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Race Report #1: Another Muddy Start

Race Report #1: Michaux Maximus 4/23/06

All winter I’ve been excited about adding the Michaux Mega Series to my 2006 race schedule. While I had never ridden Michaux up until a preride a few weeks ago, these races are legendary in the mid-Atlantic for being some of the roughest around, with a point-to-point format that doesn’t allow for bailing out. 

My goal in in including this series was to keep the overall Senior Sport race leader position in the City Bikes/DCMTB.com family after Matt Donahue’s victory last year. Unfortunately, today was a major setback in meeting that goal.  Reminiscent of the start of my 2005 season further north in PA, the day was defined by a muddy course and mechanical failures.  But I’ve jumped too far ahead.

When I woke up I was glad to see it wasn’t raining after two days of straight rain.  During the car ride up I felt a bit tight, but figured that was just the prerace jitters.  It was.  After lining up, I took of like a bullet for the death march road climb that preceded the single track.  The pack caught me pretty quickly and I decided it was best to wait until we hit the top and turned down a dirt road just before the first stretch of single track.  I did and entered the first section of single track, a few miles aptly names “Shake and Bake” in 5th or 6th.  Within short order I had moved up to 2nd or third (I think second), and was pulling away.  I caught two expert riders and generally was thrilled with the way I was riding.  Then it started to rain and all hell broke loose.

Shortly after overtaking the 2 experts we rounded a turn and had to navigate a pretty large rock formation.  I started to go over it the same way I had gone over many similar rocks in the past only to have my chain slip off the cassette right when I needed a touch of power - end result I went OTB superman style.  Surprisingly only the two experts I had just passed overtook me. 

I eventually passed the two experts again, but could now hear more rumblings behind.  At the same time, my drive train just wouldn’t settle in any cog.  After one climb I went to shift into a smaller cog and realized that I was still in the big cog.  Turns out the rear derailleur cable had pulled out of the derailleur.  I spun like crazy, but could hear the pack closing in.  Since it was still early in the race, I decided to stop and fix it in hopes of having my full range latter.  What seemed like the entire pack past me.

After the fix, I was able to shift, but things were still not right.  The chain didn’t seem to want to say in any one cog, every attempt to power over an obstacle resulted in the chain slipping or chain suck and any shift into the small ring guaranteed massive chain suck.  It was starting to look like a long day.  Nonetheless, I took off determined to make up for lost ground.  After an endo that left me with a twisted ankle and some scrapes on my knee, I took off again, but it seemed like everytime I tried to pass someone my drive train failed.  I was starting to get discouraged.

Eventually I found a cog that kind of worked.  Of couse, it was too steep for the climbs and technical sections and too light for the few spots where I could really open up.  Most importantly, the odds of chain suck or slippage where high everytime I had to apply a lot of pressure on the pedals.  After many trail side repairs I felt like I must have been running near the back.

Eventually we hit the fire road that I knew signalled the approaching end of the race.  However, the organizers decided to through in one last trick by sending us down the slickest section of single track of the day before dumping us back out on the fire road for the last run of the day.  With a few miles of double track to go I decided to test out my big ring. 

I ended with one last attempt on the double track where I passed a number of riders, but still finished (unofficially) 10th out of about 25 racers and 15 minutes off the podium.  Not the day I was hoping for, but hopefully I can get my bike working for Greenbrier next week.  On that note, time to change my ice pack.

 

Comments»

1. chopotter - April 24, 2006

Get that crap straightened out and podium! I know you’ll be in the running at Greenbrier… unlike myself, who is hoping not to be DFL in the singlespeed class.