2008 Root 66 Putney MTB Race Team Report
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Conditions:
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Warm and humid, with temps in the mid to mid 70’s and threatening skies. The trails were primarily moist and tacky with some dry dust. Later in the day, during the Sport race, the skies opened for an absolute cloudburst.
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The Course:
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The course was a 4 mile loop on a combination of old carriage roads and excellent, fresh singletrack mountain bike trails. The elevation gain was about 800’ per lap, and came most notably in two long carriage road climbs and a couple of switchback singletrack climbs. The terrain was very rolling with lots of loamy switchback climbs and descents were straight and scary fast (30+ mph).
Beginners did 2 laps with Sport doing 3 laps and Expert doing 4 laps and Pro/Semi-Pro doing 5 laps. Due to weather lap counts were shortened to 3 for much of the Expert field and 4 for all of the Pro/Semi-Pro.
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Results:
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NEBC/CycleLoft/DevonshireDental had a reasonable presence at the race with 5 registering in the XC events. We also had representation on the podium racking up at least 3 podium spots and an impressive win by Cris against a tough expert women’s field and a solid finish by Cathy in her 1st race as an Expert.
Additionally, Wayne’s streak has got him to the point where he will be forced to upgrade in the very near future. This further extends the incredible success rate that the team has been having all season.
Excellent work to everyone on a very, very challenging course.
- Cris Rothfuss – Expert Women 35+ – 1st
- Cathy Rowell – Expert Women 35+ – 5th
- Mike Rowell – Expert Men 40-49 – 15th
- Wayne Cunningham – Sport Men 40-49 – 2nd
- Michele Harrison – Beginner Women 35+ – 2nd
http://www.root66raceseries.com/results/index.php
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Reports:
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[Michele Harrison]
After purchasing my very first mountain bike only three months ago, Cathy Rowell encouraged me to give racing a try. The description of Putney seemed perfect – hilly but not too technical. I started at the back of the women’s beginner field not really knowing what to expect and definitely not in race mode. I spent the better part of the first lap trying to navigate around a number of junior riders and some beginner men. I managed to pass two women in my age group on some of the steep climbs although I struggled with some of the more technical sections and fell a number of times. I was psyched to finish second and can’t wait for the next race!
[Cris Rothfuss]
I came into this race with legs that felt pretty good and fresh off some downhill practice and tutelage compliments of Cathy. Both came in handy. I got off the line quickly, with only two of the pros a tad quicker, which allowed me to follow at least one clever line that I wouldn’t have discerned on my own. Predictably, those riders and a few others disappeared soon enough. My goal for upcoming races is to try to throw down with them for a bit longer each time. Mike R warns that the throwing down pace might last 1-1.5 laps, which is a horrifying thought. I usually have a little panic attack about 30 minutes into a race when I realize how much longer I have to go. I’m not sure exactly what I expected regarding the pace of a XC race, but it seems that I am at (or very close to) CX pace for a good chunk of it…at least, that’s how pegged I feel. Goodness gracious. In any event, my race boiled down to a nice battle with two other experts – one in my age group and one younger. The young’un and I swapped places a number of times, while my age group competitor hung back at the end of a longer thread that I couldn’t snap. Just after we started the 3rd of 4 laps, a good thunderstorm broke overhead. I made the (correct) assumption that they would shorten our race and tried to eek out a bit more speed and power. At the very end of the race, the track crests a beautiful grassy hilltop, with panoramic views of the surrounding Vermont hills and dales….cue Julie Andrews. After the crest, a single track plummets quickly downhill in a tight line through bumpy grass, then further down a fast double track before depositing you at the base of the life-sucking finishing climb. As I rode up onto that beautiful knoll for the last time, the hills were indeed alive…with cracking thunder and lightening. Um. RIDE VERY, VERY FAST! My apprehension of the ensuing downhill was overshadowed by the prospect of being shish kebobed. Cathy would be proud of how I flew down that hill. I think I had so much momentum, I coasted up the finish hill. Okay, not quite. I did have enough adrenaline to hold my spot and cross the line 1st of 6 in our age group and 2nd of 8 overall expert, with no char marks to show for it.
[Cathy Rowell]
WOW! This was my first race as an Expert, and those girls are FAST! I was pretty nervous going into the race, but had set my expectations accordingly (aka, I was going to be ok if I finished last ;-)). Friends and teammates alike all counseled that I would be fine, which I knew I would be – it wasn’t going to be a matter of finishing, just how far back I was when I did!
It was nice to go out and pre-ride the course with Cris, and to line up with her on the start. That, however, was the last I saw of her. I did manage to keep the lead women in sight for about 3/4 of the first lap of the race, but once we hit the “big climb”, I didn’t see them again. Now, I was on my own, and knew going into my second lap, that they were 2.5 minutes ahead. Soon after, I started getting lapped by the semi-pro men, but kept plugging along, moving out of the way so as not to interfere with their race.
I have discovered that I need a lot of self-talk in these races. Things like, “You only have to ride up this hill 3 more times!” “Only one more time up, and you are done” “No one is watching – I could walk this section” (btw – I rode it) and “I know it hurts, but only for a minute – suck it up!”. Somehow, this helps me get through a race – almost like I am negotiating with myself!
