Over the Hump 6: The Halfway Point

I got a pretty good jump off the line and was around 4th or 5th as we rounded the first turn and dropped to the lower level.  I slowly worked my way past people  and was in the lead as we entered the first climb.  I kept telling myself to go slow and not try to win the race on the first lap, which is something I have not been able to do in the past.   

2 guys went around me on the first climb and I made the decision to just let them go.  Again....  be mellow and don't blow up.  The first guy quickly opened up about a 50 yard lead and 2nd and I settled in to a fairly mellow yet fast pace.  Sure enough, the guy in the lead slowed up and dropped back behind the group by the time we got to long flat straight at the bottom of the hill.   

I worked my way to the front a few turns later and led until the end of the lap when the  "series leader" jersey passed me.  He was "excited" on the bike (moving a lot and wasting energy) and I figured he wouldn't be able to keep that pace the last two laps. I figured it was best to stay mellow, settled in, and followed him on the flat straights through the finish line and all the way to the first climb on lap two.

2 guys attacked right at the bottom of the climb and immediately opened up a good gap.  One of them was Alex who is another Fullerton Bikes rider I have battled with a few times this year.  So now I’m in 4th, but when I looked back I noticed the group of 8 was down to the 4 of us, which took a little pressure off because I knew I could take some chances without losing a bunch of positions if things didn't work out.

I could tell the guy in 3rd (leaders jersey) was hurting and it was killing him to let the leaders get away.  At the same time, I knew he didn't have much left.  So I did what savvy racer would do:  Talked him in to trying to bridge up by saying something like "Hey man!  Don't let them get away.  The race will be over if they have a big gap at the top."  He clicked a gear powered away, but quickly tired and  dropped anchor.  My plan worked and I was back in front of him by the time we crested the top without wasting any energy.

Just after the top, I caught one of my Red Monkey teammates on the downhill to the water. Randy is instantly more bad ass than the rest of us since he exclusively runs Single Speed.  I gave him a shout out as I went by and  then crossed in front of him for the good line on the inside.  Just after the turn I heard Randy yell "Finally a wheel I know!"  He latched on and hung with me for a long time on that lap which was impressive. All I could see was legs SPINNING every time I looked back!

I was still telling myself to "Take it easy. Don't blow up", and I thought that I was, but my HR was creeping up and I know my pace was as well.   Just before the climb on the backside I noticed I was slowly making up ground on the 2 leaders and I knew I would be able to catch them by the start of the third lap.  I also spotted Brent Franze up in the distance, who I assumed crashed because he could probably drop me if he was racing a BMX bike out there (the kid is seriously fast).  As I caught Brent he told me to get on his wheel, and pulled me (with a lot words of "encouragement") up to the two lead guys.  

Before I knew it, we closed the gap and I was happy to see the 2 leaders looked like they were feeling as bad as I was.  I went by Alex to move into second in the tree section before the finish of lap two, then set my sights on the leader.

My plan at this point was to be patient and just wait until the "right time" at the end of the race...  Then I spotted a big group of slower riders ahead of us.  I thought about it for a second and decided to try to swing past him and at the same time cut to the inside of the group and, with any luck, put them between us.  The move worked well, but I may have timed it just a bit too early as he was able to come with me.  I think he got back by me on the climb and I did everything I could to stay right on him (I honestly don't remember!).  I was literally dizzy at the top of the climb and knew I went all out as I hit my highest HR of the year at 191!!

The rest of the race was a bit of a yo yo.... the leader would gap me, then I would dig deep to catch up, then he would either gap me or I would get stuck in traffic.  Either way, I was just never able to make something stick.

And just like that, the 2105 Over the Hump season is half over!!!  I'm looking forward to having the next few Tuesday evenings off, but I'm sure at 6:00 on Tuesday evening I'll be wishing I was sitting on the line waiting for the "5  4  3  2  BEEEEEEEP".

Some Stats:

Max HR: 191

Average HR: 179

4 Fullerton Bikes riders in the Top 10.

Over the Hump Race 5: Settling In

Right around Race 5 is where the Over the Hump Series hits its groove.  The races are being run smooth, people have shuffled their classes, and the regulars start to figure out who their main competition will be for the year.  Race 5 is also where they turn the course back around to run clockwise.  

I lined up on the front row and once again gave the "follow me" look to my buddy Masa just before the start. I got an OK jump after the horn but had a few guys got around me quickly.  Then I heard a few people come together behind me followed by the sound of bikes and people hitting the pavement.   All I could think was "MASA!" and spent the entire race hoping he was not caught up in the mess.  

