..Finally getting around to down to outlaying a better rundown of how things went down for the Ashland Baycross race weekend.
Day 1:
I really didn’t know what to expect for race fitness going into the race.
-I’d hadn’t race in 3 weeks (only one time since the Chequamegon 40).
-Outside of a week & half of ‘cross specific training drills I hadn’t even put much training in on my bike and I’d really had a big drop in any kind of training since the end of August due to the broken ribs.
Well, I can’t say the human body never ceases to amaze me in it’s complexity and functioning. This time around, the extended drop in all the training volume & intensity did wonders.
Felt decent that Saturday morning going into the race, good, not great. Wasn’t sure what the competition was going to look like this year as you never know who might show up be it from Duluth, the U.P. or elsewhere. But I figured it was a safe bet more than a few solid racers would be there to put on a challenge. Cruising the parking lot as I got there revealed guys like Shawn Gort, Nik0li Anikin, Matt Zak, Mason Basco, Dave Schuneman among the local guys. Guessing from my MTB racing experiences this summer Nikoli would definitely give me a solid run and Mason who pushed me at the Duluth MTB race this summer and handed it to me at the Chequamegon Fat Tire Crit Cross.
Didn’t get in that long of a warm-up as I was on baby patrol with Aaron Cooper til Sara Hudson leaded a hand (thanks Sara!!) as Kate was doing the women’s race. Guess I was still pre-riding alittle too close to the start, as the blow horn announcer started say “Alright, Aaron Swanson… would you please already get to the start line!” Thank goodness ‘cross race course are small enough to hear stuff like that within a couple hundred yards.
I was wrapping up that second pre-ride lap in on the new course layout designed by Mike Weispfenning – didn’t think changes needed to be made from the previous years but Mike had some great new ideas and the changes were very positive. And when I got to the line I don’t think I barely took off my jacket by the time the 10,9,8, 7…. go countdown began.
Was thinking before hand to change my strategy this year, follow someone else’s lead for the first few laps if possible before trying to push the effort. Surprisingly enough, Jeremy Ames of the Twin Cities happened to be up visiting family, and without question I could gather he was used to Twin Cities ‘cross racing and went for the lead right off the bat. Followed by Nikoli and within a short distance I went into 3rd place. We followed Jeremy thru the first sandpit and into the looping chicanes before gradually heading up & out of the Prentice park area. It was at that point, something unconscious triggered in me (I swear!) and I made a short jump to the front and began to push it hard. In moments I had a gap over Nikoli, Jeremy & Mason and another 5 guys. I put my head down for the next couple hundred yards to see what more distance I could get before looking back. Fortunately, it was a good sized break and probably close to 50-75 yards when I looked again.
Ok, so much for sticking with the plan, now it would be a solo time trial for the next 60+ minutes against guys who may be working together. Just brilliant Swanson… WTH was I thinking?
Fortunately, though my heart rate was redlining at an unheard of 188 bpm (at least for me – how does a 38yr old guy even get a HR that high? At least while racing a bike?) Anyways I held that for the first lap and though it hurt bad, it also hurt good! If this race didn’t go too long I felt like I was going to have a good day.
So lap after lap I pushed it, on lap 2 (of 10) – I no longer saw Nikoli, Mason or anyone else where the course loop back on themselves (a good 1minute + lead. Each lap was just about 7 minutes.
Outside of amateur hour I displayed by wiping out on a asphalt & grass corner, ripping up my elbow and twisting my handlebars. Can’t say there was a lot of exciting details past that for awhile, except for the occassional skidding in the mud and bombing the “Pit of Despair”. I saw Mason on the sidelines at one point with a flat tire which was a real bummer, wish he would have been able to stay in the race. He also assume a ‘free lap” mechanical at this race, which has never been the case – I know they happen in road racing ‘crits but I’d never heard of them in ‘cross, too bad there was a misunderstanding.
At one point or another I wanted to let up because we’d be racing again the next day, but outside of doing that briefly when I came upon Big Mike W. I kept the throttle fully twisted most of the day.
Approaching 3 laps to go though, my internal go-go juice was running out and I was starting to lose power & struggle. I kept asking Dennis Liphart, how much of a gap I had – Damn guy kept bullshitting me!! Lap after lap, “oh, hey Aaron – you got 90 seconds, keep pushing it!”
Nearing the finishing area, I’d just pulled up short of lapping everyone outside of Shawn, Nikoli – (why should I rob them the opportunity of another lap – the evil dude that I am! Why should I take away their self inflicted pain -- remember in ‘cross if you’re lapped you finish on the same lap as the leader. Anyways Nikoli and Shawn didn’t cross the line for another 4 minutes & 5 minutes respectfully. (there’s a hell of big difference between 90 seconds and 4 minutes! – would have loved to jump off the bike and fixed the twisted handle bars, rather than riding them crooked for 75% of the race.
Just one of those days when everything came together. Would have loved to have the Cycleops Power Tap, to see what kind of numbers I was registering as it’s pretty damn tough to beat Nikoli by that kind of margin in any length race. With the comfort of having the Day 1 – 1st place points I would feel comfortable using the PowerTap on the second day of BayCross.
More on that later… along with the Eau Claire ‘cross race at Carson Park and what’s up lately…
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