Team:
Nick Bradford
Mike Brindza
Andre “Gravy-Please” Gondouin
Nick “Mo-gravy” Steber
Andrew “Show-me-the-gravy” Shoaff
Dennis “Fruit-cup, hold the gravy” Turbeville
Chris “Dough-boy” Dougherty
Matt “Endo” Rosier
The circuit was definitely challenging due to the significant climb up main street coupled with the extra hot weather. The previous day’s road race also took its toll (on at least one face). The caloric grease bomb breakfast of potatos, bacon, ham & eggs topped with sausage/chipped-beef gravy that Andre, Steber & Sho-off sho-nuff wolfed down beforehand at the local diner, may have also contributed to its difficulty. Despite his dainty fruit cup, Turbo still suffered gastro issues just watching the Hawksbill Diner Gravy Train Trio at their showdown in the trough.
Re: Luray
At least one credible source has ranked the Criterium at Luray the 2nd most difficult of 18 local crits. Described as:
_____________________
Attricious : a. Having a high attrition factor b. chaff dispenser c. Any race that sheds over half its field synonym: assplosion
This…hill…will….eat…your…..soul. While it’s short, it’s steep, like 12% steep, like who-tha-f&ck-puts-a-hill-like-this-in-a-crit steep. Not only will this race shed half the field from contention, it will do so by lap two. Bring an extra diaper; you’re going to need it.
_______________________
Similar to Reston, the eight turns were wide enough to be railed sans brakes. The utter lack of any corner-carnage was due more to the winnowing of the field on each lap rather than flowing corners. Even the usual sketchy suspects didn’t create any havoc. After a couple of up-tempo hot laps, a few hopefuls gapped the field on the hill in an effort to escape. They were never out of sight for long, inevitably getting caught on the ensuing lap weaving up the hill looking the opposite of strong. Cirque Du Soleil Rosier, Dough-boy & Matt Nowak all spent time in front chasing down the overly optimistic flyers. This kept the field working to keep up and as a result, with five laps to go, we were down to seventeen in the main pack. On the penultimate lap, we were down to eleven. The final sprint felt like a slow motion affair at first and positioning was not a problem on the wide avenue leading up to the finish. Tony Barsi (WWVC) started early and held the momentum to win, dragging Nowak (Gripped Racing) along behind him. Dough-boy, Rosier and I ramped up halfway up the hill, working our way past the dying pack but couldn’t close the gap on the top four. We were still accelerating as we crossed, finishing 8th, 6th & 5th respectively. We also finished 2nd, 10th & 4th respectively in the Omnium points standings. With their upgrades soon to be pending, I have no doubt Rosier & Dough-boy will be tough contenders in the next category and I have thoroughly enjoyed racing with them this year.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Clarendon Cup Crystal City Criterium 2011
I'm burned & crispy to the bone from this weekend: Clarendon cup + Air Force Classic 100K + Crystal crit = couch time
I got shelled at the Clarendon cup and I crashed in the 100K on sunday morning (I was half-wheeling DC Velo Harry who zigged to avoid a woman who zagged & I bounced). Vday Danny behind me claims he got it on video so I'll post it, along w/ some cherry pics of my strawberry ground-beef *ss.
After the race I had a beer and buffalo burger with Brook & Tony then rode back to Falls church to feel out my legs. Even soft-pedaling, I felt terrible. Just awful. Woozy, headache boo-hoo, wah-wah *sniffle sniffle* pout, poor me.
But I'm cheap and I paid $45 to race... So I left the house at 2 for the 2:30 start thinking I would let fate decide whether I’d get there in time (my subconscious had already decided I’d be drinking another couple of beers w/in the hour).
Fate smiled-on (or snarled-at) me since the ladies race ran long and our race was delayed a few minutes. After scrambling around getting everything pinned, pooped, popped & filled I rolled up at the very back of the start. Late, but just in time. I wanted to poke my middle finger in fates eye-socket.
Right from the start, things were sketchy and I clung onto the back by my fingernails. The 8 corner crit quickly devolved into a crashtacular crashfestival of crashy crashness in crashingtonion proportions. I've never seen anything like it. Second lap, second turn: on my front wheel a multiple person pile-up (I overheard someone say 20) followed immediately in the next turn by a dude doing a cirque de soleil style, hand stand flip, over on top of the barriers. Again, it was on my front wheel & as I locked it up I expected to get crushed from behind by the two guys that were further back than me. The tattered field was spread single file thin all over the course. Luckily for those of us tailgunning in the breeze, they stopped the race while the ambulance swept up the metal & flesh, flotsam & jetsam. After standing for 10-15 minutes in the breezeless, stagnant, oppressive, sweaty heat, we restarted and I got to witness two MORE separate crashes in turn 2. Two MORE NCVC'rs (Andy & Mikerr) were crashed into later in turn 2 and 6 respectively. Surprisingly, I felt better with each lap as the double shot caffeinated my brain and lied to me about my condition. I jumped up near the front with 8 laps to go and felt like I might actually be a contender. With 6 laps to go, I super-cramped just at the turn 2 of destruction and pulled myself lest I pile up some more bodies.
overall, I call it a win and feel good about it.
yaaaaaay....
on the other hand, I'm done with riding for at least another 22 hours. Perhaps the Tue noon ride might be an option.
put some jelly on me, I'm toast
I got shelled at the Clarendon cup and I crashed in the 100K on sunday morning (I was half-wheeling DC Velo Harry who zigged to avoid a woman who zagged & I bounced). Vday Danny behind me claims he got it on video so I'll post it, along w/ some cherry pics of my strawberry ground-beef *ss.
