one of those look back 5 year things and it was photos from this race.  It had rained, I got third in 50+ sport.  The guy who got second is dead now.  Blake got 5 in his age group, now he's getting 5th in Elites.  That kind of stuff happens when you get old.

Saturday

I'll admit to the drive to these races getting a little old.  Thank goodness The Lovely Wife still likes to go along.  There used to be a group from Tallahassee who went racing with us but they've all decided to do something else this year.

Anyhoo the practice lap was fun.  The woods green, the trail dry.  Blake got there later and did his own laps while I sat in the sun and watched the lake.  This is the kind of weather that makes me want a camper van.

Dinner was at our usual pre race establishment.  Blake asked if we ate the same thing here every time.  Yea, I guess we do.  Good room at the HIE.

Race Day

Clear and 50 degrees!  Blake's race went good.  He ran with the lead group eventually finishing 5th overall.  The leader is at another level and was way off the front.

I only had 4 in my class which was disappointing since we had 7 last year.  I had trouble clipping in off the start but still managed to get into the single track first.  I only had Stan go with me and was able to get past the Clyde's on the first hill, leaving him behind.  After that I just kept picking off riders and tried to keep my pace up.  Once again I had trouble focusing on the ride, still a lot of noise in my head.

I put in a good effort, I don't think I had much more in the tank.  Looking back from in front of this computer I think I could have gone another lap, just not at that pace.  Maybe.

In the End

I won by 3 minuets.  Beating my time from last year by :01:11, and averaging .29 miles per hour faster.  Is that good?  I didn't feel fast.  I didn't feel like my legs were generating much power, especially on the steep short climbs.  After all this was my "A" race for the first half of the series, it's as good as I get.  Plus I only got to race for 47 minuets, not really a good training ride. 

I know, I know, cat up and quit bitching.  I did enjoy the day.  I am gratefull to just be out here doing this, blah blah blah.  Stan bragged about the fact he didn't even train.  I like the training, but I was expecting maybe better results.

So for the next 12 weeks I'll keep up the work.  This weekend is a time trial on Saturday and the Dauset XC on Sunday.  Maybe I just need a little break in the racing?

Caution, Slippery When Wet

Bryson City, N. C.  SERC # 3.  Tsali Trails.

Rain was in the forecast all week.  But we'd managed to miss it last weekend so I ignored it.  Nothing I could do about it anyway.  I'd never raced this race before and was anxious about riding in the mountains during what was supposed to be severe weather.  Once again I worked at shutting that noise out and enjoying the trip.

That worked (mostly).   On Saturday I pre rode a trail other than the one we would race on, due to horses being on it.  I am really cautious on the shelf type single track.  Especially the fast downhills.  My fingers squeeze the brakes almost without me thinking about it.  Dr. Sworks says it's just self preservation.

After the ride we had a great dinner at a small cafe downtown.  Then took a walk around town.  It was like a mini vacation.  My relaxed mood could have been due to the two Dirty Girls I had before dinner.  Either way I was looking forward to the race.

Patter Patter

On the hotel room window Sunday morning, rain.  It got heavier as the morning went on, finally stopping just as my class rolled to the line.

The race started with a 1.6 mile graded road climb.  I figured if I could get ahead before we went into the single track I could put it onto survival mode till I figured out how slick it was.  There were only three of us in the 60+, not a big turnout in any of the classes for that matter.  Dave blew the whistle and we were off.

By the time I crested the hill going onto the trail I couldn't see anybody behind me.  This trail was wet by not overly slick.  I could still race the uphills and take the downs conservatively.  Then we merged onto the section the morning classes had used and the picture changed, at least in my mind it did.

The mud ruts along the side of the mountain got my attention.  Due to my past history with slick trails I may be more cautious than others.  

Oh let's face it, I am a scardy cat when it gets slick.  That's not to say I can't race it, it's just that I go very slow.  I would pass people on the climbs and they'd go right by me on the downhills.  Still, I was working and racing, I was even enjoying it (a little).  Though I will admit to looking at my Garmin occasionally to see how far I had to go.

I finished first in my class, didn't crash, and felt good about my ride.  Yeah, my race time was slow.  but I lived to race another day.

We both took Monday off which made the 8 hour drive home more tolerable.  I really turned out to be a great weekend.  I am glad I went!

Cold Day in Georgia

Southeastern Racing Championship Series, round 2, Conyers, Ga.  April 8, 2018.

The week leading up to this race all my markers had been showing up low.  Weight was up a little and HRV4 was on the low side.  Training rides had seemed harder than usual, plus my race bike had an issue with the free hub (again) and I wasn't positive it was going to be fixed by the time we left.

All that noise combined with a sketchy weather forecast may have had an influence on my pre race attitude.

But really all that stuff is just wasted energy.  Thoughts and worry about things that are out of my control or really have no bearing on a Sunday race.  I know better but still.....

