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.