Gobble Cross - OKGPCX - 10th November 2019

The last cross race of the OKGPCX series was held in Stillwater this weekend. It was perfect racing conditions. Warm not to hot, a mostly dry course and a great atmosphere. 

The course 

Errrrm I didn't actually ride most of it, but it looked awesome. It was technical with a couple of run ups and a barrier. There were also what looked like some great descents, although I will fully admit I didn't actually ride any of them. Why? Read on and I shall tell you. 

Fiona's race

This week there were actually some girls for Fiona to race with and a really big field.

Juniors race 

The race started and Fiona was chugging along as everyone else rode away from her. She made it through the first couple of mud pits unscathed and rode the first descent. She did great around the rest of the course, I actually caught her running one section which she hasn't done before :) She finished the race with two laps and in 3rd place, with a huge smile on her face.

All smiles 

My race

Owing to watching Fiona's race I went into my race without a sighting lap, not to worry I had seen most of the course from the other side of the tapes and was wasn't worried. We set off and full gas as per usual, around the first hairpin and things were looking good for me. I was feeling strong and the course really seemed like it was going to be a good one. Then disaster I got a flat tyre. Sealant was spraying everywhere and my tyre was flat before I even managed to stop. I pulled over and checked the tyre, I had a slice through it around 10mm in length. Oh well race over. I had no spares with me, they were all in the car. 

After leaving the course and telling the officials I was out I headed over to find Fiona. She was waiting for me at the top of one of the little climbs ready to cheer me on, she was very confused that I was not still on course. 

After getting some food we headed over to the podiums for Fiona's podium.

Rocking 3rd Place

Then I took a walk over to see what I had run over. 

Can you see it? 

Not sure if it was this exact piece but
 I removed what I found from the course. 

Another tyre bites the dust 

Fuck you Strava no it wasn't :) 

The Strava for what it's worth

Amateur Cross - OKGPCX - 27th October 2019

Another week another cross race in the Tulsa area.

This week we ventured to Chandler Park in North West Tulsa. The park sits on top of a hill but fortunately the course was mostly flat. 

We had a significant amount of rain on Thursday and Friday. This for me is always a worry with regards to riding off road, as the ground here has lots of clay in it, so it doesn't drain well and as it starts to dry out it gets super tacky.

The course

The course was around 1 mile in length. The start was not part of the main course, we started on a paved section with a 90 degree left turn into a hill where we cut out a section of course on the first lap. 

From the finish line we headed into a 180 degree left hand turn and back slightly up hill to a 180 degree right which was squared off. There was then bumpy down hill section into a left and slightly uphill section. We then did some weaving in and around an open area before a drop down then climb back up. Next was the first wooded section with more twists and turns before we hit a little singletrack section then it was out across a long power sapping straight, through a chicane and ditch and into some more woods. We twisted and turned in the woods then popped out onto a paved section of trail before a short climb into an off camber section of the course before a big mud section and onto the finish straight.

Fiona's race 

Fiona was the only girl present in her age group and got to start with the boys in the Junior 9-14 age group. She got a good start but was at the back of that group by the first turn. 

Due to the drying nature of the course the juniors got the short end of the course, the mud was as tacky as it would get all day. 

The mud Fiona was dealing with. 

Fiona plugged away at the course but was having to walk a couple of sections, due to mud build up. 

Cheering her on whilst she rode the course. 

Maybe next year we will get her on a cross bike which should cut through the mud a little better. 

She completed one lap and was pulled, it had taken her 18min. 

Finish line and exhausted

On the plus side though, she did make the top step of the podium and at this race she actually won money. 

Podium :)

My Race

Once the call up's were out of the way, I was on the second row we were off. The charge down the course to the first corner was as frantic as ever and I hung back a little to avoid any pileups. We crossed up and over the little hillock and joined the main course, through the mud holes and across the finish line it was all pretty frantic for the first part of the lap as people jostled for position. I was sitting around 15th place I think but the guys on the front hadn't dropped us yet, that soon changed though. 