The third lap brought a few welcome raindrops (it was pretty dusty), and some pretty loud thunder claps. As I approached the feed zone, I asked Mike for a new bottle, and he told me I was done – they had cut our race short due to the weather. I was both happy (no more times up the hill!), and sad (I definitely had another lap in me) to be finished. And, I achieved both my starting and mid-race goals – I didn’t finish last, and I didn’t get lapped by my field, despite finishing 14 minutes behind Cris ;-).
So, I’m embracing the move to Expert, but this is a WHOLE NOTHER level of effort…
[Mike Rowell]
The last time I raced Putney was in 1998. That year my performance was good (for me) so I had high hopes for this year. The pre-ride revealed a course that was super fun and fast with some great new singletrack. Not technical but the descents and singletrack would require some skill. I felt good about that. Unfortunately, after 15 minutes of the pre-ride I could tell that my legs were fried. Too much riding last week combined with two hard crits the day before took their toll. On the line I saw many of the now regulars like Jonny B. and Jeff M. as well as some newcomers like John M., competing in his 1st expert race.
At the gun it was a mad dash for the woods and with some creative passing I hit the woods in 5th and slipped up to 3rd quickly. An attack came from Jonny B. and I jumped on his wheel and pushed him hard as I knew we needed to get a gap and disappear from the sight of the hounds. Climbing to the 1st singletrack descent I passed and told Jonny we needed to work the gap, hammering the descent a big gap formed but I cooked myself doing it. A long climb followed for which I had no answer but the granny and spin so Jonny passed and the best I could do was keep him in sight for the moment. The next lap and a half was spent chasing in 2nd but making time on the field, waiting for the recovery that I always seem to get in the 2nd half.
On the 1st big climb of the 2nd lap, I passed a rider in a different field at the bottom but he passed me back on the way up. At the time I figured no big deal. Unfortunately it would prove to be my undoing. I caught him back on the 2nd big climb which had no place to pass but at the top I went around on the left. He swerved a little into me and I had to go off the trail a bit and caught a stick. I heard it catch and grabbed the brake but it was too late; into the spoke ripping the derailleur apart, spewing pulleys everywhere. Ugh! I quickly planned to lock the rear shock, shorten the chain and singlespeed it so flipped the bike over and tried to break the chain but my multi-tool couldn’t push the pins. I gave up and started walking back on the course, then decided it was shorter following the lap and coasting so flipped the bike over again and broke the quick-link (which I couldn’t get apart either) with the chaintool, threw the chain in my pocket and started running and coasting. As I proceeded I thought about how much downhill there was and how the uphill was pretty slow. About then I heard the 1st thunder clap and remnembered the official threatening to shorten the race if the weather was bad. On the last long uphill I decided to take a gamble and keep running. I ran through the start finish and back out for a lap, coasting or pushing as fast as I could. It wasn’t that bad. On the final hillclimb of the 3rd lap the official was stating that the race was indeed shortened. I thanked him and ran up the hill to finish. DFL but not DNF :)
[Wayne Cunningham]
Saturday: Apple Blaster Short Track
Fine day Sunny humid but nice.
The course: Start up a dirt road to the apple orchard. turns left down hill turn right on gravely loose corner. go up the apple tree rows single path with deep grass on sides and branches making passing very iffy. at the top of the climb you can down a dirt orchard road left then down right in to single track woods down to a packed dirt road up slight rise right turn in to grinding up hill single track back on dirt road and past start again. About a 4 minute lap.
The race: The massive field of seven crowded the start area. I was sure to arrive early to hold a good starting spot on the line. Three were in my age group four were in the others. On the start a skinny kid shoots out front, I follow on his heels. but shortly up the start climb before it narrows a big rider I remember see race cross at Putney in a super man costume one year flew past us. By the top of the climb the kid told me go get him so I past and followed him in to the single track. As we hit the corners he was still moving out on me, dirt rooster tails in the corners and everything. My next thought was mister baggy short and tee shirt was a real supprize. When we hit the dirt road up to the last section of single track before the start I was able to power up and pass him. He faded after that the kid came back to second and we finished off the race that way. It was a fun time all we needed was more rider to make the racing more exciting.
Sunday: Putney XC
At the start of the sport 40-49 there was 18 rider on the line. I was second row and ready to go.
On the start I slipped off my pedal and when we entered the top of the first down hill single track I was second to last. We wound down and through till a climb section were everyone ran a train up the worn path, I went to the right side and rode right past many rider and looked back to see how followed me, no one. Why do people stay in those lines when there room to go by safely? Then I made a pass here and there on the down hills. One that I thought was quite nice on the inside of a fast sweeping right hander. I came up to Dave Sroci and was able to follow him down one of the fastest long down hills. Was able to pass him on the climb after that he told me that there was one up on us. I reached the start finish after lap one about 15 seconds down on the lead. I push on the best I could staying steady on the climbs and trying to improve the on the fast sections. I am still trying to gain tech skills the down hills were fast and you could get out of control easly. There were time when you would get air and I started to really enjoy it. There was a log/water bar type thing on a up hill if you carried enough speed you could bunny hop. by the start of the last lap Jean said I was 45 second down and it started to pour really hard. The wood were very dark and water was running down the course and the corners were slick.
With the poor visibility I figured I had more to loose then I could gain so I road the down hill with more caution. I finished up in second place. With all the thunder and pouring rain I felt bad for the tail end of the womens field still out as I was cleaned packed and about to leave. I had an average speed of 9.2 mph and a max of 27.5. that was a supprize but easy to see getting on the down hill that were there.