Portland Short Track #5
Portland International Raceway
SS category
July 21, 2008
Again, I'm tardy in publishing this race report as I've had a ton going on with a really busy work schedule, and our upcoming vacation.
I had an almost perfect starting position and a good (not great) start. I made it into the first corner with the top 10 guys and mananged to stick with this group for the rest of the race, working my way up to a finishing placement of 4th (out of 54 folks). The course as usual was different than the previous weeks. The organizers added in a couple of logs and even a stretch of pavement(!). Fun times.
This is my last STXC of the year and probably my last race until 'cross starts so I'll do a quick recap:
#1: 3rd place
#3: 18th place
#4: 6th place
#5: 4th place
As compared to last year...
#1 22nd
#2 10th
#4 8th
#5 8th
Whoah - in a good way. Same as last year 3 top 10s, but in reality the competition was harder this year and I placed higher in each of the races. My best 3 races this year placed higher than my best all around last year.
I am bummed to miss the final race, but I should be having fun regardless :).
Showing posts with label 29er. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 29er. Show all posts
Friday, July 25, 2008
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Short Track #4
Totally late post, so I am not going to create a lengthy description....
Details:
New Course
SS category
# of Riders: 43 riders
Final placement: 6th place
Cool picture:
http://photos.oregonvelo.com/p/pdxstxc071408r2/pdxstxc07140815940
The guy that took 1st in the race also races for Twin Six. His first race in the series. Nice work Jeff!
I followed up with the Twin Six guys and apparently he is also a good cyclocrosser so I am sure we will see more of him this fall.
Details:
New Course
SS category
# of Riders: 43 riders
Final placement: 6th place
Cool picture:
http://photos.oregonvelo.com/p/pdxstxc071408r2/pdxstxc07140815940
The guy that took 1st in the race also races for Twin Six. His first race in the series. Nice work Jeff!
I followed up with the Twin Six guys and apparently he is also a good cyclocrosser so I am sure we will see more of him this fall.
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
Short Track #3
Short Track #3
Portland International Raceway
July 7, 2008
Wow, that was hard. Dusty, sweaty, bumpy, hot and hard. I'm not sure yet how I did, but I know it wasn't particularly well.
I broke the 1st rule of Short Track (no, it is not not talking about Short track). I had a bad start. Not just a bad start, but a horrible start. I was out pre-riding the course and doing a bit of scouting when the rest of the field was lining up. When I finally dragged my sorry butt over to the start line it was already 3 deep. Nice.
Race started and based on my excellent starting position I new I had my work cut out for me. I went as aggressive as possible and muscled my way on up. Unfortunately, as soon as I was gaining ground I lost my chain on the top of a crest and spent what seemed like an eternity getting it back on...guess I should have checked that ahead of time...
By the time I had it back on, the majority of the field had passed me, thus I spent the rest of the race trying to make up time.I'll be lucky if I placed mid pack.
On the bright side, it was still fun, but a hard fun.
Update: Looks like I placed 18th out of 54. Not great, but not as bad as I thought under the circumstances.
Also, looks like my new nemisis at Tabor this year took first. Darn 19 year olds..
Portland International Raceway
July 7, 2008
Wow, that was hard. Dusty, sweaty, bumpy, hot and hard. I'm not sure yet how I did, but I know it wasn't particularly well.
I broke the 1st rule of Short Track (no, it is not not talking about Short track). I had a bad start. Not just a bad start, but a horrible start. I was out pre-riding the course and doing a bit of scouting when the rest of the field was lining up. When I finally dragged my sorry butt over to the start line it was already 3 deep. Nice.
Race started and based on my
By the time I had it back on, the majority of the field had passed me, thus I spent the rest of the race trying to make up time.
On the bright side, it was still fun, but a hard fun.
Update: Looks like I placed 18th out of 54. Not great, but not as bad as I thought under the circumstances.
Also, looks like my new nemisis at Tabor this year took first. Darn 19 year olds..
Sunday, April 06, 2008
Hornings Hustle Season Opener
April 6th 2008
Hornings Hideout
North Plains, Oregon
Single Speed
"The race that was won by the guy who could push his bike the fastest". A bit of a joke, but only half way. Seriously, though there was a ton of running/pushing the bike. This race was more cross race than the past 2 cross races I've done out at the same venue. It was a mud bog suffer fest.
Photo (Oregon Velo). Mid way through lap 1.
The race started neutral (meaning everyone starts slow until a point on the course). We hit the single track and it was a bit of a cluster. The race started heating up about midway 1 mile into the first lap and I started to take the race serious to try to make up lost ground from my horrible starting position at the "neutral start".
Photo #2 (Oregon Velo)- Weather heating up -lap 1
We did 3 laps, each lap was about 5 miles each (total race time on the odo: 1:56). Each lap was progressively harder with the 3rd taking me into the pain cave. It started raining towards the end of the second lap and made the mud that much deeper and thicker.
