[MMcG]

I woke up nervous and excited all at the same time for my first ever cross country race in Winsted, CT this morning.

I was racing beginner at 9 a.m. and Douglas was racing sport at 11:00

Got to the race site, met Doug, signed my waiver and NORBA one day card - and proceeded to get warmed up a bit.

They called us to line up for the start and my adrenaline was pumping - I was excited to see how I would do.

Well I started out okay, did a little climb, hopped off to clear a technical climb so as not to get logjammed and then get back on the bike.

Shift into the middle ring to hit a little downhill section I hear this mangling sound and I thought I dropped my chain.

Flip the bike over to put the chain back on and what do I find lodged in between my front derailleur and my chain rings???? MY REAR DERAILLEUR!! - well half of it as least.

My focking rear derailleur ripped shear in two not 500 yards into my first ever XC race.

I couldn't believe what I saw and I couldn't get anything to budge at that moment - the half of the deralleur that went up to my front derailleur was wedged in there something fierce!

Needless to say my first XC race resulted in a DNF for MMcG

Is it ever going to get better???

Well, here are some photos I took today nonetheless.

 

[MMcG]

the other half of the derailleur after I got it unwedged.

 

[MMcG]

I got a kick out of this kid's helmet. I wonder if he is a Pinkbike member?

 

[MMcG]

This Dude was in my age group and class - I think I could have taken him.

 

[MMcG]

This young kid was really friggin fast!

 

[Toshi]

that's unfortunate. you must have really been putting the hammer down to shear your derailleur clean in half!

 

[MMcG]

This youngster did awesome!! There were a bunch of young kids riding today - a good sign for the future if you ask me.

 

[MMcG]

random riders

 

[MMcG]

#454 was skinny but he kicked arse too.

 

[MMcG]

There were a few women racing sport and beginner - this woman was in the sport class.

 

[MMcG]

713

 

[MMcG]

I think this guy was in the Clydesdale class. Probably all the hair put him over the top and into that class.

 

[MMcG]

Douglas raced sport and he did great considering that halfway through his second lap he lost a screw to his eggbeater cleat and couldn't unclip his shoe from the pedal!

A guy in front of him stalled at the early part of the course and Doug had to slam on the brakes and get around him...here he is trying to get rolling and clipped in again.

 

[MMcG]

This kid looks posessed and he rode like it too! I think he finished third in his group in sport class.

 

[MMcG]

Doug lookin a little posessed too - or maybe he's just pissed about his lost cleat bolt!

 

[MMcG]

Another one of Doug!

 

[MMcG]

Doug finished up three laps - 12 miles and was tired, but he had a huge smile on his face at the end. I guess that is what XC is all about - wish I could have experienced it.

Great race Doug!!!

 

[MMcG]

Here's how Doug came in to the finish line!

 

[MMcG]

This last one is for Dhgirlie in case she reads this thread.

Little Mullet man!

 

[MMcG]

Hopefully if I ever try this again, I'll have better luck.

It was still sort of fun to be at the race, however I do have an empty feeling inside for my first race resulting in a did not finish.

Next time has to be better right?

 

[blue]

I've DNFed in my past two races, first one was due to a broken crank/pedal, second one due to a concussion and amnesia

Really sucks, but race again, best experience I've had riding

 

[blue]

Oh yeah, whats with the guys in leg guards? Never seen that at an XC race...

Broken rear mechs are quite common at races, I've noticed, especially at areas where you're putting tons of torque on the cranks (hills). Strangely, all of the broken mechs I've seen in the past few races have been Shimano XTs. Now I'm afraid, thats what I'm running

 

[MMcG]

Originally posted by xbluethunderx
Oh yeah, whats with the guys in leg guards? Never seen that at an XC race...

Broken rear mechs are quite common at races, I've noticed, especially at areas where you're putting tons of torque on the cranks (hills). Strangely, all of the broken mechs I've seen in the past few races have been Shimano XTs. Now I'm afraid, thats what I'm running

We are hardcore here in CT - that's why the leg guards!

Actually the probably came in handy today for many riders - the course- from what I hear and from the first 500 yards that I personally experienced was pretty rocky and pretty damned slippery from rainfall the night before.

I wish I could have gotten that race under my belt.