After the race I had a beer and buffalo burger with Brook & Tony then rode back to Falls church to feel out my legs. Even soft-pedaling, I felt terrible. Just awful. Woozy, headache boo-hoo, wah-wah *sniffle sniffle* pout, poor me.
But I'm cheap and I paid $45 to race... So I left the house at 2 for the 2:30 start thinking I would let fate decide whether I’d get there in time (my subconscious had already decided I’d be drinking another couple of beers w/in the hour).
Fate smiled-on (or snarled-at) me since the ladies race ran long and our race was delayed a few minutes. After scrambling around getting everything pinned, pooped, popped & filled I rolled up at the very back of the start. Late, but just in time. I wanted to poke my middle finger in fates eye-socket.
Right from the start, things were sketchy and I clung onto the back by my fingernails. The 8 corner crit quickly devolved into a crashtacular crashfestival of crashy crashness in crashingtonion proportions. I've never seen anything like it. Second lap, second turn: on my front wheel a multiple person pile-up (I overheard someone say 20) followed immediately in the next turn by a dude doing a cirque de soleil style, hand stand flip, over on top of the barriers. Again, it was on my front wheel & as I locked it up I expected to get crushed from behind by the two guys that were further back than me. The tattered field was spread single file thin all over the course. Luckily for those of us tailgunning in the breeze, they stopped the race while the ambulance swept up the metal & flesh, flotsam & jetsam. After standing for 10-15 minutes in the breezeless, stagnant, oppressive, sweaty heat, we restarted and I got to witness two MORE separate crashes in turn 2. Two MORE NCVC'rs (Andy & Mikerr) were crashed into later in turn 2 and 6 respectively. Surprisingly, I felt better with each lap as the double shot caffeinated my brain and lied to me about my condition. I jumped up near the front with 8 laps to go and felt like I might actually be a contender. With 6 laps to go, I super-cramped just at the turn 2 of destruction and pulled myself lest I pile up some more bodies.
overall, I call it a win and feel good about it.
yaaaaaay....
on the other hand, I'm done with riding for at least another 22 hours. Perhaps the Tue noon ride might be an option.
put some jelly on me, I'm toast
Greenbrier MTB Race Report 2011
The 11:30am Cat 2 race went out under perfect weather conditions. The trail had
a few boggy sections left over from earlier rains but most of it was fast and
dryish. From the gun, the tempo was spirited in each age group. In the 40-45
group, B. Teller, D. Stealy (my fellow roadie cross-over) and I watched Alex
Mata (Evolution) & friends set a silly quick pace up the initial rise and
sustain it through the first lap. Working through the 35-39 group ahead, I
found Brian racing right side-up but Stefan racing in the kneeling position on
the side of the trail nursing various mechanical issues. I estimate he spent at
least 25 minutes tinkering instead of spinning. On the final lap, I found
George Lowe (I think...by then my brain was extra hurty and my mouth tasted like
poop) spinning out a steady pace. The three riders w/ me latched onto his wheel
and I watched as steady George pulled all of them away from me, and onto the
(40-45) podium. George also rolled onto the podium in the 35-39 group. Post
race, Paul (NCVCs only rep in the 45-49), David Jones and Alan (both top ten
finishers in the 50+) all agreed that the course was challenging. Everyone
finished w/ a layer of the trail mud highlighting the periodic muddy spots. As
a testament to the wheels in the 40-45 group, Ben Teller's 11th place finishing
time would have earned him third in the 30-35 & 6th (just behind George) in the
35-39. Kudos to dirt-convert Dave Stealy for riding in right behind Ben and
Lancaster for identifying the owner of the unclaimed post-race shorts by the
sniff test.
This was my first experience with enjoying the benefits of reserved NCVC parking
& Tent accommodations. Its the best way to race. We took a team picture
post-race but unfortunately our only podium finisher, George, was not there as
he was supporting his wife Rebecca in her race.
Apologies if I mangled details/names/events.
Special thanks to Ben for the lift to and from and Alan for toting the tent. I
look forward to racing w/ all again.
a few boggy sections left over from earlier rains but most of it was fast and
dryish. From the gun, the tempo was spirited in each age group. In the 40-45
group, B. Teller, D. Stealy (my fellow roadie cross-over) and I watched Alex
Mata (Evolution) & friends set a silly quick pace up the initial rise and
sustain it through the first lap. Working through the 35-39 group ahead, I
found Brian racing right side-up but Stefan racing in the kneeling position on
the side of the trail nursing various mechanical issues. I estimate he spent at
least 25 minutes tinkering instead of spinning. On the final lap, I found
George Lowe (I think...by then my brain was extra hurty and my mouth tasted like
poop) spinning out a steady pace. The three riders w/ me latched onto his wheel
and I watched as steady George pulled all of them away from me, and onto the
(40-45) podium. George also rolled onto the podium in the 35-39 group. Post
race, Paul (NCVCs only rep in the 45-49), David Jones and Alan (both top ten
finishers in the 50+) all agreed that the course was challenging. Everyone
finished w/ a layer of the trail mud highlighting the periodic muddy spots. As
a testament to the wheels in the 40-45 group, Ben Teller's 11th place finishing
time would have earned him third in the 30-35 & 6th (just behind George) in the
35-39. Kudos to dirt-convert Dave Stealy for riding in right behind Ben and
Lancaster for identifying the owner of the unclaimed post-race shorts by the
sniff test.
This was my first experience with enjoying the benefits of reserved NCVC parking
& Tent accommodations. Its the best way to race. We took a team picture
post-race but unfortunately our only podium finisher, George, was not there as
he was supporting his wife Rebecca in her race.
Apologies if I mangled details/names/events.
Special thanks to Ben for the lift to and from and Alan for toting the tent. I
look forward to racing w/ all again.
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