Coaltown Cross

Story by Mike Maher:

The Coaltown Cross was a fun grass roots kind of race.

Not only did I race, I wound up "volunteering" to set up most of the course, tear it down and loan out all my tape stakes. Kirk got suckered in as well.

Like last time, they did several "short track" races prior to the main event.

In qualifier heat #1, I took the WIN being VERY lucky to not have the Pfugenator in my group.

They took the top 4-5 places from the heats and we went out again. This time I wound up in 5th Place.

Kirk was smart enough to finish 5th in the qualifier heat, and therefore did not qualify in order to remain fresh for the main event....!

They split the field for the main event into Category 1 and Category 2 racers. I "earned" a Cat 1 classification and Kirk slyly raced in Cat 2.

In the MAIN EVENT, beer handups took a much higher priority than finish place for me. As my back began to twinge again, the beer moved even further up the list. Having stopped several times to partake, I saw Kirk about 20 seconds back. So I had another and waited hoping to finish out the race with Kirk.

Excellent plan till I tore a little hole in my sidewall and DNF'd. RATS!

Kirk however, in true "tortoise" style, picked several off to finish a very impressive 2nd Place in his group! Oh and he looked damn good doing it.

NOTE: We both competed on our SS rigs, competing in geared fields with lots of climbing.

Cincy 3

All Cincinnati, Ohio racing, and Story, by Kirk Morrison!

What a fun weekend...with the chance to race 3 times at 3 different venues in big fields (120 to 150 racers in my starting group for every race) as well as watch the top USA Pro’s race afterwards.

My best performance of the weekend was on Friday which had a very muddy, slick course. This worked to my favor as I was able to work my way up through the struggling field with no crashes or mechanical issues.

Unfortunately the courses dried out on Saturday and Sunday but they were still plenty challenging.

This one random pic I found on FB is attached. This is from the first lap of Sunday’s Devou Park race in a severe off camber section where my entire group was walking/running. I’m in the lower right section of this image (behind Chris Mayhew whose Cat1-4 35+ group was also in my starting wave).

Race Date: 10-31-14
Race Name: Cincy3 – Harbin Park Cx
Race Location: Fairfield, OH
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Race Category: Masters 55+, Cat 1-4
Finish Place: 4th Place
Web Address to Results:
http://ovcx.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Race-7-Cincy3-Harbin-Park.pdf
Weather: 41F, rain and gusty winds (cold !)


Race Date: 11-1-14
Race Name: Cincy3 – Kings Cx
Race Location: Mason, OH
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Race Category: Masters 55+, Cat 1-4
Finish Place: 17th Place
Web Address to Results:
http://ovcx.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Race-8-Cincy3-Kings-CX.pdf
Weather: 45F, partly sunny and 20+ mph winds (chilly).


Race Date: 11-2-14
Race Name: Cincy3 – Devou Park Cx
Race Location: Covington, KY
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Race Category: Masters 55+, Cat 1-4
Finish Place: 11th Place
Web Address to Results:
http://ovcx.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Race-9-Cincy3-Devou-Park.pdf
Weather: 50F, sunny

Marshal Mangler....

...is NOT Marshal Mather's evil twin brother!

Marshall Mangler at North Park
Attended and written by SUPER FAN Ray Sielski with inserts by Mike Maher

Bobby Irwin, Mike Maher, and Richie Allen all showed up.

Bobby entered the Single Speed race.....(MM - Bobby had some MAJOR issues as I believe his chain has stretched and jumped of the sprocket numerous times. Throw in an asthma attack and Bobby had a VERY tough day. )

Looked like perfect conditions....perfect for a CROSS race, that is. Rain, Cold, Wind and Mud and some bad music on the too loud P.A. system....LOVE IT :)

According to tradition, there were a few costumes, candy and hecklers throwing Baby Ruth’s (at least I "think" they were Baby Ruth's...!!!).

Mike Maher raced his SS in his Veterans race, and had a spot of difficulty as he threw a belt on his drive system on the last lap.

(MM - Richie rode well and blew past me a mile or two into the race. He gapped me as did most of the field. I struggled. Back still hurt and had a very strong desire to puke for about 3/4 of the race. My back and the urge to purge simultaneously cleared a couple miles from the end. I was able to fight back a couple spots but was unable to reel in Rockin Richie despite all out last mile when I could see that glowing yeller kit in the distance getting closer and closer....
PS: About half way through the race I started having some shifting issues. Figuring I was having some suck issues, I went voluntary SS for the last bit. Upon cleaning my bike I discovered the outer plate on one of my chain links was severed. Not sure how the chain didn't break completely.)

The course was:
Slippy with a fresh coat of rain and welling up mud holes. Grass was slippy, pavement trickier with a 180 degree turnabout and mud trails were tacky. Two sets of barriers, a fence to climb, and of course the monster descent into a run up.

The barriers were easy to get over, however the gravel section made it tough to clip back in. Half cleated in, comes the off camber mud trail to 90 degree into the descent.

