Rarely discussed race tips - racing off the back

Last Saturday brought to the surface a reality that I've been repressing for about 70 days. It was the first "race"(I'm excluding LOTOJA as it was only 25% race, 75% limping home) back from the hand injury this summer, that I conveniently managed to use as an excuse to go fairly inactive, gain some weight, and in general, fall impressively out of shape. If there's a better way to expose this type of conundrum than a cyclocross race - I don't know of it.

But it will afford me with what may or may not be some valuable experience over what I suspect will be the next several weeks, if not the remainder of the year, to share some rarely addressed racing tips - specifically - strategies for racing at, and in some cases off, the backside of the race. Or in other words, how to compete for the DFL podium, or if you prefer, the DFL implodium. These will be specific to cyclocross, and I'm anticipating that you can expect a few posts with some decent substance dedicated to this over the next few months.

Tip 1 - Physical output: In managing your effort during the race, it's best to get into position early. Best done by going to deep to early - and by deep, I mean get it to a state that you can't recover from, sometimes referred to as blowing up. I've found that if you can do this within 5 minutes from the start, the next 45 minutes should give you a solid chance to work into position for the DFL hole shot. If it helps the medicine go down easier - go ahead and go off the front at the beginning of the race. You might be able to cut the time it takes to reach said state down to 60 seconds or so, which is all the better - and you'll have the sensation of leading at one brief and early point in the race to be the only memory you take away and tell people about, and use to motivate you for next week. If it doesn't help the medicine go down easier, then stay the hell out of the way and take the full 5 minutes to blow yourself up.

Tip 2 - Race Course Management, or, in laymens terms, don't let a DNF rob you of a DFL: While riding yourself out of your limit, you need to ride your bike within the limits of the course and conditions. There are some who are too fast to heed this tip, and when in position to win the DFL, will purposely DNF. I'm hitting the BS button on that scenario. If your going to compete for the DFL that day - then own it like you love it, anything less is vanity at the capital BS level.

Now - with that having been said, if you've succeded with tip 1, you may very well, and probably should, spend the remainder of your race hoping for some mechancial to cause a DNF. There ain't no shame in hoping. But assuming your not a quitter, your still racing, and one legit strategy of racing at the back is to make sure you ride a clean race to beat those DNFers. If a legit mechancial or crash happens during a legit race effort, then congrats, you lucked out with a legit excuse to bail early, no shame there. But there's nothing more shamefull than an intential DNF to avoid a DFL win. Yes, the DFL ranks above the DNF on the final results - and course managment can mean the difference between the two. Remember - own it like you love it..... but don't really love it. And if you lack the inner fortitude, see Ken Chlouber about a motivational download available that will ingrain the mantra of "I commit, I won't quit" into your race mentality, by the clever method of repeating it over and over, and then repeating it some more, and then lot's more. I think he may have one other title also available, but can't remember it off the top of my head, not enough repeats I guess, or maybe too many.

Tip 3 - Top end work, or maintaining skill while the eye's are glossy: Top end capacity on the DFL end of the race is different than top end capacity at the front of the race. Don't let this dynamic go to waste. Your going to get passed, and your going to get passed a lot. Assuming your maintaining the integrity required for tip 2, and still racing hard, each of these passes presents a good interval opportunity. When the faster guy comes around, try to get on his wheel and stay there as long as you can - probably won't be long, but try. It will bury you deep, and bike handling and technical skill is a little different when you can't see straight from fatigue than it is when your fresh, and... practice in this state translates to improvement just the same whether occuring at the back or the front. So don't get content with winning DFL, always look to improve your capacity to function on the bike when seeing stars.

Tip 4 - Race psychology: If you didn't go off the front at the beginning and get a taste of being the leader - you may have one more chance. There is a magic sweetspot in the race where you can get far enough behind that most of the crowd can't tell that your winning the DFL race, and then... you act like your winning the whole thing. Timing is critical - as you need to be approaching lap meat status at the part of the course where the crowds are thickest and loudest. It's a fine line to balance. With the real leaders approaching and briefly in tow, punch it when riding into sight of the crowd - most of whom, you hope, won't know your fighting off becoming lap meat, and will acknowledge you as the leader who's ridden off the front of a group of real fast guys. You need to look intense here, and be going fast. Take it to another level by asking "how far back are they?" or asking for a time gap while riding through the populated area of the course. If you want to give up, and you will, just remember you only have to hold it until your out of sight of the crowds. There, didn't that feel cool? Don't worry about the next lap around, few in the crowd will notice the change in order that riders come through, most of them are just there to see a crash or two anyway.

Tip 5 - Asserting control on the race: If your cooked, and timing doesn't work out for you to make the glory sprint detailed in tip#4, you can save yourself a lap by finding somewhere else to let the leaders get by you. Remaining laps are based on the number of times leaders have come through, not you, and as crazy as it sounds, the DFL competitors can retain their position while getting away with riding one less lap than the rest of the racers, if they get lapped at some point - absolutely no penalty to official finishing place/position, it's like stealing candy from a baby.