This was a muddy race. I think this was lap two:
Muddy Dan - Oregon Velo
Good times. A good early season race, but in case you haven't gathered, it was MUDDY. I was thankful I was running single speed, as I didn't see the drive train issues I saw others having.
Oh, I got 4th place. Not a bad start to the 2008 season.
Hornings Hideout
North Plains, Oregon
Single Speed
"The race that was won by the guy who could push his bike the fastest". A bit of a joke, but only half way. Seriously, though there was a ton of running/pushing the bike. This race was more cross race than the past 2 cross races I've done out at the same venue. It was a mud bog suffer fest.
Photo (Oregon Velo). Mid way through lap 1.
The race started neutral (meaning everyone starts slow until a point on the course). We hit the single track and it was a bit of a cluster. The race started heating up about midway 1 mile into the first lap and I started to take the race serious to try to make up lost ground from my horrible starting position at the "neutral start".
Photo #2 (Oregon Velo)- Weather heating up -lap 1
We did 3 laps, each lap was about 5 miles each (total race time on the odo: 1:56). Each lap was progressively harder with the 3rd taking me into the pain cave. It started raining towards the end of the second lap and made the mud that much deeper and thicker.
This was a muddy race. I think this was lap two:
Muddy Dan - Oregon Velo
Good times. A good early season race, but in case you haven't gathered, it was MUDDY. I was thankful I was running single speed, as I didn't see the drive train issues I saw others having.
Oh, I got 4th place. Not a bad start to the 2008 season.
Thursday, February 07, 2008
New Wheels...
I 'commissioned' Cyclepath to build me some new wheels for my 29er. They were just competed and I brought them home tonight... I can't wait for it to dry up so I can take them for a spin.
Specs are as follow:
Paul Single Speed Disc Hubs
DT Swiss Champion Double Butted spokes
Stans ZTR 355 rims
1800 grams (w/o tires, rotors or a SS freewheel)
My old wheels are actually not SS specific. I'm going to save them for a future project (disc brake cross bike maybe????)
Monday, October 15, 2007
Hornings Hideout Race Report
Cross Crusade #2
Single Speed Category
Hornings Hideout
North Plains, Oregon
October 14, 2007
Do to an active 'social calendar' (two birthdays for two kids starting at 2:30) I wasn't able to race in my regular category (35+ A). Instead I opted to break out the 29er and ride in the single speed category. It was a beautiful fall day - warm and dry. Probably the last one of these this year.
Hornings Hideout is one of my favorite courses (at least it was last year). It was the race last year that really put me in the running for the series and gave me the confidence to really push myself the rest of the crusade. It is not a mountain bike course as some declare it to be, however it definitely suits those of us with mountain bike skills. There is no pavement and all the really fast stretches are on gravel paths and roads. the rest of the course is made up of single track, dirt trails, etc.
The start climbs out of the amphitheater bowl (they do concerts there) and joined the course after a few hundred yards. My nerves had gotten the best of me as I was waiting in the lineup and I pulled a total rookie maneuver at the start by not being able to click in to my pedal. This unfortunately cost me the good starting position going up the hill that I had.
After the initial climb, the first half of the course trended down and traversed a bumpy meadow that was slick with wet grass (it was here that I crashed for thankfully the first and only time), gravel road, buffed trail, and more bumpy meadow. At the far side of the course, the hills began. First up was the “run up,” and immediately following were three short steep terraces. Then began a series of hills interspersed with brief descents through some fairly nice trails. The final bit of climbing went up a gravel road to the top of the course. The last bit went up to the finish line went though a double set of barriers and past the officials/announcers tent.
Through the bumpy meadow - note dirt (crash mark) on my left leg
As I mentioned earlier my first lap was pretty pitiful. I started badly and then slid out on on a corner. Each one of these missteps cost me places and required that I crawl and fight my way back towards the front. I never quite made it, but at least finished on the winners lap (7 laps). My final placing was 17th (though I think I actually placed a couple of places higher based on others I finished with...) out of 78 riders. Not to bad, but not nearly what I had been hoping for (I was really shooting for a top 10).
I've been racing fixed gear & single speed mountain bikes for the last couple of years. Often against the same group of guys (weirdos). This course really handed me my a$$ on a platter where I was really wishing for a few lower gears. Kudos to the guys that race single speed week after week.
On a side note, the following video (about 7 minutes long) is pretty cool. It was shot by racer Scott Barker with a reverse camera mounted on his helmet. It really gives some great perspective on the course (and a cross race in general). Best of all, I get some pretty good face time at the 3:12 time mark. You can see me get passed, fall back, speed up again approach from behind, chase for awhile and then pass. (I'm wearing a black & blue Cyclepath Jersey, black shorts with a blue stripe and a black helmet). Enjoy
Single Speed Category
Hornings Hideout
North Plains, Oregon
October 14, 2007
Do to an active 'social calendar' (two birthdays for two kids starting at 2:30) I wasn't able to race in my regular category (35+ A). Instead I opted to break out the 29er and ride in the single speed category. It was a beautiful fall day - warm and dry. Probably the last one of these this year.
Hornings Hideout is one of my favorite courses (at least it was last year). It was the race last year that really put me in the running for the series and gave me the confidence to really push myself the rest of the crusade. It is not a mountain bike course as some declare it to be, however it definitely suits those of us with mountain bike skills. There is no pavement and all the really fast stretches are on gravel paths and roads. the rest of the course is made up of single track, dirt trails, etc.
The start climbs out of the amphitheater bowl (they do concerts there) and joined the course after a few hundred yards. My nerves had gotten the best of me as I was waiting in the lineup and I pulled a total rookie maneuver at the start by not being able to click in to my pedal. This unfortunately cost me the good starting position going up the hill that I had.
After the initial climb, the first half of the course trended down and traversed a bumpy meadow that was slick with wet grass (it was here that I crashed for thankfully the first and only time), gravel road, buffed trail, and more bumpy meadow. At the far side of the course, the hills began. First up was the “run up,” and immediately following were three short steep terraces. Then began a series of hills interspersed with brief descents through some fairly nice trails. The final bit of climbing went up a gravel road to the top of the course. The last bit went up to the finish line went though a double set of barriers and past the officials/announcers tent.
Through the bumpy meadow - note dirt (crash mark) on my left legAs I mentioned earlier my first lap was pretty pitiful. I started badly and then slid out on on a corner. Each one of these missteps cost me places and required that I crawl and fight my way back towards the front. I never quite made it, but at least finished on the winners lap (7 laps). My final placing was 17th (though I think I actually placed a couple of places higher based on others I finished with...) out of 78 riders. Not to bad, but not nearly what I had been hoping for (I was really shooting for a top 10).
I've been racing fixed gear & single speed mountain bikes for the last couple of years. Often against the same group of guys (weirdos). This course really handed me my a$$ on a platter where I was really wishing for a few lower gears. Kudos to the guys that race single speed week after week.
On a side note, the following video (about 7 minutes long) is pretty cool. It was shot by racer Scott Barker with a reverse camera mounted on his helmet. It really gives some great perspective on the course (and a cross race in general). Best of all, I get some pretty good face time at the 3:12 time mark. You can see me get passed, fall back, speed up again approach from behind, chase for awhile and then pass. (I'm wearing a black & blue Cyclepath Jersey, black shorts with a blue stripe and a black helmet). Enjoy
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Master As vs. Single Speed
I put cross tires on my mountain 29er a week ago and have been putting some miles on it (Forest Park, Tabor, Commuting, etc.). I loved the bike before, but am really loving it now. Skinny tires are fun & fast. The confidence of being upright and using disc brakes is so liberating. I feel like I’m pretty capable of at descending in the dirt on the cross bike, but when I do the same descents on the 29er, I absolutely slay them. I’m riding a 36x18, but need to test out 36x16 which I will try to swap out tonight for a ride on Thursday...
Which makes me wonder if I should plan on racing SS this year? Here is what my schedule is looking like right now.
Sept 30th: Battle at Barlow - Master As
Oct 4th: Alpenrose (Cross Crusade #1) – Master A’s
Oct 14th: Horning’s Hideout*: Single Speed
Oct 21st: Rainer High School: undecided. May take a by
Oct 28th: Astoria Fairgrounds: undecided: May take a by unless the family wants to make a weekend out of it…
November 4th: Barton Park: Master As
November 11th Estacada/ World Single Speed CX championships…: Undecided on which to race. SS might be more fun to watch
November 18th: Hillsboro Stadium: Master As
December 1st: PIR/ USGP of Cyclocross #5: Single Speed?
December 2nd: PIR/ USGP of Cyclocross #6: Single Speed?
* I won at Hornings last year in the Bs. Supposedly the course will be mixed up a bit from last year, but still, there is no pavement, so definitely a mtn SS course.
Which makes me wonder if I should plan on racing SS this year? Here is what my schedule is looking like right now.
Sept 30th: Battle at Barlow - Master As
Oct 4th: Alpenrose (Cross Crusade #1) – Master A’s
Oct 14th: Horning’s Hideout*: Single Speed
Oct 21st: Rainer High School: undecided. May take a by
Oct 28th: Astoria Fairgrounds: undecided: May take a by unless the family wants to make a weekend out of it…
November 4th: Barton Park: Master As
November 11th Estacada/ World Single Speed CX championships…: Undecided on which to race. SS might be more fun to watch
November 18th: Hillsboro Stadium: Master As
December 1st: PIR/ USGP of Cyclocross #5: Single Speed?
December 2nd: PIR/ USGP of Cyclocross #6: Single Speed?
* I won at Hornings last year in the Bs. Supposedly the course will be mixed up a bit from last year, but still, there is no pavement, so definitely a mtn SS course.
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