MNSCS#6 - Elk River Preview

This weekend marks the fist time that Elk River has played host to a MNSCS event. The organizer, Rich Omdahl, has taken great lengths to ensure that his course is ready for the added participants. I expect this to be one of the largest events of the series thus far. I'm guessing people will want to check out the course. Rich puts on a great event and can draw the crowds, so it should be a good time.

Elk River has had many races in the past, but nothing quite like the size that the MNSCS can draw. So to accommodate for the added racers, Rich has added some new trail to help the entry into the single track. Read the description:

This beginer loop starts in the front parking lot closest to the tar road yet far side of lot from the entrance. this runs the outside perimeter of section 1 then section two of the park property all of it being west of section 1 and 2. This will be used in the race as well.

so for Citizen Race you will start the race in the far back parking lot (though the big gate on gravel road by start and finish of loop in front lot.

Race start from back lot up the gravel road into section 1 then 2.
Instead of using the gravel road again to the front lot you will circle back to the front lot on this beginer loop single/ double track (west of 1 and 2). You pop out of the woods into the front parking lot and head for the port a pottie accross the lot then up the little hill into section 1 then 2 for finish right there in the back lot culdesack. At the end of section 2 a hard left goes to the back lot and straight will continue on into sections 3 . There are signs posted there.

You can see the a GPS of the Comp course - in action - here:
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/8034999

I'm excited for this race for several reasons: I love riding at Elk River, I love events that Rich puts on and BCR should have a nice compliment of riders in both the Sport and Comp class!

If you haven't yet, be sure to get your registration on right here: https://secure.tstmedia.com/register/860909185

Bring your fave jersey to be signed - Dr. Chad is making an appearance on the race course after a 4+ year hiatus!

See ya this weekend!

MNSCS#2 - done

"I'm always trying to get you pumped for Afton"
-Marc Wiken

And I appreciate the fact that you're trying to get me pumped up for it, but dude, I don't think it'll ever happen. We just don't get along. Maybe because Afton exposed my non-climbing skills. Or that it always feels either up or down and the technical stuff is absent (apart from one or two short sections).

My day started out just as I was feeling. Slow. I hovered near the back knowing that if I were to be up front with Marc, I'd just get in the way. The course changed up the first part of the lap nicely, running us down the dirt road for a bit before hitting the single track. There were some small additions as well along the course - new switchbacks - that seemed to get lots of people riled up due to having to slow down. There was one section - Cliff's Edge - that was pretty cool. Very rocky and had a sharp corner. I managed to pass someone through there. A couple other sections that were twisty and bumpy I also put a gap on the riders behind me. However, that didn't last long as I had to go uphill. I just had no legs. Or mental confidence. However, I did get to see Wiken haul ass up near the front for part of the first lap. He was making some good passes and getting near the front. The manhandler couldn't handle Wiken as he picked off riders using his middle ring. Sadly, Afton got the better of him and he DNFd after two flats.
After awhile, I saw Dan coming behind me up Shady Lane and I was relieved that it was taking him so long to catch me. Was I riding better than I felt? Or was I delirious and Dan had already passed me and what I saw wasn't real? Dan never caught me, but in post race discussions it turned out that we both had poor races that day. Afton got the better of us.

This was almost the most fun I had on course:


Photo courtesy of www.skinnyski.com

In other races, Jess, Scott and Dave completed their Sport races! This is Jess' first year in Sport, so an extra lap at Afton is no easy task. Dave decided that he better get some extra sleep and woke up just in time to speed to the race and line up literally within minutes of the start. He's no Dan, but getting close....
Scott finished his first Afton race for BCR! We first met at Afton way back when. We should have had some sort of anniversary dinner....
We were missing Tyson, but for obvious reasons.

Tim, or other newcomer to the team managed to rock the house on his SS in Comp. He tagged me sometime on the 3rd lap as he went by and managed a nice 4th in age group finish. Again.

Next up: Dirt Spanker in Duluth. It appears we'll be heading up for that one. Hopefully I can find my climbing legs as I enjoy the course. I have placed there before....

As much as it pains me to bring it up....with Wiken's DNF at Afton, we are now tied in the BCR Smackdown.



Should be interesting from here on out, as I don't know that we'll be at many more of the same races...

MNSCS #1 in the bag

What a great day for a race. Very little wind, sunny and good temps. The crowds looked big the general buzz around the race was positive. People were excited to back in competition.
This year we had a full field of Sport racers for BCR, so there was a lot of orange. Great to see that again. Same went for Comp - 5 total racers, wow.

The course this year was different in that we would be running it backwards - say what?

Charlotte also had her first race today and she was pretty excited. We had her line up at the line for some good photo ops. However, once the kids were all lined up around her, it was apparent that she may get run over. She was brave though, and handled the start like a champ and took off on her Strider bike. The lap was part of our course and longer than what I thought it was going to be. Still, she stuck to it and rode like a champ. She crashed once (like her daddy), got help from me twice, and missed the finish line (also like daddy). After we were done, she said in her cute little voice "I wanna go 'gain."

Now it was time for my race. I lined up near the front because there was no prologue lap and I saw the Sport racers bunch up like mad into the singletrack. Andy M. said his first lap was slower by 5 minutes due to the pileup. I was hoping to avoid as much of that as I could. I was just behind Wiken at the line and rocketed off on GO. I have a great start, just not enough gas to keep it for the entire race. I managed to stay near the front entering the singletrack and was cruising along pretty well. I made some quick decision passes when people dabbed or went offline and had a good pace going. I got stuck behind a CX bike and he rode wide, meaning he filled up the trail, so it was hard to pass him. I held on until the rock drop and when he went around I took the rock and passed him. There was a train behind him, so I had to push it to make more time. I managed to stay in front of Wiken the entire first lap - yay! But then early in the 2nd lap I called out a pass to the right and the person moved right, hitting my bars and sending me into the weeds. I heard my shifters hit the carbon as they crossed the top tube. When I got back on I realized my shifter pod for the rear was busted and not working. I was stuck in this gear. Luckily my front derailleur worked, so I had something to work with. However, the gears were never really all that great, so I lost a lot of places trying to make things work. Wiken passed. More riders passed. Dan passed and more riders passed. I limped it home got a nice hug from Charlotte and we shared chocolate milk to celebrate our races.

Thanks to everyone who showed up to respresent BCR today!
Matt H.
Scott M.
Andy M. - in stealth mode with no BCR jersey
Jess W. - in stealth mode with no BCR jersey
Dave B.
Shane M. - in stealth mode with no BCR jersey
Neil O.
Dan I.
Marc W.
Chris D.
Tim W.
(did I forget anyone?)
And of course friends and family who gave us water, cheered and helped us out - you rock.

On a sadder note - Wiken takes the lead in the BCR Smackdown Score:


And now the pics: