Post by Josh Whitmore on Dec 14, 2007 10:25:14 GMT -5
Deb's first race was on Thursday in the B women category. Last year she finished 20th in this same event.
The course at 9am was still frozen, but with a lot of people riding on it, a singletrack groove had been worn into the path. Deb's race actually turned out to be the best conditions of the day. I've never seen course conditions change so fast. Once it got above freezing, the ice started to melt, and the course changed from fozen snow and ice covered to pure wet sloppy mud. The Noon races were riding/running in about 4 inchs of very wet mud. Yuk!
Deb had a great race and was off the front with one other women for most of the race. The two of them had about a 20sec gap on the first lap. 2 other women caught them midway through the race, but then yo-yoed back again as they hit the technical sections. I was thinking to myself that Deb could win this race!
By the last lap, the lead woman was about 25sec in front of Deb who had about a 15sec lead on 3rd. Unfortunately the 3rd and 4th place women were a little faster up the steps near the finish and came out on the pavement (300m to go) right on Deb's wheel. A sprint ensued for 2nd place between the 3 women. Deb ended up 4th, a bit dissapointed that she lost 2nd, but happy to have ridden a good race and been in contention. She was so much faster in the slippery technical sections today, but just a little slower on the pavement.
Other NC notables from the day... Tim Hopkin who runs the NCCX series started on the back row of 170 riders and finished 18th in the B men. Can you imagine passing 150 people in 45mins?
Deb races again today in her masters age group. This is a real National Championship race with a stars and stripes jersey on the line. Deb is hungry for redemption.
Weather today should warm up again above freezing, so the course will be wet slop again. Tonight, they are calling for colder temps and 6-8inchs of SNOW, just in time for my first race on Saturday.
I'll be able to put up photos when we get home.
Josh
The course at 9am was still frozen, but with a lot of people riding on it, a singletrack groove had been worn into the path. Deb's race actually turned out to be the best conditions of the day. I've never seen course conditions change so fast. Once it got above freezing, the ice started to melt, and the course changed from fozen snow and ice covered to pure wet sloppy mud. The Noon races were riding/running in about 4 inchs of very wet mud. Yuk!
Deb had a great race and was off the front with one other women for most of the race. The two of them had about a 20sec gap on the first lap. 2 other women caught them midway through the race, but then yo-yoed back again as they hit the technical sections. I was thinking to myself that Deb could win this race!
By the last lap, the lead woman was about 25sec in front of Deb who had about a 15sec lead on 3rd. Unfortunately the 3rd and 4th place women were a little faster up the steps near the finish and came out on the pavement (300m to go) right on Deb's wheel. A sprint ensued for 2nd place between the 3 women. Deb ended up 4th, a bit dissapointed that she lost 2nd, but happy to have ridden a good race and been in contention. She was so much faster in the slippery technical sections today, but just a little slower on the pavement.
Other NC notables from the day... Tim Hopkin who runs the NCCX series started on the back row of 170 riders and finished 18th in the B men. Can you imagine passing 150 people in 45mins?
Deb races again today in her masters age group. This is a real National Championship race with a stars and stripes jersey on the line. Deb is hungry for redemption.
Weather today should warm up again above freezing, so the course will be wet slop again. Tonight, they are calling for colder temps and 6-8inchs of SNOW, just in time for my first race on Saturday.
I'll be able to put up photos when we get home.
Josh