The lead group was REALLY nervous for some reason and I kept getting shuffled back entering the climb.  There were guys sprinting past and then blowing up 100 yards later.  I tangled bars 3 or 4 times with people, but somehow managed to stay upright and clipped in.  About halfway up the climb everyone had settled in, but there was still people rubbing tires and running into each other.  This was not a normal start for this class!! I crested the top of the climb around 9th or 10th and figured I had more than enough time to figure out how to get to the front.

Then I realized what was ahead of us.....  

The Beginner classes at Over the Hump are great.  They are filled with people who are good riders who have never raced, and new riders that are just trying out this "mountain bike thing".  More than anything the beginner classes are fun and are a great introduction to racing (I should know since I first raced with them in 2011), but more than anything, the beginner classes are big....  Like 40+ riders per class big.   

The Beginners run on a slightly different course than the Sport and Elite riders.  This week they were going to cut out the first climb and I realized we would be merging with them right after their start (before they had a chance to thin out).  I suddenly realized on the long flat straight we were going to make a turn and up a short climb and then get dumped right into a huge class of beginner racers.

Photo by G2 Bikes

I threw my plans to take my time to get to the front out the window and grabbed 2 gears as we turned to head up the short climb, swung wide and passed as many guys as I could.  I don't think anyone realized what was going on and most just let me go.  I was in second by the time we caught the first beginner class and was able to move into the lead as we worked through that pack.

It wasn't long before we started catching the slower Sport 1 and 2 riders as well as the other Beginner classes.  Basically, it was chaos.   For the next two laps, I put my head down, turned the pedals, and passed people.  Lots of people.  I wasn't sure if anyone in my class was with me or who was around mostly because there were so many people.

I was worked as I crossed the line for the final lap and shortly after someone in my class flew by me.  He had a pace I knew I wouldn't be able to hold and, after a quick glance over my shoulder, I figured I would be able to cruise to the finish.   Then on the first climb I glanced back and saw a fellow Fullerton Bikes rider running me down.   He had made up a ton of ground, so I had to ramp the pace back up and charge to keep second place.  I went all out the rest of the lap and ended up second on the night, which I was happy with considering how chaotic the race was.  

Shortly after the finish I ran into Masa and found out he was able to avoid the pile up on the start.

Over The Hump 2015: Race 4

I was finally able to make a few moves on the line up and snag a front row start for this weeks race.  Knowing that Dave (the guy who won last week) has had me covered up to this point in the season, I figured my plan would be to go hard off the start, get out front and hope that he would get caught in traffic allowing me to get away.  Then I looked over and saw him 3 people over from me.

I was 4th off the line when the pack narrowed for the first dogleg, but shot to the lead around the first turn using the inside edge of the lake for a berm.  I simply kept pedaling while everyone in front of me negotiated the turn on the flat ground just above it.  I put my head down and charged into the narrow tree section, and when I finally glanced over my shoulder, all I could see was Dave and the other guy we have been battling with all year right behind me.  My plan to get out front worked, but unfortunately they came with me.  Oh well...

 

On the rev limiter early in the race.

One thing I've not mastered in this whole cycling thing is pacing.  I assume it’s the "moto" guy in me, but once I get to the front all I know is to go as hard as I can to get away.  I have these visions of dropping everyone and disappearing, but in reality I usually end up bringing at least one person with me and then watching them as they motor past me later in the race.

I led most of the first lap and pushed hard through the new "BMX" section and one of the long flat straights.  We stayed very close together and traded work back and forth for the first lap.  We were so close that the 3 of us got the same lap time!

Lap two was a lot like lap one, except by the end I was struggling to hang on to the back and cursing my inability to pace early in the race.  I stayed in a good position until the steep climb in the back when a slower rider held me up and the leaders got a small gap.  I held the gap to 8 seconds for the rest of the lap and most of lap three, but was never able to get close enough to latch back on.   I took a big gamble on the last climb on lap three, but that soon backfired and I lost about 20 seconds.  I ended up a distant 3rd with Dave stretching a good-sized lead over 2^nd place on the third lap as well.

Stats:
Race Time: 0:50.2
Max Heart Rate: 187
Average Heart Rate: 176

Photo by Steven Nadaskai

So 4 races in I can tell the three of us probably need to be moved up a class because it doesn't look like anyone else will be able to match our pace.  That being said, I would have finished 15th out of 25 in Super Sport this week, so its not like we would move up and be contenders in the next class.  Either way, this has been a great time and it is the first time I have been able race with a few guys who are all relatively close in speed and are able to work together to pull away from a group before we take on each other.

Thanks to Red Monkey, Fullerton Bikes, TLD, Swiftwick, Kenda Tire, KMC Chain for all of the help this year.  

PB Creative Photo

Photo by Steven Nadaskai

Over the Hump Is Back!

