Landmine Classic Race Review

Did my first go round at the Landmine Classic this past Sunday in Hingham, MA.  It was an experience and a half!

Just before the race I brought my Hi-Fi over to Ben Stone at Bicycle Concepts in Putnam.  The rear brake was rubbing just a little recently and letting off a super high-pitched squeal.  Ben took care of it on the spot despite a hectic pre-Cross season ramping up and having hacked off the top of his index finger with a machete while clearing trail after being stung over 20 times by a hive of angry, aggressive bees only days before.  Thanks Ben!

I had done a cursory cleaning before bringing the bike to Ben, so was giving it a good once over before packing it onto my Element on Saturday.  I was spending the night with my friends, the Hansens, in their home in Hanson in order to cut down on Sunday morning pre-race driving.  But before blasting of to the Hansens in Hanson, I was paying a visit to the Bike Barn in Whitman to pick up a free t-shirt for having pre-registered.

Well, as I was cleaning my bike with my front wheel off, I squeezed the brake lever and, as always happens with the Avid Juicy 3 that came stock on the bike, the pistons that push in the brake pads locked up.  Ben was already off to a wedding for the afternoon, so I knew bringing it to Bicycle Concepts was out.  I decided I'd have Bike Barn  look at it if they could.

Having left the better two-thirds of the Patons back in Thompson, I made it up to Bike Barn for about 4 pm, about an hour before they were closing up.  Bike Barn is the sponsor shop for the Landmine Classic and was busy with all sorts of pre-race hoopla.  It was a big shop with five or six bike stands lining the service area in the back.  They were willing to work on my bike and Billy Bergen gave it a go first.  Nothing doing.  The job was escalated to Mark Gerard who spent a lot of time trying to get the pistons working again.  It looked like he had it, but long story short, it didn't take.  I wound up having to buy a new brake.  They didn't have anything hydraulic, so they put on an Avid BB7 mechanical brake.  Switching from hydraulic to mechanical required swapping out the brake lever as well.  Anyhow, brake lever fixed, free t-shirt procured (although it didn't feel free any more) and the owner, Kevin, even hooked me up with a Guinness while I waited.

Off to the Hansens in Hanson.  They offered me a meal fit for a king and a bed fit for a princess.

Turned in early after some catching up with old friends and probably three too many beers, but up and at 'em bright and early the next morning.  Handy dandy GPS had me at the park for 8:15, an hour and fifteen minutes before my race went off.  I was doing the 50 mile Cat 2/3 race, my longest race/ride of the season.  On my way in I dropped off coolers at the two feed zones with pre-made water bottles with Hammer Fizz (thanks again Karen Potter) in them just to make sure I didn't run dry.

After driving for what seemed forever through the park, I found the start/finish area all set up and plenty of people already there getting psyched up for the race.  I grabbed my number (and free Bike Barn water bottle!) and got my stuff ready for the race.

I ran into Karen Potter, Brandon O'Neal and Steve Segenchuk while I was waiting for the start.  At 9:10 I saw a sweaty Brandon saying he'd gotten warmed up.  I expressed my concern with me warming up.  Basically 50 miles is a REALLY long way for me (and most other non-super-humans).  I just wasn't sure I had a warm up in me plus the race.  Brandon convinced me otherwise saying it was important to have broken a sweat before the race starts.  So I did a quick 1.3 miles on the road and got back just in time to start queuing up for the start.  They didn't do age groups in the marathon (50 mile) class.  Instead they had all the pros/experts go off and then had the Cat 2/3 men go off.  After us was the Single Speed open (much to Brandon's chagrin, as he's faster than everyone in that Cat 2/3 line up).  I assume the Cat 2/3 women went off right after them.

