[ChampionTier]

That was an effing blast — well done Team Bikenetic!

[ChampionTier]

Not sure if this is additive to the conversation, but I thought it might be fair to post some notes from this weekend’s GGG.

Overall, I’d say the race went well (though for Your’s Truly it was a catastrophe).

The course:

• Same as last year. Due to the overall dry weather they’d had the trail was hard-packed and very fast (minus the mushy sand areas).
• As you’d expect, the dryness also made for some dusty conditions, especially at the start; some good coordination among the riders calling out hazards in the limited visibility mitigated some of the risk. 1/3 of the way through the first lap when I got my 2nd flat I had a pretty sweet dirt tan going.

Support:

• Pretty ace. About 1/4 mile from the finish was an aid station and one of the guys working there dialed in the pressure on my rear wheel (which carried me another mile or so before my 3rd flat)…and after my 3rd flat as I finished my 3-mile hike to the truck he ran up and gave me a Gatorade.
• There was no visible EMT support for this race; however, when I asked the lady working the registration booth for contact info for anyone who might be able to help in an emergency she gave me a direct line to the Pocahontas Park ranger station.

By way of results, I got the initial report as I sulked in my truck while stuck in traffic on I-95 (but waited to verify my DNF until I was no longer behind the wheel, of course).

You can see the first lap of the B-Race in all its greatness here. I’ve edited out all parts where I was fixing flats.

Edit: Event was chip timed.

[ChampionTier]

@reji 163485 wrote:

One of my favorite moments of the ride was when ChampionTier, who hadn’t even come to a complete stop from his fall, yelled out “Is my bike OK?” With 4 different spills yesterday, I’m so glad that nobody was hurt.

Luckily it was one of those slow-motion falls where your internal monologue goes: “falling…falling…wait, we can land on our fee…nope…here comes the ground” and you have a chance to lessen the impact. All I know is that if Judd says “watch out for [anything]” I’m gonna get hyper-vigilant really quick. Glad you all were there, though…you know…for support and stuff.

[ChampionTier]

@Amalitza 163448 wrote:

wow, really?

I can’t say for a fact that this didn’t happen initially, but I was at the closure for about 15-20 minutes while the evac was occurring and no one tried to do any such thing while I was there. While I was at the tail-end of the field and just finishing up my first lap so who really cares about an extra 15 minutes– I know there were some of the elite racers who were held up from finishing-finishing (and fairly high up in placement probably) but no one was trying to go around.

Until now, all I had in terms of the backstory was from this forum: http://forums.mtbr.com/cyclocross/monstercross-pocahontas-bad-crash-today-1034829.html

[ChampionTier]

Correct, MC was chip-timed (I only remember this because I almost forgot to toss my lo-jack into the bucket and in my post-race-dehydration/exhiliration/disorientation/find-the-beer-station I couldn’t figure out why the two youngsters were talking about my ankles). And if the rumor that someone was darting around the evac to finish is untrue then that’s a plus. It’s good to read these responses and get some clarity on what went down.

I just re-read the e-mail that he sent out about the results; very pithy and clipped. I’m sure in the chaos of all that happened in the days that followed he was getting bombarded by requests for info and maybe felt overwhelmed. I briefly wondered if he went dark for a few days to assess any potential legal woes that might’ve ensued before making any public statements. But to Sunyata’s point, anytime I’ve been in charge of delivering bad news or managing a bad situation, I never thought that I’d have to apologize for transparency (minus next of kin or other sensitive stuff).

GGG ’17 only has 14ish riders signed up which makes it a bite-sized gaggle compared to MC. Good or bad, I hope it’s more manageable for the RRR team.

[ChampionTier]

@Tania 163439 wrote:

I imagine that people got pulled from scoring to help with the emergency since that takes precedence over results. Plus he needed to figure out who got held up, who didn’t and factor that into the times.

Makes sense. Maybe I overestimate the automated ease and fullness of scoring and accountability when using chips.

[ChampionTier]

Ahh yes, understand all… rant away. I had read on one message board that the LZ was fouled due to riders getting in the way, but I was light years away from where it took place so I didn’t see for myself. Then again the place is loaded with trees so I wonder if that was really the issue. Apparently when they did stop traffic one racer blew right by the evac.

I was frustrated by the lack of results, too. Though I finished in my mid-pack standard, the nerd in me really wanted to stare at the data. I feel horrible for the lady who crashed; her life is forever changed, but I couldn’t wrap my head around why that was the reason for delayed results.

[ChampionTier]

@Sunyata 163375 wrote:

I did it last year. It was pretty meh… It is a short-ish loop (6ish miles, if I recall correctly), and is run kind of like a cyclocross race where the race is done when the leader crosses the finish line. I only got in about 38 miles last year after having a major mechanical in the first lap (I got lapped twice, I think).

