Extra! extra! Read all about it!

So I didn't race the weekend of HPCX due to traveling to PA for some time with friends and some Halloween parties. Things didn't pan out, and I didn't get to ride. I started a new job with a strict schedule of 8am - 5pm. With a 50 minute commute on both ends. So my days have been pretty well shot so I'm trying to adapt to this new situation. Long story short, I haven't been riding, I think I was on the trainer a total of 4 times in the past 2.5 weeks. Not ideal going into the NJ State Championship at Bubble.

I heard that the course was technical. AWESOME! I love technical because I know I don't have a huge engine. Stoke level is high Friday night! My sisters, dad and in-laws are visiting want to see me race! So I'm super excited to have them there as this is their first time seeing me race bikes.

I'm up at 6am, brew some coffee and grab bagels with my dad. We get to the course about 7:30 and I throw my stuff on and get out on the course.

This is my first time to Bubble. I ride one lap and I'm blown away! Best course ever! A launch ramp into mulch, then into sand, into a technical uphill, then switchbacks, a gravel climb, barriers, technical downhill, through the s/f, and MORE SAND! Doesn't get any better than that! I ride another lap with @seanrunnette and tell him how stoked I am for the course. He's pre-riding with the mic and announcing each section. Dude knows how to make things fun and interesting at 7:30 in the morning and get people hyped for a day of racing!

8:40a Time to line up. I get a front row call up! Perfect start for me, clip right in and hammer through the gears. I get the hole shot! I lead the first lap, I push the pace. 4 or 5 others stick with me. I don't want to be out front this whole race though. So I slow up on the gravel road straight section. Two guys go by, I leave a little gap, another one goes around. I stick to his wheel. He gets sketchy over the jump into the playground and I go around. I'm sitting in 3rd, this is where I want to be. We enter the sand and the leading guys a little too slow through here for me so I go around both of on the hard packed middle section before the right hander into the next soft section. The key here was to get to the hard packed sand as quick as possible. I was able to do this really well and put myself into a go spot going up the technical climb. So I'm out front again. I'm head to the s/f line straight and allow these two guys to pass again.

At this point, I know they both have a bigger engine than I. I will not beat either in a sprint. I sit in behind 2nd place guy (Ted from Team Health Warriors). Dude has a Salsa Fargo with 2inch wide tires. I'm jealous of his setup through the sand and on the uphill. While I'm admiring this dudes tires, lead guy (Miles NYC Velo) is putting in a gap on us. I probably should of tried to react to this but I wanted to make sure I had enough matches to pass at least one of them. I was in the red the whole first two laps.

It's final lap, I'm sitting in 3rd, right on 2nd place guys wheel. He leads into the sand and up the technical uphill and down the switchbacks. Out of the woods and into the left hander for the gravel climb. He goes wide and into the soft mulch, stands and sprints, while I stay inside on the harder packed gravel and stay seated. I knew I needed to match him here. I did more than that. I made the pass! From there I went to max effort over the barriers, through the off chamber and technical woods section dos. I look over my shoulder and I was able to give myself a 5ish second gap. Glad I didn't have to sprint him. My legs are wet noodles! Podium takes place right after.

2nd overall today and NJ State Champion! Super stoked with the results!

Having my wife, family and friends there all cheering really kept me pushing today! It was great hearing my name being shouted throughout the course! Shout out to @seanrunnette, on the announcing! Wouldn't want anyone else behind the mic. He was evening announcing while warming up on the trainer for his own race! Overall great course and great people! It was good talking with @MadisonDan and @Delish about the free watts out there, so many to be had on Saturday. Thanks for the cheers @1sh0t1b33r and @StayHydrated It was also nice talking with @hotsauce for a while before and after our race. Dude has been crushing it this year, good racing with you!
 
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-Was nice seeing you kick ass out there. Good job.
-I did the Cat 5 on the cross bike and then Singlespeed on my Salsa El Mariachi. Hard to compare times (dead legs etc) but I felt MUCH better/faster on the mountain bike with the exception of a few of the sections where the singlespeed was a downside.
-That job sounds horrible. Find another.
 
DUDE! Huge congrats. So stoked you got the jersey! Need pics as soon as that comes in!

Also, should probably turn that photo set you sent me into a gif. You didn't just win the hole shot, YOU DUSTED THE FIELD!

Well done!!
 
The Heckler said:
DUDE! Huge congrats. So stoked you got the jersey! Need pics as soon as that comes in!

Also, should probably turn that photo set you sent me into a gif. You didn't just win the hole shot, YOU DUSTED THE FIELD!

Well done!!
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Thanks man! I'm stoked on the jersey too! I'll try to post it one way or another!
 
rsinger814 said:
Not Disney World. But I did go to the Pennsylvania Bacon Fest on sunday for lots of bacon infused food and beer!

Thanks @Mountain Bike Mike! I'm glad you would even consider me a title like that! Cross rules!
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Ha, and the stoke is high on the whole "tactics" thing too. At the front like that, it isn't 1000% balls to the wall. Time stops, or slows down. It's chess. You need to save the watts and push where you can open the gaps. Be in front on the sections you think you are slower than the others. Know the second best line, or the line that is safer, maybe slower, if you are in front, or second wheel, etc. smart to save matches and use them where you see fit.

You have graduated.
 
Here are some pictures of the podiums. Not sure why they didn't find the rest of the NJ State Podium.
image1.JPG

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Here is the one that @Delish posted earlier
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And some bacon rewards!
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I applied for two upgrades yesterday. One to go from CAT 2 to CAT 1 Mountain bike. Got an email this morning stating that my upgrade has been process and I now a CAT 1. Great!

The second was CAT 4 to CAT 3 for Cross. DENIED. This is the second time this has happened. The first was in August. I applied to go from CAT 5 to CAT 4, they said no go because I had only participated in 4, CAT 5 races. So fast forward to Nittany Day 1, I win a CAT 4/5 race. Apply for the upgrade to CAT 4 again. YAY, I get it.

Fast forward again. Today I'm told that I only have 8 upgrade points, because the 7 I received for Nittany doesn't count. COOL...I have to race more CAT 4 races until I get 2 more upgrade points. Not what I wanted to hear. USAC rulezzz!!
 
Mandi went through the same thing going from 4 to 3... cant use the twice. Oh well. Whats funny is you can do the 3/4 race and you won't get any points, but in the NJ race you will be stuck racing the 4's until you get those points... LAME but at least it isn't your fault.

You should print out the email you got and hand it out at the next start, or have it in your kit and hand along to spectators heckling you. #thinkahead
 
@hotsauce and @pearl - So I complained to the lady that denied my upgrade. I said something along the lines of Do you have any idea of who I am? I'm the current NJ State Champion in CAT 4. Turns out, she didn't know who I was. And I just received my CAT 1 mountain bike upgrade, I really don't want to be called a sandbagger. Please help!

She obliged and made me CAT 3 today!
 
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