US Cup Race 1 - Bonelli Park

Yesterday on the 1st March I had the first of my races for the year. It was an XC race in San Dimas, being part of the US Cup West Division, as well as one of the races in the Southern California State Series. Total distance was roughly 24 miles and total climbing about 3400ft (38km, 1050m). My time was 1hr 52 mins.

I was pretty disappointed with how it went in the end. It was a bit of a disaster really. I got 12th out of about 20 in the Cat 1 (25-29 age) Class. This is the old expert class and is one under the Pro's. It’s a huge step up from the lower classes I won last year. A huge step up. There are some very fast fit people I'm up against.

The course was relentless. No super steep pitches but it didn't let up. You were pedal to the metal the whole time really especially with the hot competition. Speaking of hot the backside of the main climb was in the open, the heat beating up off the fire roads. It was at least 32/33 degrees c. I think I brought a new meaning to the word 'sweat'.

First Lap - Started out with a bang. Everyone is super eager and I struggled to hang with the top guys. The large long fire road climb was first up and it was 'HOT'. Anyway I was running 45 PSI in my tires and was skittering around all over the show. I keep pinch flatting and pinch flatted out there on the Pre-Ride the day before with 40 PSI so I was playing it safe. The first techy, fast rock downhill highlighted to me I had to be on it. I had little grip for braking on the loose dirt and had to hang it out a little on some of the corners. Into the first rocky single track and I was starting to have some fun. I passed a few people and they must have thought I was nuts. With no grip I must have looked like a ball in a pinball machine banging off rocks on the way down the rocky trail. Still it was fun till my bottle flew out of the cage. For a split second I thought stuff it, then decided to stop. Threw the bike on the side of the hill and ran back up to get it. About 10 people passed me in that time (not just my class though). This same issue happened once more 10 mins later and I was fuming. I bent my metal cages big-time to hold the bottle tighter and it was fine from there on.

So I continued to attack the climbs then on the last downhill of the lap I was screaming, though I braked way to late and ended up going straight off the track (instead of making the left turn) somehow not going over the bars and coming to rest on a huge scrubby bush still clipped in. It must have been a sight. I was ecstatic. It was a real buzz.

Lap 2 - Was uneventful. It hurt and my legs were dying. I passed a few people in my class and think that at one stage I was in 5/6th place. The heat killed me though and I noticed that I was not drinking enough.

Lap 3 - Start of the main climb I got a new bottle handed to me but the damage was done. I started to cramp. It was so bad. I had to stop halfway up (for at least 5mins) for a stretching session in the best shade I could find. So many people passed me. It was horrible. I knocked down a shot and finished all my drink and continued the climb. Geez for the next 10 mins I was crawling up the hill with my right quad and left hammy wanting to cramp AGIAN. Finally the single-track came and I am sure a glimour of a smile reappeared on my face for a little while. 10 mins later I think the substances kicked in. My legs were tight and sore but they would not cramp and I could use the remaining grunt left in them. I started to pass people again and hung with a pro for about 2 mins (though he was on his 4th lap). I was feeling good, the best I had for the whole race. So yeah, I finished in 12th, I was disappointed and pleased cause at one-point I was on the verge of pulling out.

Many lessons have been learnt. I got carried away the day before and built my new bike. This was the first ride I had on it. Luckily there were no issues though I would have known about the bottle cages had I ridden it before hand. At this level to be competitive I need to take the nutrition a bit more seriously before and during the race I need to force the right stuff into me. I need to make myself drink the right stuff and need to make myself use gels. If I came back from such bad cramps I am sure that if I do stuff right from the start I will not end up in that position. The day before food is also important and drinking beers/margaritas at a party, even only a few of them is not ideal, not to mention the random food I ate that night.

I also need to think a bit more about the training. I need to do recovery rides and simply plan my training a little better. Geez it’s all so much work eh.

One thing I have noticed was even with these real long road rides I have been doing, well they might give me a base but a 2hr long MTB race is a different story. The concentration needed and the shear intensity is at another level. Road racing is very different being in packs and drafting etc. All the Mtb races are painful in comparison. You are working all the time. So yeah along with the long road rides and road races I need to look at simulating the MTB races much more closely with some more intense 2hr sessions on the dirt. I can’t wait till day light savings comes.

Anyway hopefully I can sort some of this stuff out and be more competitive at the next race at the end of March in Fontana. This one might be even bigger than the 700 riders at this race. It has UCI points up for grabs though that means nothing to me. That’s best left to the likes of Sid Taberlay. The Aussie Champ racing for Shoair in the States who won yesterday. Just for comparison he was roughly 25% faster than me doing 4 laps in the time I did 3. Sick. Hopefully they will not lap me next time :-)