So, there it is, a fairly well rounded basket of things to think about while off the back. More to follow as the revelations unfold.... and remember what Ken says - don't quit, and if you brought your DFL game - then own it - but try not to own it too long.

Sincerely,

Mr. trying not to own it too long

New convert to Cyclocross

There's a new convert to cyclocross in the White house. Annie rode her first race today and ripped it. Rode a clean race to finish 2nd in the Women's C, passing several B racers and waving to the kids on the way. Check her out....

One of my favorite things about Annie is her desire to squeeze quite a bit out of her life, which is inclusive of trying just about anything. This race made her almost as nervous as her first Mtn Bike race in Vail this year - The course was the scary thing for her in Vail. Here, it was more the bike, which feels a little more squirly on the dirt than her mountain bike. She took her first spill over the bars earlier in the week trying to get used to it. She got settled in quickly during the race, and never looked back. It was cool to see her confidence growing each time she hit the barriers, remounted, and gunned it up the woodchip hill. I'm a proud and lucky guy.

It was fun to be back on the cross scene and see friends I hadn't seen since last season - it's a cool crowd.

I went out with the B group later in the afternoon, and it went as anticipated, I got shelled. The hand was a non-issue, in fact, it was great. But, have lot's of work to do to get back some form in all other areas. No better way to try and race yourself into shape than on the cross course though, and as much as it hurt, it was still a riot. And the new bike - it's awesome! Have a few tweaks to make, but it may be my most favorite bike.

Already looking forward to Wheeler next weekend - and giving the legs another shock session - they had no idea what the hell was hitting them today.

Random stuff & signs of the times

One housecleaning item. Those who know her know it was a joke, but for those that don't and have commented via email and in person - Annie wants me to make it clear that the deal made for the new Yeti cross bike was not real - it was a play on a forced withdrawal I was under due to a procedure and, had that not been the case, she wouldn't be any more agreeable than I to such a deal, thankfully.

Speaking of the Yeti - it got here Saturday. Here it is getting put back together. I love it. Need to give it the tubeless treatment to be race ready - healthy year for goatheads on the Draper course, and I suspect they'll be thicker at Wheeler - but it's been a joy to ride thus far.

Sign that size doesn't matter: Below is a photo of one of four new tires that the Xterra just got, and one tubular tire for a bicycle. Retail price is almost identical for the two.

Sign the recession has really started to hit home: The following email recieved yesterday from the managers of the building that WF leases my office space in:

"Sent: Monday, October 19, 2009 9:51 AMTo:>>>>>>nSubject: New Soda Pricing Good afternoon everyone! Due to the economy, soda will now sell for .75 cents instead of .50 cents. Snacks and waters will be same listed price. We appreciate all your support while we continue to assist you all in every way we can. Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance to you! Kind Regards, "

You know that looming inflation you keep hearing about? It's started, with the soda.

Preview of Jamie's Junk

Went out to poach a run before the bike only signs go up on the latest and greatest in Corner Canyon, Jamie's brainchild that is becoming known as Jamie's Junk. The first half is ready to ride, and for those of you who haven't been out on it yet, here are a few preview photo's to help get you out to ride it before the snow flies. Seriously, even if you haven't made it to a trail work day, get out and ride it, the more traffic and compaction it can get before winter, the better shape it will be in right out of the gate come spring. And it's good - really good. It starts right at the top end of the Clarks trail head.

Hard to tell in the photo below, but you'll get 5 or 6 good chances to work on your cornering flow between where I'm standing and 30 yards down the hill.

High banks, low banks, little bumps and good size jumps (in context of XC riding), switchbacks, chicanes, and plenty of other features along with those yet to be revealed in the lower half will make this a dandy trail to ride, and probably develop your skills some along the way.

Corner Canyon's not a bad place to go for that out in the middle of nowhere feeling this time of year, even if your only 10 minutes from your front door. And worth the drive if further. Sharp corner into a steep drop, fun stuff...
Huge props to Jamie for the massive amount of work he's put into this. If your not already getting emails for trail work days, let me know and we'll make sure you get on the list. Trail work makes you better looking.

That's a BS excuse!

You know how when your wife buys something that's totally unecessary in regards to needing it around the house or in the closet or whatever, and when you discover it and confront her about it she blames it on the deal just being so good that it overtook her? Then you go into the rant about how we shouldn't waste money on such crap, etc.... Annie's actually really great and responsible in regards to this, but it happens occasionally.

Well, I just did that....

I mentioned to her that I was entertaining the idea of buying yet another bike - my excuse when confronted/justifying the deal? Made perfect sense - It has the fork I've been watching for, and am pretty much getting the rest of the bike for just a few benjamin's more.... and, I'll let you ride my old one in a few cross races till you decide if you like it enough to get a cross bike that fits well.... Yep, made about as much sense to her as the 30th pair of shoes made to me - so I offered to not bother her for sex for 5 days and she took the deal... still don't get how she thinks she's the winner???

Say hello to the newest colt to be joining the stable...



There won't be much of a honeymoon - expecting it here Thursday or Friday of next week, and will line it up in Heber on Saturday. The rest of the season will be spent trying to get back into decent enough shape to loosen the reigns and let her run.