And for those of you who are thinking - why didn't you just unscrew everything, take some links of out of your chain and race one gear - well my adrenaline was flowing big time, I was in shock at what I saw and I just wasn't thinking that clearly to be able to do all of that myself 500 yards into the race.

all I could muster were a stream of explitives at the top of my lungs and a walk back to my van.

 

[BigMike]

That sucks man!

But hey, look at it this way, even if you get dead last in the next race.... It'll be better than your DNF this time

And I was wondering about the leg guards too maybe the guy was riding flats

 

[MMcG]

Originally posted by BigMike
That sucks man!

But hey, look at it this way, even if you get dead last in the next race.... It'll be better than your DNF this time

And I was wondering about the leg guards too maybe the guy was riding flats

He was riding a Liquid with flats and he wasn't the only one with armor on - it was slippery out there and from Doug's account some parts were pretty damned rocky and technical and the rocks were wet and slipppppery!

 

[Rip]

That sucks, sorry to hear about the deraillieur.

 

[MMcG]

Originally posted by xbluethunderx


Really sucks, but race again, best experience I've had riding

Well today's race was probably the worst experience I've had riding (or not riding is more like it).

I will probably try another XC race - but I'm not sure if XC racing is my thing.

Just don't know - I mean I could have been out riding with friends for many many miles today for free vs. paying over $30 to ride 8 miles - well it was supposed to be 8 miles.

 

[splat]

Man you guys look clean!

We had a Mudfest up at the race in Vermont.
I'll post my pics later.


and MMcg Make sure you get these Mechanical things in a race out of your system Now!

 

[MMcG]

Originally posted by splat
Man you guys look clean!

We had a Mudfest up at the race in Vermont.
I'll post my pics later.


and MMcg Make sure you get these Mechanical things in a race out of your system Now!

Yeah - I'm cursed right now.

 

[tonyhawk]

Hey Mark:

That stinks that your derailleur broke so early into the race. If it makes you feel better, I wrenched my shoulder and back at trail maintenance yesterday and had to skip dh today. Barely managed to get in an hour-and-a-half xc loop at a real slow pace today before I had to quit.

We'll try and get in a few good rides after work this week...

Mark

 

[MMcG]

Originally posted by tonyhawk
Hey Mark:

That stinks that your derailleur broke so early into the race. If it makes you feel better, I wrenched my shoulder and back at trail maintenance yesterday and had to skip dh today. Barely managed to get in an hour-and-a-half xc loop at a real slow pace today before I had to quit.

We'll try and get in a few good rides after work this week...

Mark

Sorry to hear about your shoulder and back Mark. Cool that you got a ride in th ough.

 

[Echo]

DNF's due to a mechanical suck, but they are excusable...

DNF's due to being a wuss and not training properly on the other hand, are grounds for serious smackdown :devil:

 

[douglas]

Mmcg at the start

 

[MMcG]

Originally posted by Echo
DNF's due to a mechanical suck, but they are excusable...

DNF's due to being a wuss and not training properly on the other hand, are grounds for serious smackdown :devil:

I feel pretty confident I would have finished the course without a problem - not sure how fast I would have been, but 8 miles is definintely doable and then some.

I don't know today just soured me on a lot of things for some reason. It is unfortunate, but that's how I'm feelin.

 

[douglas]

and they're off!

 

[MMcG]

Originally posted by douglas
and they're off!

That paved section was really fun!

 

[douglas]

and unfortunatelly no trail shots for obvious reasons....Mech's SUCK!, especially when they happen as soon as mmcg's did!


and my little issue with my cleat made my race tough!!

There was many short hike a bike sections (well they were for me), many deep mud pits & a bunch of short but steep/slippery climbs so for 1/2 the race I had to slow down, pull my foot out of my shoe, run thru the mud with just a sock, hop back on, turn my shoe to up & forward and then put the shoe back on !!

OR the easier wasy was to just fall down


The course was tough, I never got a flow going and was kinda bumming when I was on the side of the trail putting my shoe on while watching my competition pass me

 

[douglas]

but as MMcg's pic showed I was smiling afterwards

 

[MMcG]

Originally posted by douglas
but as MMcg's pic showed I was smiling afterwards

Yep! Doug did awesome - I wish he didn't have that pedal problem because he would have been right up there with the tops in his class for sure.

Good job Doug.

 

[I Are Baboon]

Hey Mark, at least you tried, man. That's more than some of us can say for ourselves. Bummer about the mechanicals. Not much you can do to prevent your derailleur from splitting like that.