2009 Putney MTB Race Team Report - 7-2-09
Conditions:
The weather started out in the low 60’s with a steady soaking rain early in the event but the rain stopped just before the last race of the day and the sun actually came out. Unfortunately the damage had been done much earlier with the substantial rainfall that the Northeast has received in the past few weeks. This moisture combined with the tacky soil made for yet another race where much of the course was covered in peanut butter consistency mud.
The Course:
The course was a 4 mile loop on a combination of old carriage roads and, fresh single-track mountain bike trails. The elevation gain was about 800’ per lap, and came most notably in two long, greasy carriage road climbs and a couple of switchback single-track climbs. The terrain was very rolling with lots of now sticky and slick switchback climbs and descents.
The Cat3 did 2 laps with Cat2 doing 3 laps, Cat1 doing 4 laps and Pro/Cat1 Open doing 5 laps. Due to conditions lap counts were shortened to 3 for the Cat1 women’s field and 2 for the Cat2 women and Cat2 50+ men.
Results:
The NEBC/Cycle Loft/Devonshire Dental team braved the miserable weather to attend yet another far away event. The overall team results were fantastic and the turnout for the event was once again very high. Excellent work to all but particularly to Victoria for slaying it in her 1st MTB race ever, to Norm for whupping the tar out of the mature crowd, Anthony for a huge effort in a hard fought battle, Cris for playing sandbagger and beating up on all of the women and Janet for finishing her 1st MTB race ever!
At the end of last year, USA Cycling changed the mountain bike categories to be more inline with the other disciplines. They mapped Beginner to Cat3, Sport to Cat2, Expert to Cat1 and Semi-Pro’s were given the option to either become Pro or Cat1.
NOTE: The results are listed in order of category/field start and then by place in said field.
- Michael Rowell – Pro/Cat1 Open – 17th
- Keith Reynolds – Pro/Cat1 Open – 32nd
- Wayne Cunningham – Cat1 Men 40-49 – 9th
- Michael Good – Cat1 Men 40-49 – 11th
- Cris Rothfuss – Cat1 Women 35+ – 1st
- Cathy Rowell – Cat1 Women 35+ – 5th
- Norm Collard – Cat2 Men 50+ – 1st
- Anthony Laskaris – Cat2 Men 40-49 – 3rd
- Kristen Lukach – Cat2 Women 19-34 – 4th
- Victoria Gates – Cat3 Women 12-18 – 1st
- Janet Ramos – Cat3 Women 35+ – 4th
http://www.root66raceseries.com/page/9-race-results (Race Results)
http://www.cyclingdirt.org/videos/coverage/view_video/235305-root-66-putney-west-hill-mtb-race/190663-root-66-putney-west-hill-race-video (Cycling Dirt Coverage)
Reports:
[Michael Rowell]
The drive up to Putney started OK but as we neared the event it started to pour. Temps were hovering in the low 60’s and moral was low; I hate mud. The event was bustling and we registered.
On the line the field was huge. We counted 37. At the start it was a mad scramble to the woods and I worked hard to be in the top 5. Mayhem ensued shortly there after when we hit single-track and things backed up. Off the bike, on the bike, run, ride, push. By this point I’d lost a number of spots and was working really hard and then we hit the first sustained climb. I imploded then gave up. I could see those ahead of me riding away and I just couldn’t muster the effort to try and stay attached. My will was broken well before the race even started, somewhere after the rain continued that morning.
The climbs were torture as traction was non existent, which meant the climbs were twice as hard. I simply kept plugging along hoping that it would be over soon. Not a great race by any means. I did have one earlier learned lesson reaffirmed for me, if you are mentally beaten at start, it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy for the end.
The nice part was that the weather cleared after our race so we all changed and hung around for the Cat2 races. Great time and great effort by all.
[Keith Reynolds]
It’s Wednesday and I have little to change from Sunday’s experience. It was great to get a full serving of racing; 5 laps with 800’ of climbing each with such talent all around. There’s been a drought of racing mud so I eagerly awoke to confirm we’d be wet. No complaints – except the cleaning up bit. This race summons all the feelings of one’s first race where you tire, get dropped and probably lapped. Lining up in the pro field that was pretty good chance, but what’s to gain if we pass on a challenge?
