Last weekends race in Warsaw, MO was our first real test in HOT conditions. While my performance in said conditions was respectable, I have to admit, I was a bit dissappointed with a few things Sunday......but first the positive!
-Good venue, with plenty of grassy areas to set up and relax post race.
-Course was almost totally in the canopy of the woods surrounding Truman Lake. So with the heat, that was huge.
-Mac and the crew that put on the race were enthusiastic, providing a band pre-race, and some play by play as we came through the start/finish line.
-Great to see a good Cat.2/3 turnout. Hopefully these guys and gals see the benefit of staying fit/fast and move up a category soon.
......Now, what really was dissappointing about Sunday?
-Only 8 Cat.1 racers showed up for this one....not in my class,that's 8 total, and 2 DNF'd. I know AE,GS and TD were rippin' it up down Alabama way, but not all you bums went road trippin'! Get off the couch and gain some fitness by competing, not resting your legs.After all, it was the closest race to home we've had so far this year.
-The payout... Now I'm not in it for $, because if I was I'd be flat broke, but paying the marathon class overall and nothing for overall xc may be a bit of a stretch. If your going to advertise 70% payback on the flier, do it. Gas $ is gas $.
So this takes us back to earlier coversations with other cat.1 racers. There needs to be an OPEN class. This would be the only payout class at these races. Maybe it would bring out some guys who wouldn't normally show up for a mtb race. 100% payback, maybe even some more dough from the promoters. Whatever the case may be, I'd like to see larger fields. Riding around for 2hrs largely by myself in time trial mode,albeit in the woods, gets old.
So on to this coming weekend. MO state champs. at Landahl. This will bring guys out of the woodwork for sure.....I hope.
3 comments:
Justin, Sorry I couldn't stay to race you. My tire finally went flat shortly after you passed me on that f'n corner that I screwed up on. After a miss fire CO2 I finally got enough air to limp in to the start line. They gracefully let me air up with a floor pump. I go out for the second lap and smacked something hard in one of those treacherous dips. Needless to say my front tire went flat on that one, so I rode in on a flat and went home to the A/C. I still like the idea of paying out all the CAT 1 age groups, because lets face it, we aren't getting any younger. But, if the groups are that small then by all means we should combine them for an overall only payout. It would help if we didn't have so many classes either. I remember the days when you just raced either beg., sport, or expert. None of all those provisional classes so that everyone can bring home a trophy. Seems like mediocracy to me. But, maybe I'm just getting to old and grumpy? Well CYA at Blue Springs.
I know a lot of us down this way were supporting or racing the DK200. I know it's a ways out (October), but an overall payout is my intentions for the Melvern mtb race I'll be doing again this fall.
Oh man, will also be missing Landahl. Friends think they gotta get married. I know I'll be at Perry, hopefully I'll see ya there!
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