Urban Outlaw #1 - Year 15 dfL
09/09/09 Race#1
DFL Urban Outlaw race celebrated it's 15th anniversary last nite, also the first race of the season. For those unfamiliar with the series, let me expound on series name: cyclo-cross dress race series. In order to avoid the exorbitant $5 racing fee, you can don your best cross dressing outfit! A huge thank you to all the major players on the DFL squad for organizing these sweet race and providing refreshments after wards. The courses border a bit more on the jungle-cross side of things(more technical) vs the euro style(more grass), which makes them that much more fun for me, but then again I am a mountain biker!
I'm usually looking forward to these early races to test the fitness I've gained from a full season of road and mountain bike racing. However, this year training's not been so good for too many reason to list, but alas I've had a fun year of bike riding! So come the first race of the series, my 7th year at it, I was looking forward more to the camaraderie and fun of seeing all my friends dressed up and riding as hard as they can for an hour then race tales after wards over a cold beer. It always fun to catch up with peeps whom you haven't seen since the last 'cross season and what better way to do it than all dressed up in your sunday's best,er maybe your sister's sunday's best ;-)
Last year there was a huge bottle neck before the real action started, so it was decided that we would do a Le mans style start. We essentially had to run what seemed to be forever, cause I suck at running, but in reality was only about 100meters, to our bikes. Keep in mind that this is a huge mass start of about 100 people with abilities ranging from first time riding a cross bike to seasoned pros!
Pics from Scotty Paz.
and
Pic from Plattyjo.
and more pics from DFL photographic historian Mizz Pamela Palma
After receiving some instructions about being nice to each out on the course somebody yelled go and we were off. Hoof, hoof, hoof, god I really hate running, huff, puff, god I really suck at running. Whew. OK, I'm done, kidding. I scramble to find my bike, grab it and start running with it over my head to find an open spot to put it down and mount it.
Since the DFL races tend to border on the more technical,I usually choose to race a mountain bike. To keep it somewhat fair, I rock a single-speed and usually with mountain bike gear of 32:19 on a 29er. I think a typical 'cross gear would be more like 42:17. So I'm spinning out like a mofo, lungs are searing, hear is throbbing as I try to pick my way thru people. I'm so anaerobic that I have to remind myself that this IS a cyclocross race and that I should be passing people not settling into a good pace. About 15 minutes in, I find my legs and my racing wits and start attacking. There are quite a few steep run-ups that can be ridden,even on a ss, but you need a clear shot at it. I tried cutting around people to get a clear shot, but inevitable somebody got in the way and i had to dismount or just fall over ;-)
As we went around and around, I started to get a feel for where I should pass people so that I could take advantage of the descending ability of the mountain bike and also to have a clean line of attack for the climbs. I did this for a few laps and then I really thought I would stop racing at one point, because although my feet were pushing the pedal I had no power left. But I heard friends cheering and heckling and thought just keep going you'll get a second wind and i did, I eventually got 3 or 4 winds ;-)
I was quite happy to see that although I was in a great amount of pain, I was able to recover and keep attacking. More importantly...I was not lapped by the leader! yea!
Good times! Or better yet from the title of popular cyclcross video, pure sweet hell!
It hurts so good! Next up is the Livermore Series race. Which I will also be doing on the Singular Swift singlespeed. I'm gonna man up, however, and put a 17 tooth cog on to give me 32:17, which will give me a few more gear inches.
DFL Urban Outlaw race celebrated it's 15th anniversary last nite, also the first race of the season. For those unfamiliar with the series, let me expound on series name: cyclo-cross dress race series. In order to avoid the exorbitant $5 racing fee, you can don your best cross dressing outfit! A huge thank you to all the major players on the DFL squad for organizing these sweet race and providing refreshments after wards. The courses border a bit more on the jungle-cross side of things(more technical) vs the euro style(more grass), which makes them that much more fun for me, but then again I am a mountain biker!
I'm usually looking forward to these early races to test the fitness I've gained from a full season of road and mountain bike racing. However, this year training's not been so good for too many reason to list, but alas I've had a fun year of bike riding! So come the first race of the series, my 7th year at it, I was looking forward more to the camaraderie and fun of seeing all my friends dressed up and riding as hard as they can for an hour then race tales after wards over a cold beer. It always fun to catch up with peeps whom you haven't seen since the last 'cross season and what better way to do it than all dressed up in your sunday's best,er maybe your sister's sunday's best ;-)
Last year there was a huge bottle neck before the real action started, so it was decided that we would do a Le mans style start. We essentially had to run what seemed to be forever, cause I suck at running, but in reality was only about 100meters, to our bikes. Keep in mind that this is a huge mass start of about 100 people with abilities ranging from first time riding a cross bike to seasoned pros!
Pics from Scotty Paz.
and
Pic from Plattyjo.
and more pics from DFL photographic historian Mizz Pamela Palma
After receiving some instructions about being nice to each out on the course somebody yelled go and we were off. Hoof, hoof, hoof, god I really hate running, huff, puff, god I really suck at running. Whew. OK, I'm done, kidding. I scramble to find my bike, grab it and start running with it over my head to find an open spot to put it down and mount it.
Since the DFL races tend to border on the more technical,I usually choose to race a mountain bike. To keep it somewhat fair, I rock a single-speed and usually with mountain bike gear of 32:19 on a 29er. I think a typical 'cross gear would be more like 42:17. So I'm spinning out like a mofo, lungs are searing, hear is throbbing as I try to pick my way thru people. I'm so anaerobic that I have to remind myself that this IS a cyclocross race and that I should be passing people not settling into a good pace. About 15 minutes in, I find my legs and my racing wits and start attacking. There are quite a few steep run-ups that can be ridden,even on a ss, but you need a clear shot at it. I tried cutting around people to get a clear shot, but inevitable somebody got in the way and i had to dismount or just fall over ;-)
As we went around and around, I started to get a feel for where I should pass people so that I could take advantage of the descending ability of the mountain bike and also to have a clean line of attack for the climbs. I did this for a few laps and then I really thought I would stop racing at one point, because although my feet were pushing the pedal I had no power left. But I heard friends cheering and heckling and thought just keep going you'll get a second wind and i did, I eventually got 3 or 4 winds ;-)
I was quite happy to see that although I was in a great amount of pain, I was able to recover and keep attacking. More importantly...I was not lapped by the leader! yea!
Good times! Or better yet from the title of popular cyclcross video, pure sweet hell!
It hurts so good! Next up is the Livermore Series race. Which I will also be doing on the Singular Swift singlespeed. I'm gonna man up, however, and put a 17 tooth cog on to give me 32:17, which will give me a few more gear inches.
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