Brandon's advice seemed sound.   The whistle went off and we took off around the edge of the parking lot/field.  I was in second place getting into the woods!!!  At about a mile in the guy in first lost his chain.  I was in F-I-R-S-T!  With one mile down and only 49 to go.  Just the little matter of hanging onto the lead for the other 98% of the race.  At mile 4.5 I overtook the Cat 1/Pro female bringing up the rear of that category.  I also hear someone coming behind.  The question is whether it's a SS or Cat 2/3.  After a few minutes he catches me and I realize it is a Cat 2/3.  I hang onto him tight for a few miles.  Then as we pop out of the woods, he's nowhere to be seen.  I'm following the arrow on the road pointing left.  I think he's missed the turn and went straight across the road and back into the woods.  Alone in first again.  Around mile seven I've got riders coming up behind.  One guy passes me, then another.  Both running gears.  The second one to pass is the one who made the wrong turn.  I hang on to them past the first feed zone.  Still early and plenty of liquid.  No need to stop.

The guy in front takes a turn too wide and me and the other guy in front of me get by him.  Then the guy in front of me misses a turn (catching himself instantly) and I'm back in first.  

I hang on to the lead through the second feed zone and am still in first at mile 10.  That's where I blow a F-L-A-T!!!  Ugh.  I watch about 15 - 20 people blow past me while I take roughly 10 minutes to change my flat tire.  I need to work on doing that faster or go tubeless.  Honestly though, it might not have been the worst thing for me.  I was pushing myself too hard for those first ten miles and there was a good chance I was going to blow up if I kept trying to go at that rate.

Brandon was in the first group that passed me as I flatted.  That means he had made up the two minute (?) gap between our starts and gotten by all the slower Cat 2/3 by the time we hit mile 10.   Red headed single speed cycling monster.

I eventually have it back together and am now chasing people.  Slowly regaining places and trying to see whether they're geared or SS.  It's slow going and I grow disheartened.  Plus I took a wrong turn (stupidly) and have to back track a quarter mile on a disused paved road.  I think the guy who followed me was not happy with my poor decision making abilities.  But I plod on and slowly I pass folks.  Toward the end of the first 25 mile lap the trail veers left around a tree and drops off hard on the right side.  I hug the tree, going hard into the turn.  And crash right into the smaller tree hidden behind the large tree I'm hugging.  Head versus tree.  Tree wins.  Stopped dead, dazed with my visor knocked off.  I take off my helmet and get my visor back on and start up again, having to re-pass the last two guys I had just passed.

I get to the start/finish and my quads are just cramping up nicely with one lap left.  I stop by my cooler and replace my water bottle.  My Camelbak still feels okay, so I don't fill it.  I grab a banana, peel it open and start pedaling, swallowing as quickly as I can to have it gone before I get out of the field.  Still picking people off, but not sure at all where I stand.  My legs REALLY start cramping now.  Inside thighs above the knees.  I try drinking as much of the Hammer electrolyte drink as I can and down some Power Bar Energy Blasts as well (mmm... delicious Energy Blasts that taste like gummy candy).

I crashed once more coming over a rooty downhill, but no one there.  By the time I roll into what I know to be the last leg of the race, I think I've passed around a dozen people, but some of them were probably racing the shorter races.  The last four miles and my legs don't hurt at all any more.  I can smell the end.  It kind of smells like hamburgers.  It is hamburgers!!

I cross the finish in five hours and five minutes.  In the end I come to find out that coming through the first lap I was in 14th out of about 27 or so.  I finished in 11th, having only regained three spots since lap one.  I'm still awaiting the final results to be posted, but I'm pretty sure if I hadn't lost those ten minutes changing the tire I would have been closer to 5th or 6th.  But, as I said in my last race report, who knows if those guys in front of me had mechanicals also.

Dog tired, but feeling accomplished.  I grab a burger from the local scout troop (only to hear them go one sale 1/2 price literally while I'm eating my full price burger).  Brandon won the SS race.  Potter won the women's Pro/Cat 1.  Steve grabbed 11th in the Cat 1/Pro men (quite an accomplishment since he's used to just racing against the Cat 1 guys).  I heard Pete Dunn was there, too, but I think he did the 25 mile, so showed up after me and was probably gone before I finished.

All in all, great race.  Great organization.  Great vibe.  470+ racers across all categories. And you should definitely ride Wompatuck.  Trails are fantastic and well worth the trip.

 
Next "bike" race is the Pinnacle Challenge on 10/2.  5.0 mile road run, 5.4 mile mountain bike ride, 13.75 mile road ride and a 3.65 mile trail run.

Thanks for reading!