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26 September 2015 Photos | Cat 4/5 35+ Lap 1 Video | Strava | Results | My CX History 
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A bad day on a bike still beats a lot of other good days On Thursday, he shared the Gloucester Saturday and Sunday course maps. Here's the one for Saturday (the race I did). 
Matt also wrote, "The backstretch before the run up ... is going to be super loose/rocky so maybe pump up your tires an extra bit (I've flatted there before)." [BAD]  View from "the Rock:" photo credit Chris Smith (click for hi-res version) On the drive up, I wasn't as pysched for a race as I usually am. One more glass of wine than was wise the night before? A poor night's sleep? Last year's saddle mishap? Whatever. [BAD] A dropped my pit bike and spare wheels off in the pit and took two pre-ride laps before the 8a Cat 4/5 start (our Cat 4/5 35+ field had an 8:45a start). I met up with BetsyT to watch the 4/5 start, then got to chatting before I remembered that I still hadn't gotten my number. I headed up to the tables, got in line, and ended up signing in JUST before the organizers put the binders away and opened registration up to wait-listed riders. [almost BAD] (Registration for Gloucester and Providence has gotten a bit like getting concert tickets--when registration opened up on Aug 11 at 12n, the race was filled almost immediately.) In addition to the 2014 race, I had raced it in 2013 and spectated in 2011. This year, instead of the "traditional" uphill start from the south, it was an uphill sprint from the north. When my number was called, I tucked in to the right end of my starting row about 2/3 of the way back. The whistle blew. The riders in front of me bobbled a bit, but I was quickly up to full speed in what felt like a strong start. As the 8 second mark of my lap 1 video shows (link above), however, I was quickly back to a standstill when the riders in front braked inexplicably, my front tire hitting the rear tire (and thankfully for him, not the rear derailleur) of the rider in front. Being at a standstill 10 seconds into a cross race is NOT where you want to be. [BAD] I recovered and got back in the groove, but for whatever reason, never really felt in sync on my first lap. The holeshot (00:53, downhill from pavement onto off-camber grass/dirt) wasn't as chaotic as it could have been, but I didn't get a great line. (The race organizers must not have liked that hole shot, though, as they altered the course for later races to avoid it.) We came briefly back onto the pavement, then returned to grass leading up to the sand pit. Unlike Sucker Brook with its 45 degree left and then left hairpin, Gloucester's sand was ridable. The entry was a bit tricky, coming with a sharp right turn, but setting up wide and getting the bike straight before hitting the sand was certainly doable. Just not on the first lap. Traffic was thick, so we dismounted and ran (02:05). Back on the bike, it was clear that I wasn't on my best race legs. Riders I knew, including TomP (05:12, passes on my left, white jersey/blue sleeves) and DanA (8:31, also left, black with yellow trim), who had been placed well back in the starting grid, were passing me and I didn't have a response. [BAD] Race legs can change, though, it was only a 30 minute race, and it wasn't like I could get a refund on my entry fee, so I slogged on. Gloucester added a new run-up (09:15)--I took advantage of it to pass both Dan and Tom and regain my "lead." At the funner-than-it-should-have-been climb after crossing the starting straight (10:42), both Dan (11:05) and Tom (11:28) quickly reversed that reversal of the earlier reversal. Our relative finishing order was set. Lap 1 turned uneventfully into lap 2. I rode the sand this time, but not well--I came to a near stop--but no foot dab--in the soft early part before regaining forward progress. Up to the top of the course, back down to the bottom, then along the rough section in front of the rock leading to the run up. As I remounted at the top, I heard EricP's encouraging (or was it heckling?), "Come on, Jeff!" A few more turns of the crank and it was apparent that the situation had turned back to [BAD]. Rear flat. I shouldered my bike and started what was going to be a LONG run to the pit. That's when I saw GrahamM off the course to the left. He'd fallen victim to a flat as well. I'm kicking myself for it now, but used Graham as my excuse to DNF. [BAD] The Saturday Gloucester course wasn't well-suited to my talents and even without the flat, I didn't find it to be all that much fun. But I came away with a great lesson learned. Run, Jeff, run. Because DFL > DNF > DNS. 
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2015 RESULTS
*Metrics not included in running total; lesser of two races in a day excluded per Cross Results rules 2014 RESULTS
2013 RESULTS
2012 RESULTS
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