FLCC> NYS Champs - Deep Mud Skill Builder

[Steve Edgar]

Yesterday was the NY State Cyclocross Championships, in Delmar, NY,  
which is just South of Albany.  Mark Shenstone and Cornell undergrad  
Jake Sisson traveled in my Civic, and Nick Robertson drove Jeremy  
Gardner and Matt DeLisa, to make it 6 riders to represent Ithaca.

With all the rain we've had, we knew it would be a slippery course.   
It did not rain during the day, but dry spots were few and far  
between.  A super tough section of the course, known as "the fitness  
trail", had mud the density and depth of which I had never seen.

It was ridable, but only with *a lot* of seated strength.  Never have  
I put out so much power, sitting down, on level ground, just to keep  
my bike moving 3 mph.  Spin the back tire and you stop.  Let up for a  
split second and you stop.  Turn the bars too much and you stop.

Yes, running these sections was faster, but I took it as a personal  
challenge to learn how to ride this stuff.  I didn't care how much  
faster it was to run.  I was going to develop some mad mud skilz!

To make things even harder, there were long run ups just before and  
after the fitness trail.  These were impossible to ride, and very  
steep.  Since there were 2 of these, I'd say the impact to the legs  
was 3 times that of Greene's Wall Of Death.

I can't run to save my life, so I knew the run ups would eventually  
hurt my cycling legs.  This happened about 30 minutes in, but I still  
managed a respectable 23 of 43 starters.  And... I only stalled out  
in the super deep fitness trail mud once.  Every other time I rode it!!!

Congrats to Mark Shentone who finished 90 seconds ahead, and several  
places higher.  Since the field was a mix of NY and New England  
riders, his 20th or so placing put him the 3rd NY State rider in his  
age category.

Our race was scheduled for 45 minutes, but went longer, as they  
calculated the race time on the first 2 laps, which were the  
fastest.  I rolled in at 56 minutes.  I went straight to my car,  
changed my base layer, pulled on a new jersey (already pinned up with  
a B race number), inhaled a Gu, guzzled some coke, and went right  
back to the starting line.  60 seconds I'm out in the B race (cat 3/4  
men).

Why ride another race when I'm already knackered?  This was my chance  
to learn.  I got confident enough to blast into deep mud going fast,  
and stay in control.  I learned how to ride the nastiest sections on  
any line.  I got to where I could be relaxed, balanced, putting out  
every ounce of power I had left, and still turn the bike.

The run ups really whacked my legs in the last 15 minutes.  I finally  
cramped on the last lap, but recovered and rolled it in to finish.

We stayed and watched the Open Men's race.  Cory Burns was a monster,  
and crushed everyone.  I could not believe how fast he could ascend  
the run ups.  Dan Timmerman was second.  Ted King was third.

It was a big day of big off road riding.

-- Steve.