Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Turkey Day race report

This sunday was Turkey day in september, and it was awesome! I came into this race just hoping I could hang on because I hadn't really trained since before FCCC in july.
So I showed up early on sunday morning at about 830. My race went off at 1015. This year I have really fine tuned my pre race prep so, I just sat in the car and under the tent in the parking lot. I got registered and all that "jazz". Andrew and ryan showed up about an hour and 15 minutes after. I started warming up at about 930 so I could get in 25 to 30 minutes and still have time to change out my rear wheel and do my roll out. After I got off the trainer I took 2 easy laps to check out the course. While I was reconning the course there were 3 ambulances tending to a crash in the race before mine. Not something I want to see when I'm about to race in the rain. So then I got my roll out and had the typical pre race chat with the official. So we started and I settled into a good rhythym I feel after I got used to the course. I would drop off the back alittle in the last corner so I could take it faster and I could make up the gap on the finishing stretch. Then I would cycle around the group of 20. With about 7 laps to go of a 12 lap crit an ncvc junior attacked and I followed we got a small gap which was awesome. I usually can't even stay with the group in juniors races so I was very happy to be doing something not just being pack fill. But that move was short lived as there were no artemis juniors in it. When we were caught steven kendall counter-attacked and I was in the red for a little while there but I stayed with the group. The road conditions were pretty poor at the stevensville turkey day venue. There were drains every 200 feet or so. I kept getting pinned into one about 1/3 of the way through and I kept having to stop pedaling to go over it. I don't know why I didn't learn from my mistakes. Maybe I'm just an idiot idk. There was a big hole after another drain that I also had to bunny hop atleast 3 times. That was annoying. On the final lap there was a split in the field that I didn't make because I was tail gunning that was kind of frustrating but, that's racing. In the final sprint for 10th was dumb I just followed wheels and I ended up getting 13th because a rider came around me and threw his bike. That was cool though. Overall I'm very happy with this race and really wish I would have raced more this year even tough I race probably 5 times as much as last year. Only one more race left: juniors day out. I'm not racing cross. I really wish I was. I plan on writing more about rides and stuff, so if you actually read this you have more to look forwatd to. I'd like to say thanks for all the help to a few people: Lance Lacy, thanks a bunch for all you've done for me. I wouldn't have had half the season I had without your help and advice.
My parent, thanks a bunch for all the financial support and taking me to races. I couldn't have raced this season with out me.
Mr. Dan thanks for providing the ABRT juniors team with all of your knowledge and organisational skills and such.
Mrs. Lisa, thanks for being the email coordinator person. We wouldn't have even known about races and rides without you.
Sorry if I forgot anyone but thanks a bunch
Nick c

Turkey Day race report

This sunday was Turkey day in september, and it was awesome! I came into this race just hoping I could hang on because I hadn't really trained since before FCCC in july.
So I showed up early on sunday morning at about 830. My race went off at 1015. This year I have really fine tuned my pre race prep so, I just sat in the car and under the tent in the parking lot. I got registered and all that "jazz". Andrew and ryan showed up about an hour and 15 minutes after. I started warming up at about 930 so I could get in 25 to 30 minutes and still have time to change out my rear wheel and do my roll out. After I got off the trainer I took 2 easy laps to check out the course. While I was reconning the course there were 3 ambulances tending to a crash in the race before mine. Not something I want to see when I'm about to race in the rain. So then I got my roll out and had the typical pre race chat with the official. So we started and I settled into a good rhythym I feel after I got used to the course. I would drop off the back alittle in the last corner so I could take it faster and I could make up the gap on the finishing stretch. Then I would cycle around the group of 20. With about 7 laps to go of a 12 lap crit an ncvc junior attacked and I followed we got a small gap which was awesome. I usually can't even stay with the group in juniors races so I was very happy to be doing something not just being pack fill. But that move was short lived as there were no artemis juniors in it. When we were caught steven kendall counter-attacked and I was in the red for a little while there but I stayed with the group. The road conditions were pretty poor at the stevensville turkey day venue. There were drains every 200 feet or so. I kept getting pinned into one about 1/3 of the way through and I kept having to stop pedaling to go over it. I don't know why I didn't learn from my mistakes. Maybe I'm just an idiot idk. There was a big hole after another drain that I also had to bunny hop atleast 3 times. That was annoying. On the final lap there was a split in the field that I didn't make because I was tail gunning that was kind of frustrating but, that's racing. In the final sprint for 10th was dumb I just followed wheels and I ended up getting 13th because a rider came around me and threw his bike. That was cool though. Overall I'm very happy with this race and really wish I would have raced more this year even tough I race probably 5 times as much as last year. Only one more race left: juniors day out. I'm not racing cross. I really wish I was. I plan on writing more about rides and stuff, so if you actually read this you have more to look forwatd to. I'd like to say thanks for all the help to a few people: Lance Lacy, thanks a bunch for all you've done for me. I wouldn't have had half the season I had without your help and advice.
My parent, thanks a bunch for all the financial support and taking me to races. I couldn't have raced this season with out me.
Mr. Dan thanks for providing the ABRT juniors team with all of your knowledge and organisational skills and such.
Mrs. Lisa, thanks for being the email coordinator person. We wouldn't have even known about races and rides without you.
Sorry if I forgot anyone but thanks a bunch
Nick c