Race 1:  The weekly sufferfest is back!!!

The first race of the year is always a bit of a shit show.  It always sells out (600+ racers) and things take a bit longer because everyone needs to sign waivers in person and pick up the number plates they'll use for the year.  This year was no different as the start was delayed from 6:00 to around 6:30.

That's a lot of cars waiting to get in.

This is important because I had no idea what times things would actually get started and was out riding around trying to stay loose they brought out the signs for the starting rows.  I did what I could to get up front, but I was stuck about 4 rows back and when the race started I got pinched out by the starting banner which pushed me even further back.  Once I got clear of the start I knew I had to pass as many people as before the course narrowed for the first climb.  I immediately went back to the usual OTH "Red Mist" as I swung around the pack and pedaled as fast and as hard as I could.  I ended up in the top 10 by the climb and continued to work my way by people throughout the first lap.

I was up to 4th as we started lap 2 and was in a good 3-way battle with 3rd and 5th.  We went back and forth and maintained a bike length lead over each other for the next two laps.  Ryan Hughes was in first place and he and the guy in 2nd had a good lead.  I could see them up in the distance, but knew there was no way we were going to bridge up to them.

Red Monkey Sports

I kept thinking I had something and would kick it up a notch at the finish and end up 3rd. Well with about 4 minutes left in the lap I figured it was my time and I took off.  I got a quick gap on the two other guys and was now in 3rd, but then one of them went by me and before I knew it he was gone.

I was pretty pumped to end up 4th on the day considering how bad my race started.  Plus, I didn't feel THAT bad out there (certainly better than I have at the first race previous years) and I got to see a ton of people I hadn't seen since last August.

This is my buddy Masa.  Somehow he fell in the only mud puddle in the entire course.  He's super energetic and it's awesome having him out at the races.

People and bikes everywhere.  Not a bad weekly crowd for a Tuesday!

Race 3:  The Birthday Race!

I had to sit out the second week due to some sort of food poisoning/stomach flu, so I was fired up for week 3.  To make things even better, this race happened to fall on my birthday!  I learned from my mistakes in week one and got to the line early enough to get towards the front which would make things easier on the first lap.

This week’s race ran the opposite direction of weeks 1 and 2, which I was happy with since I always seem to race better this direction.  I've never been able to figure out why, but all I can think of is the first major climb is later in the lap and it allows everyone to settle down a bit before heading up hill.

I'm a big fan of the new Fullerton Bikes kit! Photo: Called to Creation.

I got a great jump off the line and was in 3rd or 4th by the time we entered the first section of trees.  My plan was to hang out there for a bit and see what the leaders had.  Before long people started dropping off and by half way through the first lap the lead group was down to 3 of us, with me in the lead.  I didn't know the guy in 3rd, but the guy right behind me was the same guy who beat me at the finish in week 1.  I settled in because I knew this is going to be a fast race.

The climb on the back half of the course is not long (around 2 minutes), but what it lacks in distance is made up for in grade (the bottom is around 18%).  To make things worse, there's a tight left hand turn right at the bottom that prevents you from carrying any real momentum into it and there's usually traffic and people walking.

I made a pass back for the lead on the climb as the leader was stuck in traffic and decided I would take off and try to get a gap and put additional people between myself and 2nd and 3rd.  I had a good sized lead by the end of the first lap, so I figured my move worked, but a few minutes later I looked back and noticed they caught right back up.  At this point we were dealing with a lot of slower riders from other classes, and I don't think they realized they went by me while I was in a pack because they took off and were gone.

Leading the way early on lap 2.  That guy behind me ended up winning.  You can see he's laughing at me.

By the end of the second lap the leader was nowhere in sight, but 2nd place was only about 10 seconds in front of me.  I did what I could to catch up, but lets be real…. that wasn’t happening this late in the race.  I was worked from the pace of the first two laps and had a better chance of throwing up than catching second.

I ended up 3rd on the night, finishing about 10 seconds behind 2nd, but over a minute behind the guy who won (the same guy who beat me at the first race).  I spoke to him after the race and he confirmed he never saw me as he went by and was going as hard as he could to try to catch up.

Following the race I hung out with the Red Monkey crew, had a few birthday beers, and traded war stories from the race.  I’ve had a lot of good times with those guys this year and it’s been fun have a team to lean on at the races.

This is Dave.  He scored his first pint glass this week and you look close you can see the fire in his eyes and know he is hooked.

Sea Otter XC Race

My call time for Sundays XC race 8:30, which meant I received a 5:30 wake up call.  I arrived at Laguna Seca around 7:00, got changed and headed into to the track.  The weather was cold, foggy and drizzly, so at this point I'm doing the usual debate of how many layers to wear.  I ended up wearing minimal layers and figured I'd be cold on the start, but would warm up once we were a few miles into the race.

