MRC Cross - Women's Report
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Conditions:
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Last year, we froze at this race. Moving the date from December to October provided warmer temps (high 50s). It was overcast, but there was no rain.
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The Course:
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There were only a few slight changes in the course from last year. Wide start to a bottle-neck right hand turn. This takes racers through a series of tight, twisty turns before going into the first set of barriers. Then it’s a fast ride into the woods (with a right hand corner that taken too fast will put you in the bushes). there are good lines through here, but there are also rocks and roots to beware of. Back out into the grassy, power-sucking fields with more tight turns. The course runs up and down a slope, and includes another set of barriers going uphill. A fast descent brings you back to “the log” – a large, natural barrier where all the spectators like to hang out, heckling racers to “ride it”.
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Results:
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Results – 3/4 Women (21 starters)
Clara Kelly – 2nd
Shannon Madison – 12th
Kathy Graves – 14th
Karen Turer – 15th
Julie Lockhart – 17th
Results – 1/2/3 Women (15 starters)
Cathy Rowell – 11th
Teri Carilli – 12th
[Clara Kelly]
I started the race chasing and trying to be patient stuck behind riders on the singletrack. I was not pleased to lose my place at the start line when we were reorganized by registration order and I’m afraid that I had a nasty little attitude simmering by the time we set off. I could see the leader pulling ahead when I was in the first corners and got into chase mode. As soon as I got out of the singletrack, I accelerated and started passing folks. I did ok on the barriers (meaning that I didn’t wack my bike on the barrier)..still working on getting the dismount accomplished with a good speed. I did figure out how to pass people by pushing my bike up the hill after the 2nd barriers and then cutting them off when I got back on my bike. That was the first time I have ever passed anyone on a barrier…but it was really thanks to the running part..not a stunning performance with the barrier. By the end of the 3rd lap, I was in 2nd place and was making some progress on the leader (who still had a substantial gap). I had the leader in sight with one lap to go. Unfortunately, that was short lived because I drastically slowed down behind two lapped riders on the singletrack. Game over.
This was my 4th race in a row without crashing in a corner. Not sure if that is thanks to my new brakes or if I’m actually improving on bike handing. In any case, I plan to start racing the A race next time.
[Karin Turer]
My in-laws were in town, and I was beat from running an event on Friday for the Farmers Market, so I basically had to zoom to and from the race – but I am SO glad I went; MRC may be my favorite course!
The race was fairly uneventful – I had a decent start but wasn’t as aggressive as I could be – the wobbling girl who I might have sprinted by was a teammate, so I went easy. I wasn’t passed by other people as quickly as I might’ve been, and the main thing: I was just having FUN riding the course, and I am incrementally getting stronger.
The uphill barriers were a challenge – in the practice laps the remount did fine, but in the race I biffed the remount the first 2 laps and had to run (I think my feet just didn’t hit the pedals in time) so for the final three laps I did a lame, non-flying remount (i.e. how you’d get on a road bike) that actually worked better in the circumstances. My chain dropped on the last lap, but luckily went straight back on.
So, it was really 100% fun and I definitely was able to ride harder than I have so far this season! Only mishap was that I did a cool-down lap and whacked my Achilles with the chainrings. Ouch!!!
[Julie Lockhart]
ZERO Falls – good for collarbone. Good start (for gravel), used the first chicanes to pass 4 or 5 people, some of who promptly re passed me at the barriers (note to self – faster mount!!!), so first lap intent on staying ahead of juniors … second barriers were a run up after, mount did not work in practice. Caught and passed one woman and a boy, was passed back at the beginning barriers by the woman. I felt strong, but kept forgetting pt put the hammer down for the longer straights (note to self – what Cathy says about sprinting out of corners) ... Finished strong (wish I could ride the log, just for fun).