I got behind a guy and we rolled around the course, the guy wasn't going as quickly as I wanted to so I put a little effort in and passed him. Over the course of the next nine laps to the finish I proceeded to pick my way through the field ahead of me. My legs felt good throughout the race and I found the course fun to ride, it wasn't technical and there was no dismount to deal with. It was a lot easier than what Fiona had to race on that is for sure. 

In the end I was out sprinted and ended up in 8th place, which I am totally stoked with. 

Seth beating me into 8th Place

Unfortunately I can't make the next race but I am looking forward to the final round of the series in Stillwater. Hopefully my legs feel as good as today and I can get another top 10 position. 

Also Amanda filmed most of my race, here it is.

The Strava

Rock the Mohawk- OKGPCX - 20th October 2019

This weeks exciting cross race was held in Mohawk park in Tulsa. Read all about last weeks race here. 

The course

I really enjoyed the course, it reminded me of the courses I used to race in Alaska at Kincaid park.  We started partway around the course so I will do the course description from the finish line. 

From the finish line we had a couple of 180 degree turns then a run up with railway sleepers to force the run up. Next it was into a 90 degree right and then a 180 degree left onto an off camber section with sweeping turns onto a straight paved section (this was where we started). After the straight we turned back through some fast turns under some big trees. Next was a 180 degree turn into an off camber section with a few more 90 degree turns for good measure.
Following this there was a short flat section with some more 90 and 180degree turns into a short climb with a 180 degree turn before dropping into a sand pit. A few more sweeping turns, into another 180 turn, then onto a bridge and we hit some singletrack before heading into more tight turns up and down a small incline then it was through a couple of small ditches before a few more tight turns under trees and around to the finish line. 

Fiona's Race

Fiona didn't have a good day, I think that she overheated but she could also be fighting a bug of some sort. She wasn't feeling great before the race and toughed out one lap then called it a day. It was so sad to see how upset she was at the end. I'm just proud she started. 

My Race

I was not expecting much from this race, I have had a few heavy days of training on Thursday, Friday then on Saturday I rode the G3 race 3 (read about it here). I did manage to get a preride of the course in and I'm glad I did, at least knowing there was a singletrack section helped. They did the call ups for the riders with the most points so far in the series and we filled in the space after this. Then we were off. I was not trying for the wholeshot (who am I kidding I don't have the legs for that). But come the end of the first straight I was somewhere near the back. 

I spy pink socks

I think I am in 19th here

We hit the off camber section where someone ahead of me (Cody I think) hit the deck. We all managed to get past him ok and soon enough we were into the sand section. I had tried and failed to ride this in practice but thinking what a shit show it was likely to be in lap one I wasn't to worried about riding it. Coming into the sand I saw an opening, I chanced my luck at riding it and passed around 3 people, I was now feeling pretty good about riding the sand.

I was pushing pretty hard to stay ahead of the guys behind me and lost the wheel of the guy in front of me, oh well. Next was the singletrack section and as we left that I had lost the guys behind me but still not caught the guys in front. I was then passed by Cody, I guess don't leave any opening as people will take that gap. I chased hard but didn't want to go to deep to early. 

Chasing always chasing
this is the start of lap 2 I think

I chased hard and caught back up to people just after we went up the steps for the first time. I did almost hit the deck though going up the steps. 

Feeling good

Oh no miss step

Lets hope this works

Sometimes you get lucky

On lap two I was getting into my stride and passed a couple of people, I passed a couple more on lap three. When I passed Sheridan, I'd forgotten that there was a hole on the course on the side I was going to pass him on, fortunately I was able to bunnyhop it. My race seemed to go pretty well after this.

Sure my dismount technique is still terrible. 

Hand order Nick! 

but I at least still use my tongue to balance. 

Tongue balance is key!

I was able to ride the sand on all but the last two attempts and I loved the corners. I ended up in 12th place which is way better than I was expecting. I think on less tired legs I could have made the top 10. I will say that I was fortunate that Seth hit the deck on the last lap as I was unsure I was going to be able to catch him. 