Warming up consisted of the parking lot and seeing the start/finish areas. From the looks there would be little time out of the saddle on climbs. Note to self, trainers were in full effect.
During line up Mike pointed out Matt White, oh nice, that is the guy who hops cross barriers like it’s his job. Actually as a pro it is. So we’re off and it’s bumping and slipping on wet stuff. We round some corners and I settle somewhere in the middle. At the first sign of an uphill single track it becomes walking and scrambling on foot. The first major climb comes and there goes the fast crowd including Mike Rowell.
Rode for a little while with Colin & Kevin from IBC maybe into the second lap. Our first lap sure looked respectable at 27’ and lap two felt much more ride-able especially in the switchbacks and rooty sections. Those two were doing great on the climbs but somehow Kevin looked stunned at one point and he slowed to a grind but said he was ok. I went ahead and he later caught right back up, good because he’s the reason I signed up for this in the first place.
I kept pushing hard on some of the rooty/uphill sections and it was a burn to keep seated, eventually on thee verge of leg cramps. The only savior from the double whammy of long sustained climbs was the insanely fast descents. One was sprinkled with jagged rocks and something that seemed like a metal spike.
I “did finish” and chalk it up as an affecting experience.
Wow, congrats to both Janet and Victoria who finished this as their first MTB race!
[Wayne Cunningham]
Saturday: Apple blaster summer cyclocross (Westmoreland, NH)
That’s right, I got my first cross race in already… well, sort of. The format was based on short track racing: 20 minutes plus 3 laps. The course was more on the short track side then a true cross course – it started with a climb up and winding back and forth through the orchard, then into the woods for a tight single-track descent back down to a gravel road and to the start. The turnout was small so they pushed my race back by half an hour and combined us with the pro field… but still only 10 riders, with everyone scored in their category and the fields starting slightly staggered (us behind the pros). It was a fun race; I ended up chasing down a few stragglers from the pro field. It took a few laps to get the feel down of dismounting and going over the (one set of) hurdles. I won my field of two and got a tire – all in all, a good day and a good opener for Sunday’s race.
Sunday: Putney/West Hill
I’d been looking forward to this race – it’s a course that suits me well (not too technical), and a good flow of climbing and scary fast descents. Last year I won a pair of socks there so I wore them on Sunday for good luck. I was a bit worried when the skies opened during our drive in, but the rain for the most part held off throughout the day. The course was slippery as a result but otherwise not too bad. The turnout was great, including a number of NEBCers in all the races. My field had 21 riders. We didn’t really spread out until about 3/4 way through the first lap on one of the bigger climbs. I got a pretty good start and spent most of the race going back and forth with a few other riders. I managed to crash in the only mud puddle on the course. Good thing there was a photographer right there to get a picture. Other than that, it was pretty uneventful, and I finished 9th. We had fun staying for the last race of the afternoon and cheering for Norm, Anthony, Kristin, Alexis, and the other riders – the sun even came out.
Thanks for reading.
[Michael Good]
Another mtb race, another muddy course. I guess that’s going to be the ongoing story for the ‘09 season. Regardless of conditions, Putney served up the hurt in a big dose on Sunday. 800 ft of climbing per 4+ mile lap made for a serious effort.
I’m going to give this course 4 out of 5 stars on my newly conceived course ranking system. This course had everything I look for in a great course, but it came up one mile of single track shy of my five star rating. Nevertheless, it was a butt kicker for sure.
My Cat 1 40-49 class had twenty-two starters that I was able to count . My goal for each of these races is to finish in the top 50% of my field. I was hoping for a top 10 in this one. I came very close. I finished 11th, less than a minute out of the top 10.
After the Cat 1 race we all changed and stayed to watch and cheer on our teammates in the Cat 2 race. We had a lot of fun yelling encouragement.
[Cathy Rowell]
I’ve been trying to decide how to put a positive spin on my Putney race report. Four days later, here are the good things I remember about the race:
- We only had to do 3 laps instead of the planned 4!
- I finished the race (and wasn’t last).
- I did not crash.
- I finished closer to Sue L than last year.
- I saw a bright orange salamander running across the trail (and tried not to run over it!).
- The sun made an ever-so-brief appearance during the race.