Practice Lap

It was flooding when we left Havana.  The bike had been fixed and I'd picked it up Friday.  The forecast was still calling for rain in Conyers plus temps in the mid 40's.  The further north we drove the less it rained.  Finally arriving at the track to perfect conditions.

Blake had gotten there ahead of us and had already taken a lap.  I suited up and did 2 laps, because, well, it was just too much fun.  The OMTP had warned me to not ride over an hour and just do a couple of openers but I just couldn't resist that second time around.  This trail has two rather long (for a Florida boy) hills and I admit even at an easy pace I could feel it.

Once again we had dinner at Chili's and found our hotel after wards.  Ah, the hotel.  It wasn't their fault that the idiot in the room next to mine cranked up the TV and NEVER TURNED IT OFF!  I called the front desk at 3 am, they called the room and got no answer.  When we checked out at 8 in the morning it was still blaring.  I love my fellow man.

Race Day

The predicted rain never did materialize and we awoke to a cloudy, blustery day, with temps in the upper 40's.

Blake's race went okay other than a mysterious shifting issue the first two of four laps.  Two guys got off the front and put a pretty big gap on the group Blake was in.  He faded back to 4th but managed to beat his competition in the series.

I had 7 in my class with only one that I recognized (Stan).  The start straight was long with a small hill at the end before it turned into single track.  I hammered as long as my old lungs could stand it and  got to the trail in first with Stan right on my wheel. 

But see, I didn't know it was Stan.  I thought it was one of the other riders I didn't know.  He stayed on my wheel and wouldn't answer when I tried to talk to him.  "Who is this guy?"  I thought, "Why is he being so serious?"

When we got to the first hill I managed to put a couple of Clydesdale's between us on the climb, then I shifted at the top and got out of Stan's sight.  Still not sure it was Stan at this point, I didn't want to look back till we went through the start/finish.  I didn't see anyone in my class close to me.

So, 3/4 of the way through the second lap after passing what must have been 10 riders in other classes, I get behind this dude.  

"Rider back" I yell.  He doesn't move over.  I wait then:
"Rider back, not in your class"  nothing.
So I try to go around him, he cuts me off.
"Anytime you get an opening I'd appreciate it, how about right up here?" 
He stays in the middle of the trail and says "If you want around you have to pass me"
"Bullshit!  I'm not in your class!" then I think I called him an asshole.  Then he moved over.
"Why didn't you say that before?"
"I DID!"

Anyhoo, I'm pretty sure he tattled to the promoter about me, I saw him shaking his head at the finish.  Poor sportsmanship on my part.  I shouldn't cuss people.  But damn it there's a race going on and it's hard not get amped up.  I won my class then almost froze waiting for podiums.

This race was weird.  I never felt "right".  Maybe tired?  Just an off day?  The cold?  Looking back I expended too much energy on things that didn't matter.  I should have just relaxed and enjoyed the day.

I Blew Up a Crew Ride

Once again the OMTP came in contact with a crew ride.  Again a little alcohol started things off Friday evening.  Texting after I've had a few rarely results in a cohesive ride the next day.  Much to my surprise quite a few folks chimed in for what I'd billed as a Big East Loop.  I guess that was misleading since I had really planned to do a one hour race effort on the Tom Brown, Loblolly, Piney Z and Cadillac section, just using the loop to get down there and back.  Anyhoo.

Before we even got to the meeting point at Higher Ground Lil Ball was out, seems he just woke up, but Tim, Jim (shock), Silk (another shock), Catman, Dr. Sworks, and Postman were waiting for Blake and I when we pulled in.

Things Start to Unravel

Catman yells "Where're we going Norman?".

"Blairstone"

"Okay, turn on the gas line"

That was how it began.  I didn't explain my plan.  It got even more unorganized when it was every man for himself while we crossed four lane highways.  We looked like squirrels dodging cars.  There was a slight regroup at the bottom of Gun Range but I had to pee so everybody got ahead.  That was the last I saw of the group until I flatted and had to call Blake for a tool.

I flatted because I had to move off the trail for a bird watcher who refused to move over even a foot, picking up an old piece of fence in my rear tire.  The hole refused to seal and it was then I discovered I had left my multi tool at the truck.  Rookie move.

Blake, Postman, Jim, Dr. Sworks, and Catman came to my aid and some of us rolled back to Higher Ground together once I put in a tube (or rather Blake did it for me).

Sad

I am disappointed I didn't plan better, even though I got the prescribed ride in I missed some banter time with folks I don't see very often.  Damn I'm starting to sound like Apebike.  The ride was fun none the less.

ANF

"Weather pretty enough to raise the dead."  Catman came out with that, fitting since it was Easter Sunday.  And wow was it perfect.  The forest was green with ferns in the areas that had recently been burned.  I love this loop and went harder than the OMTP called for but it was too much fun to resist.

In the end it was a great three day weekend.  Once again I got to ride with my son, plus some people who have been non riders for a while.  The Lovely Wife and I topped it off with margaritas and pasta Sunday evening.  Work was hard to face Monday.