13 October 2009

2009 October 11, Surf City #1, Soquel High School

CTL: 115
TSB: -3
This week cut my Saturday pre-race ride down to fifty easy miles so let's see if it has any effect on the race.

I don't know why but today's race has a much smaller turnout of 30 versus the 100 plus at the Pilarcitos 2009 debut. It's a shame because the Soquel High School course could handle a much larger field with longer wide stretches and more passing opportunities.

Slot in on the second row of four instead of fifth row of ten. This makes a huge difference because one can actually go as hard as one wants to go instead of having to wait for the opportunity to move up and then have three guys fighting for one foot of trail.

Make it halfway through the first lap with the first group of five riders, which is kind of surreal for me since I don't think that's ever happened. The juniors that started thirty seconds behind us start passing us within three minutes! The elastic between me and the front group snaps at the end of the lap as Lee passes me and I can't hang onto the top six. I am able to maintain this position for the rest of the race. Lee unfortunately flats and has to DNF and another rider in front of me blows with two to go and I move up to fourth and stay there, with Dwayne starting to close the gap from just behind on the last set of hairpin turns but running out of course to catch me so I get fourth. I think that's the highest placing I've ever gotten in a cross race with more than four people.

T: 35:42
D: 11.2 km
S: 18.9
C: 75
Pavg: 178
Pnorm: 210
surf200901

2 comments:

Slonie said...

You did good at that race!

I actually ran it out until I could get another wheel and somehow brought myself back into 13th place. I never want to DNF again, even if it means running a whole lap!

Steven Woo said...

Yeah, but you are on fire now, I think I can barely manage close to 13th place at my best.