Keene Pumpkin Cross 2018 - The Flurry @ Surry

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BikeRider
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Keene Pumpkin Cross 2018 - The Flurry @ Surry

Post by BikeRider »

In the not too distant past I made a deal with myself that I would not write a race report unless I earned a spot on a podium. It's not because race reports are not valuable from everyone (they totally are), but many of you have a talent for writing whereas I not have way. This approach in concert with my general lack of riding ability and cardio vascular conditioning has saved me countless hours of agonizing over prose after each race weekend. Many of you can write from experience about winning the hole shot, blocking for a teammate, bridging gaps, covering attacks, and launching counter attacks. I can only recount episodes of blinding pain, breathing through my eyes, leaking oil, treading water, wondering what lap I am on, and running full gas for 35-45 minutes. It's not pretty and I feel like it's been a mutually beneficial situation thus far into the season.

Unfortunately for all of us, I did stand on the second step of an age group podium this weekend. I thought it only right that I post a heart warming and witty story of courage, perseverance, intestinal fortitude, and blind luck. Instead, I will save us all the pain and simply stick to the facts of the race. The CX course (or parcours for the non-neanderthal among you) consisted of the following elements:
  • New Hampshire cold
  • A relatively dry course
  • A mixed C4 field with Juniors, u40,40+,and 50+ all starting at the same time
  • Strong gusts of wind
  • Occasional flurries
  • Throwback high barriers of death
  • A lazy attempt at a sand pile
After getting the full Han Solo carbonite experience in the starting grid following a 10 minute diatribe on why you should not fold your number the race mercifully began. I tried to follow Ian and Mark B for as long as I could. Reality set in circa 200 yards into the first lap and I spent the rest of the race trying to avoid an embarrassing crash and listening to chants of 'Go Jonathan'. This undoubtedly nationally-ranked junior was apparently somewhere near me for portions of the race and his fan base was out in force. When you race as I do, with no matches to burn, no means to attack, no group to share work with, and no real sense of who is in your field, the best part of the race is (next to hearing the bell lap sound) the end of the race. It is only then that your efforts can be fully appreciated and your decisions before and during the race accurately assessed. When it was all done I felt like Louden Swain (if he had gotten 2nd place instead beating the baddest mofo out there):

https://youtu.be/6XdFExsqoC4

On this day life gave me #2 and I was pleasantly surprised by it. On to ORCHARD CROSS!
Last edited by BikeRider on Mon Oct 22, 2018 10:25 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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ppereira
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Re: Keene Pumpkin Cross 2018 - The Flurry @ Surry

Post by ppereira »

MRC really killed it there. I got a top 10.... out of 15 lol Raced in the mixed Cat 4 group with the u40, but at racing age 39 I'm probably better suited to race with my slightly older peers rather than all the college kids! Got off to a decent start (seen in this video passing at 36sec https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7qIGcxQIFU) but in watching this, I seem to spend too much time just behind the cameraman for this first lap instead of trying to get some more positions. The course was laid out in such a way that I could always see Don, Ian, and Mark so felt like I was close, but not close enough apparently!

Anyhow, the main event for me at this particular race was a little back and forth with an MIT guy who has always finished ahead of me, so I was hoping to finally take one from him, but he got just far enough away from me after the last log (a junior created enough of a barrier as well) that I finished just 2sec behind. So I'm 0-5 against this guy. Hoping this weekend will be where the streak ends!

Some positives, got my first sub 500 crossresults points here, so I'm going to be staged mid-pack for Fruitlands and Orchard, so hoping not to squander that, as I've always defied race predictor, gotta keep the streak going!
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BikeRider
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Re: Keene Pumpkin Cross 2018 - The Flurry @ Surry

Post by BikeRider »

Nice work Phil (not Paul, sorry). I saw you fighting it out with that guy. Sounds like you are close to catching him. The video is great too -- it's like having your own cameraman following you around the course.
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strat
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Re: Keene Pumpkin Cross 2018 - The Flurry @ Surry

Post by strat »

This was a fun course...nice setting by the lake and as the wind whipped up during the race the white caps added a little texture!

Still not quite sure why that soggy muddy spot (at the end of the finish straight) was such a strange, light color but it's probably less toxic than Ski Ward or Shedd park!

Junior Jonathan passed me too, only to then wipe out on the hard left switchback going back towards the lake - his clumsy and swerving remount earned him some tire rubs from my MXP's but no lasting damage.

Nice MRC podium domination!
Briana
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Re: Keene Pumpkin Cross 2018 - The Flurry @ Surry

Post by Briana »

Normally I race Casco Bay this weekend, it's always super competitive, freezing cold, and super windy. It's a beautiful venue right on the Ocean in Portland ME.

This year I decided to try something different and opted for the less competitive Keene Pumpkin Cross Race. I raced the masters 40+, we were mixed with the 50+ guys but scored separately. I was "predicted" to win. This was an interesting spot to be in, I don't think I've had the number 1 number since back in my Cat 4 days. I was confident going in but started thinking there are certainly some other fast guys here they just don't have the benefit of starting at the front. This time they do, hmmmm, how fast are they when they can get off the line quickly and don't get bottlenecked in the first turn. We'll see.

I got a good start on the LONG pavement section that went gradually uphill until the first right hander onto the grass.

I led the first two laps. The first lap there was a small group with me but by the second lap the lead group was whittled down to me and two 50+ guys with the 2nd place 40+ guy about 10 seconds back. I was dismounting once per lap for the barriers, I rode the log. By lap 3 myself and Partick Ruane were sharing the lead while 2nd place of both the 40+ and 50+ were by themselves in the wind. We had a pretty good lead. Patrick got me at the line for the "overall", I didn't put up much of a fight, I took the 40+ win.

The course was fun and I was pleasantly surprised to stay pretty dry. I was expecting another mud bog and was not looking forward to it. It was cold and windy but I was comfortable with a short sleeve base layer and long sleeve skinsuit.

See you back in the mud at Orchard Cross, I hope the weather doesn't screw up my sweet costume for the costume race (does that coun't as doubling up :-)?)
Brian Anderson
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Re: Keene Pumpkin Cross 2018 - The Flurry @ Surry

Post by dantelman »

Look at that guy try to elbow and then lean into you at 0:49 sec, but you got the better of him and he ended up nearly falling and unclipping



ppereira wrote: Mon Oct 22, 2018 10:03 pm MRC really killed it there. I got a top 10.... out of 15 lol Raced in the mixed Cat 4 group with the u40, but at racing age 39 I'm probably better suited to race with my slightly older peers rather than all the college kids! Got off to a decent start (seen in this video passing at 36sec https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7qIGcxQIFU) but in watching this, I seem to spend too much time just behind the cameraman for this first lap instead of trying to get some more positions. The course was laid out in such a way that I could always see Don, Ian, and Mark so felt like I was close, but not close enough apparently!

Anyhow, the main event for me at this particular race was a little back and forth with an MIT guy who has always finished ahead of me, so I was hoping to finally take one from him, but he got just far enough away from me after the last log (a junior created enough of a barrier as well) that I finished just 2sec behind. So I'm 0-5 against this guy. Hoping this weekend will be where the streak ends!

Some positives, got my first sub 500 crossresults points here, so I'm going to be staged mid-pack for Fruitlands and Orchard, so hoping not to squander that, as I've always defied race predictor, gotta keep the streak going!
Hup Hup
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