I am doing an adventure race on the 6th, so not doing GGG this year. But honestly, after this year’s Monster Cross debacle, I am not sure I am ever going to do another one of Junkerman’s races. 😡

I did the beginner race last year and had a pretty decent time; it was my third bike race and at that point they all seemed exciting. Monster Cross was nuts and though I wound up enjoying it overall, I wonder if the debacle you’re referring to was the clamorous mass start which (in my opinion) set conditions for the horrible pile-up ~3 miles into the race or the way the air medvac was handled? At any rate, my hope is that there were some applied lessons learned from it. I’ll give it another chance and let you know how it goes if you like.

Cheers, CT

[ChampionTier]

I’m in!

[ChampionTier]

@Starduster 162810 wrote:

Clermont Ave. and its surrounding neighborhood lie beyond the ramp/stairs. Decades ago, before Metro, I believe Clermont Ave. used to connect with Eisenhower Ave. at this point.

That’s my commute route. After surviv…er, passing through the Eisehower Connector (aka “the Lion’s Jaws”) you must zig-zag through the Clermont wall and go up the big hill (aka “The Dirty Name”). From there you meander around the neighborhood until you’re spit out onto Franconia Rd like a sweaty piece of bicycle meat.

[ChampionTier]

@Sunyata 162793 wrote:

*Also, does it bother anyone else that the grill marks on the watermelon do not match up with the grill’s grill?

r/mildlyinfuriating

[ChampionTier]

@AFHokie 162786 wrote:

Updated Strava Route. There are two options: ride out to Annapolis & back, or take the Balt-Annapolis Trail up to the BWI MARC station and catch the train back to DC. From Nat’s Field to Annapolis is ~45 miles and 68 if we rode up to BWI.

That’s the long way of saying about 90 from the start point if we do an out and back and about 70 if we take the train. Of course there is the third option of riding back from BWI creating a Washapomore Loop which would be 100+ miles depending on the route.

Say we do the 70 mile route: having never ridden on a MARC train, is there a chance for casual beer & chit chat, etc. on the ride home? O&B to Annapolis also sounds cool if we were to take a breather somewhere in town for a bite to eat. I’ll be on 2 weeks of leave and I’m just happy that I finally have the time to go out and meet some new people!

[ChampionTier]

I’m down for the 23rd or 30th — looking forward to it!

Can I hold onto your seatpost if I get tired?

[ChampionTier]

@Harry Meatmotor 162638 wrote:

Yeah, and just a reminder to the OP, this is a crit, not a CX race, so USAC road categories apply. You could be a Cat1 CX’er or Cat1 MTB’er, but if you haven’t toe’d the line in a road race ever, you’d be a Cat5 for Bikenetic DirtyCrit.

All that aside, I can’t wait! Super fun course where roadies like me don’t have to get off the bike for those spots where some goon put boards across the race course! LOL That’s dangerous!!!

I rescind my comment in my response to Sunyata: Cat 5 it is — never road raced. Either way I’m looking forward to it; I s’pose I can wait a month or so for the boards to come back!

@Harry Meatmotor 162638 wrote:

relevant. 😉

Every second of this video is pure gold!

[ChampionTier]

@Sunyata 162559 wrote:

Unless you have upgraded to a Cat 4 with USAC, you will not be able to race in a Cat 4 (only) race. Luckily for you, there is no Cat 4 (only) race! Even more luckily, you can actually do BOTH the Cat 4/5 and the Cat 5 races if you wanted!

Speaking from a cyclocross perspective (I do not even own a bike with less than 38mm tires on it), Cat 5 is generally strictly for beginners. If you have less than 10 races in you (and are not coming in top 10 on a regular basis and are uncomfortable racing with faster riders), you will race Cat 5. Once you hit that 10 race threshold, you should upgrade to Cat 4. If you ARE coming in top 10 or are really comfortable racing with faster riders, then you should go ahead and race Cat 4/5 until you hit your 10 races and then cat up to Cat 4 (but can still race in the 4/5 category). If you podium at least once in a Cat 5 race, you should immediately start racing 4/5 until you hit your 10 races then cat up (and can still race in the 4/5 unless you are coming in top 10, then go up to 3/4). Obviously, if you hit your mandatory upgrade points prior to 10 races, then you should cat up as well.

I guess for a beginner, race in whichever field you are most comfortable in that you license will allow you to race. If you feel better racing with just beginners, stick to the Cat 5 race. If you are faster and want more competition, do the 4/5 race.

I give this response an A+! All is much clearer to me now. I was leaning toward the 4/5 for the 20th; I think I’ll hit my 10th race shortly after the season starts.

@Sunyata 162559 wrote:

(you will NOT crash!).

My mantra after passing the nasty pile-up at Monster Cross!

[Author]

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