- I had a BLAST cheering on teammates and friends in the Cat 2 race afterwards.
[Norm Collard]
A little background:
This was my first Rt 66 race of the season and first Rt 66 race in a few years as I’ve focused on the EFTA series MTB races the past 2 years. I recently self-upgraded to the “expert’ category for the EFTA series as I didn’t want to be labeled a “sandbagger” having one the EFTA Sport Masters point series last year. To upgrade in the RT 66 series to Cat 1, I have to race at least once in the Cat 2 masters category.
Putney Race:
Sure was a long drive for what turned out to be a short race. Don’t think I’ve ever started a race so late….2:30pm. That’s reason enough to upgrade to Cat 1 ASAP. Weather was mixed bag on the drive to Putney. Got there around 12:30 and watched the Pro/Cat 1s for the 2nd half of their race alongside Anthony who was also waitig patiently to race Cat 2. Weather improved as the afternoon progressed. Suited up and rode about 1.5 miles of the course and back for a warmup. Took notes from Anthony who pre-rode the entire course earlier; lots of climbing and some fast descents that are pretty muddy making it more technical. All Cat 2’s line up in the open field staging area by age. There were 14 Masters. That’s the most I’ve raced against in a while. One master racer suggests we should only do 2 laps given how late it is and apparently he pre-rode the course and wasn’t thrilled about doing 3 laps. I stay silent, and naturally, all the others are fine with only 2 laps including the race official. I think to myself, I’ll play it conservative on lap 1 and make a move on the 2nd lap. We’re off and I quickly move into 2nd place as we go into the woods and the immediate downhill…looking for someone to set the pace. But as we start the 1st big climb, he’s moving a bit too slow for my liking and I move ahead. With all do modesty, that was the last I saw of my field. The rest of the race I basically looked to catch and pass other Cat 2 racers in earlier waves, Vet IIs, juniors, etc. Course was very muddy, slick and either up or down with little flat terrain. Nice to have a cheering section at the S/F line after each lap. Finished strong after only 2 laps…about 6+ minutes ahead of 2nd place. Again, short race for a long drive. Felt guilty for only doing 2 laps but that was the race. It was suggested I should do a 3rd lap anyway. Thought about it for a moment but decided if I’m not racing, what was the point. Would probably just confuse the race officials in the end. Cleaned up in time to cheer on Anthony finish strong for 3rd place.
[Victoria Gates]
My goals were to finish the two 4.5 mile loops and stay up right. The start was good and I stayed with the other women. When it came time for the first down hill I was dropped. The good news was that two other women had stuck with me. We formed a group and worked together. With a lap and a half to go one woman and I rode away from my team mate. I rode down a large down hill and slipped and my handle bars clamped me and I couldn’t move. I fell two other times but I kept on going. I took a two minute pit break to take in food and fluids. I decided to keep going. The second lap was a bit easier and when I came up the final hill Cathy Rowell encouraged me while she was warming up down below on the pavement and told me to go, go, go! I finished strong and won my category. Lessons learned: I learned that working together in a mountain bike race helps conserve energy. Also I learned that mountain bike races have very dangerous courses.
[Janet Ramos]
This is my first mountain bike race that I finished! Last summer I tried the Hodges Dam race but I flatted. :( I did not have any expectations today except to finish and not crash too badly. To sum up most of today’s race for me: LOTS of running. I know, the whole point of mountain BIKE racing is to ride the bike through the woods but I was being a total chicken due to the slippery roots and the slick mud. Some of the rideable highlights of the race for me were tons of single track, a few fun downhills, and the nice grassy field at the end of lap that had a great view of the countryside of southern Vermont. During the race it did rain a bit but it was gentle and it helped me to relax while I was slipping and sliding around. On the first serious downhill there was a guy stationed there just incase someone wiped out – he was a great cheerleader and his cheering convinced me to do the second lap. My favorite part of the race was riding up into the grassy field and then descending into the woods for the final climb to the start/finish line. I was seriously thinking of quitting after the first lap but I am glad that I did the second one – and I rode some stuff on the second lap that I ran on the first lap. So all in all it was fun and hopefully there will be some dry mountain bike races this summer as I don’t really like wet sideways roots. Also, good job to Victoria Gates, this was her first mountain bike race too and she did a great job.