All mudded up some racers went over the handle bars. Not a bad tactic as they ended up collected at the bottom. Then the run up with mud stairs where you would get pelted with insults and last night’s leftover candy.

Can’t wait till next week.

Franklin Park Cross

ABRA Franklin Park Cyclocross Report
by Ray Sielski

While the Ag3r (MTB) B-Team was resting, the Ag3r (CX) A-Team were taken it to the hills.

Nathan Black, Mark Briercheck, Steve Marlette and Ray Sielski kept up the team respect with 100% show and go at all the ABRA CX venue races to date.

Nate led the way with the Cat 4/5 race. An early start before the day warmed up. He broke in the sand pit and showed the rest of us the best way to get to the barriers.

Next Up, Mark began his Daily-Double with his Single Speed bike, proving that "he" could get it up those hills without gears.

For Race #2, Mark showed up for the Masters Races along with Steve and Ray.

Team Ag3r in bright YELLOW kits on a cloudless day managed to get ALL Front Row call ups. We cannot be denied...!

Ray’s hole shot got him 4th Place into the hill section and the loose gravel on the climb.

Plenty of climbing on the front half, nice descents on the second half, and sand and barriers to finish each lap. In one place, there was a Steep Descent with a 180 degree at the bottom, into a Run Up on the other side.  No one could carry the speed needed to get up.  The entire field runs up.

Nate Black -
Category 4/5 - 43rd Place

Photo by Mike Briggs

Mark Briercheck - 
Single Speed - 6th Place
Masters 40plus - 10th Place

Photo by Mike Briggs

Steve Marlette -
Masters 50plus - 9th Place

Photo by Mike Briggs

Ray Sielski -
Masters 60plus - 7th Place

Photo by Mike Briggs

TidBits overheard in the Pits
# Dude, I just totally rode up the run up
# Don’t pass the guy behind you
# I was huge throughout the entire race, or, I rode huge.
# The striders are in the sand
# Ray, are you OK, what are you doing down there!!!

Marilla next week.

X-Ray

OhioPyle SUPER-D

HERE is the story of the Month of Mud Series from the perspective of Hannah's #1 Competitor....worth reading for at LEAST the final two races =>

Race #4 North Park and Race #5 Ohiopyle.

 

http://theycallmedarthveda.weebly.com/blog/imaginary-mud-numbers

Then come "BACK BUTTON" to HERE for "just the facts" from Kirk Morrison!

Race Date: 10-26-14
Attendees: K. Morrison, R. Allen, H. Brewer
Race Name: MoM #5 – Ohiopyle State Park Super D/Enduro
Race Location: Ohiopyle State Park, PA

Web Address to Results: http://monthofmud.com/?page_id=2511

Ohiopyle Super-D Race Results:

Womens Expert – Hannah – 1st place (!)
Masters 45+ - Richy – 6th place
SS – Kirk – 6th place

Following the race, the awards ceremony for the overall Month of Mud Series was held with the following results (http://monthofmud.com/?page_id=2503).

MoM Womens Expert 1st Place QUEEN –>> Hannah.  Congratulations Hannah !

MoM Masters 45plus –>> Richy – 3rd place.  Nice work Richy !

MoM Single Speed –>> Kirk – 5th place. Good Job Me :)


Editor's Note:
.....we will all AGREE (right?) that THIS is a MUCH BETTER Result for Hannah than last year's(?)!!!

 

http://ag3r.blogspot.com/2014/01/ohio-pyle-duper-d.html

 

North Park XC MTB

Story by Hannah Brewer:

After missing the cyclocross race at North Park, and riding a bike only twice in the past two weeks , carrying a large buffalo chicken pizza for half of those miles...

....I returned to the Month of Mud series for the North Park Cross Country MTB race ...BECAUSE.... a dirt race that includes Ag3r riders + Sam + Deidre is BOUND to be a fun day.

It was!

Despite on and off rain the days leading up to the race, the trails were in really good shape.

I finished in 3rd Place of the Expert Women category and had fast ladies pushing me from all around, keeping me in my red zone for the entire race. It was a fun, fast race.

The curse of racing well is that I am now tied with Veda for 1st Place in the MOM Expert Women Series heading in the Ohiopyle SuperD race.

So, it's all DOWNHILL from here...!!!

Sam finished in 4th Place of the Expert Men Category
Deidre finished in 2nd Place of the Expert Women Category
Richie finished in 7th Place of the Masters category
Kirk finished in 12th Place of the Single Speed Category
Briercheck WAS THERE.....and raced until a mechanical.  NOT a good year for him :((

Results HERE: http://monthofmud.com/?page_id=2534

Disclaimer: Deidre, Sam, (and Kirk) had THE MOST FUN the night before the race and still showed up bright and early smiling (and riding fast). HAPPY ENGAGEMENT SAM & D!

AND Steve Brewer showed up for the FOOD with the team at OTB afterwards. Surprise. :)