The XC race warms up, starts and finishes on the speedway, which for me was a cool bonus.  There's something really special about being on a legendary racetrack and being able to see the corkscrew up close as it faded into the morning fog.

The early morning view from the top of the Corkscrew.

Staging for the start.

The energy on the start was great.  Music was playing and there was quite a few spectators cheering on their friends and family.  I was a bit more anxious than usual because I didn't know any of the riders and had no idea what to expect out on the course.  Was the guy in the tri jersey going to be fast?  Was that guy with the camel back a sleeper who would sprint off the line and take the early lead?

Sea Otter 2015

The trip to Sea Otter is always an early start with a 5:30 am roll out time, but this year I had the privilege of driving solo because I decided to race XC on Sunday morning.   The drive may have been long (and I had no one to split gas with), but it gave me the freedom to stay at the track and pre-ride XC on Friday and hang out after the race for a bit on Sunday.

I rolled out of HB at 5:30 AM sharp (with the exception of a quick stop at Starbucks) and the rest of the crew left Corona at the same time with the plan of meeting up "whenever someone decided to stop for some food".  As I cruised up the 405 I hit the usual LA traffic, a couple of accidents and some construction, so I was sure I was WAY behind Matt and Eric.  When the 5 and 210 freeways merged, I was completely shocked to see what looked like Matt's car a few hundred yards in front of me.  Funny how things just work out....

Yeah, that was pretty good timing.

We arrived at Sea Otter around noon, I checked in at sign ups, and headed in to the venue to check out the vendors and Fridays action.  Of course the first stop was over at the Red Monkey tent to see the HMIC himself.

Red Monkey enters the big leagues with their first booth at Sea Otter.  Thanks for the food (and the beer!). 

Kenda Cup At Fontucky

Nothing says world class mountain bike event like "FONTANA"!

That's right, Fontana, home to Rotollo Chevrolet and California Speedway, and the birth place of the Hells Angels  was home to Round 3 of the Kenda Cup Series.

I decided to take 2nd row start in staging, right behind Austin Squires.  I figured that was as good a place as any since he has lead almost every lap of the series so far.  This turned out to be a mistake as soon as the start bell because he got hung up and got a horrible jump.  Going into the first tight left turn I got pinched off, pushed into the soft inside and had to unclip to avoid falling over.  I regrouped quickly, but by the time I got going I was in last and there was a good gap to the end of the field.

LA Marathon Crash Ride

When you mention to someone you are going to do the Marathon Crash Race you get 1 of 2 reactions.  The first is “what the heck is the crash race?” an the other is something along the lines of “REALLY?  I heard that race is crazy!”

For those that don’t know what it is, the Crash Race was started by a Wolfpack Hustle, a legendary cycling group based in Los Angeles known for their unsanctioned underground races and late night rides around Los Angeles.  They saw the street closures for the LA Marathon as a way to experience the city in a way few ever get to:  No cars and no traffic.  

The race quickly grew in popularity through word of mouth and by 2013 several thousand people showed up.  That was my first year and it still holds up as one of the most fun events I have been a part of.  

In 2014, the City of Los Angeles put a stop to the event citing safety concerns and threatened to arrest the promoter if the race took place.  

A few weeks ago Wolkpack Hustle sent out an email letting everyone know the race would not be happening in 2015, but the City had agreed to let a “ride” take place with a few conditions: 1) the ride would be led by LAPD and everyone had to stay behind the leaders, 2) the start time would be pushed to 5:30 AM (previous races started around 4am).  Sure, it wouldn’t be as fun as an all out race, but we would still get to ride at a good pace with a fully closed course from Los Angeles to Santa Monica.

RIP Tangs.  

Kenda Cup Round 1: She's A Mudder!

The first round of the Kenda Cup rolled off at Vail Lake this past weekend.  The entire week the forecast called for rain all day Saturday and Sunday, but I was hoping the weatherman was wrong after we got almost zero rain and had good weather on Saturday.  Saturday night night I got a text from someone camping at the track telling me they were looking at the stars.  I went to bed thinking things were gong to be pretty nice out there and we might get lucky.

I woke up Sunday morning to sunlight in Huntington Beach, but then I checked my phone and saw it was raining in Temecula.  Shit.  I loaded up and drove out there hoping it would be done by the time I got there.  I hit rain on the 15 at Elsinore and it only got worse from there.

I pulled in to the campground to find out it had been raining since midnight the night before and had not let up.  As it turned out, the rain would remain steady all the way up to the 11:00 race start. 

A view of the entrance to the pits.