It is horns up for Oklahoma isn't it?

Horns Up for Oklahoma right?

Go me 12th place

The Strava

Foster Cross - OKGPCX - 13th October 2019

I got to race my first Cyclocross race in Oklahoma!!!!! 

A little background

Cyclocross in Alaska was so easy, ok not the racing but the locations and access. It was and still is a seven race series mostly in town.... I didn't realise how lucky I was up there. Throwing back to 2018  in Oklahoma, unfortunately I didn't make any of the 2018 series. Why? Mostly due to not having a USA cycling licence.  But also having to take Fiona with me but not having a network of friends yet to look after her whilst I raced. 

This year I am going to try and get to a couple of the races, CX is about the most fun you can have on a bike, and all in a spectator friendly environment. 

Foster Cross 

This was the second round of the OKGPCX series, it was held in Stroud which is around 60min from where I live. 

The course was a fun one, I have been told by many people in Alaska, some of the courses we rode in Alaska for CX were not really true cross courses as they were more mountain bike courses. I was fine with this to be honest. 

The course today was flat and had some fun albeit short technical sections. The sand section was around a set of swings, it totalled 25' not 1/4 of a mile like Goose lake, or the dune of doom at Jodhpur  :) There was no river crossing and the course was dry and dusty, I'm sure if it had rained it would have been a totally different course. 

The course started off on a road/gravel section on the dam, then it was a slight uphill across the finish line before dropping onto grass and a sandy right hand off camber turn, next was a right around a tree then into the sand pit. We then crossed a ditch before some tighter turns under trees with a couple of roots thrown in for good measure. Through another little ditch then a fast section looping back around a couple of times before a set of barriers at a deeper ditch. Then there were the up and down sections around trees and back towards the lake. One of these turns I dismounted for as it was way easier to run over the roots and up the little incline than riding it. There was one more tight turn before we dropped down onto the dam. The lap was around 1 mile long and took me around 5:40 to complete. 

I race in the Cat 3, there are some really fast people in Cat 3, then there is me :) Some people should probably be Cat 1 looking at the lap times from that race and the Cat 3 race but, it is what it is. 

The munckin's race 

Fiona raced the 9-14 juniors race, she took last place but finished with smile and had a good time I believe. Her warmup was on the play area 

Warmup sure that'll work

As the 13 and 14 year olds tore up the course she just pedalled her way around mostly smiling. 

Lap 1

Lap 2 about 1/2 way around. 

The kid who won, put it lap times similar to mine, yes I'm that slow. 

Check out those lap times

My Race

The kids race finished and then it was my turn. The Cat 3 and 4 race. Due to looking after Fiona I had yet to ride any of the course. We set off at mach 1 and in a blink of an eye we were at the sand pit for the first time. I was pretty sure I could ride it, though on the first lap with so many people I decided to run would be safer, sure enough someone went down. I did mostly ride the sand for the remaining laps even though I am not sure it was faster. 

The pace was relentless, I had forgotten how at CX its full gas all the time. I did my best to cheer on my fellow teammates who were ahead of me as we passed by each other at different parts of the course. The grass felt so slow, yes i know it's the same for everyone but I am pretty sure I have less power than many on the course. 

I did have a lot of fun and really enjoyed the technical sections, especially once I had figured out some of the lines. I'm definitely out of practice with dismount/remount and barriers. I am sure that many here from Cat3 up jump the barriers but today that wasn't really an option due to the barriers being at a ditch. 

I finished in 18th place but didn't get lapped. My lap times were fairly consistent, I just ran out of gas on the last lap, especially when I realised I wasn't going to be lapped. I potentially could have caught/stayed ahead of Brandon but he was killing me on the fast sections but I was faster through the technical sections. 

Consistent for me lap times

All in all a fun race, I hope to make a few more of the series as we go through the season.  

Communication with photographers is key whilst racing.
- PC Kris Stephens

The Strava!