Rick Ochs

Race recap from the St. Cloud, Single Track Attack

The Jail Trail: First let me thank a few people, primarily my wife Amy for encouraging me to pursue this biking thing, and my biggest fan, Ayden, who's little voice always makes me want to pedal harder. Also to the Summit Racing team's sponsors, Summit Contruction, G and D Electric, and Trailhead Cycling for their continuing support, and to Greg and Denise Leiferman and my fellow teammates who stick around for the Comp/Elite race and give a shout as we ride by- it gets to be a long day when you show up for the Citizen race and stay for the Elite awards. I personally need to thank the guys at The Bike Shop in Marshall as well for helping me keep the wheels moving and not missing any riding time (especially Cody VanOverbeke).

Now the Race: I had heard from some of the early racers that there were some wet spots out on course. Having done this before I knew most of them would be gone by the later part of the day. As I assumed trail conditions were nearly perfect. Being an old 40+ Comp racer I get to start in the last wave of every race. So I did a little warm-up and waited for the call-ups. It was turning in to the perfect day for racing with temp in the lower 70's and mostly sunny. Thirty seconds to the start- ten- five- GO! It had been two minutes since the under 40 crew had begun so we wouldn't see them for at least ten-fifteen minutes. Off to a fast start, Jimmy Jaglo was out front with me riding off to the left and back. As we hit the first rise in the ski trail I went around and held that spot to the single-track. Going into the single-track after the prologue was the last time I'd see anyone from my wave of 40+.

Through the next 1:56:37 I went by nearly 30 or so Comp and Elite racers on the way to a 1st place in the 40-44 yr, and 5th overall Comp finish. I felt very strong through the entire race- except on the first lap after passing one guy just before the Expert rock garden spur. I had lost my bearing since we went out onto the ski trial for twenty meters or so, back onto the single-track and right at the spur, up the ramp, over the rock, and looked (stared- never stare) right at the pink rock. Bad move. OTB. Cased it pretty hard which took some of the wind out of me for a few minutes. I was able to jump back on right away and run the rock garden, and not lose and positions I had just gained. From then on everything seemed to flow and I was able to clear most of the technical sections with no issues, other than being trapped in no-man's land for laps two and three, which will make a guy slow a bit if he can't see who he's chasing, or being chased by.

Though it was a smaller overall field, I don't think the outcome would have changed by much as this course plays perfectly to my strengths. I had a blast at this race and am already looking forward to next season.

Thanks again to everyone who's been part of one fun racing season.

Race recap from Laddies Loppet Bike Festival

We went up to Maplelag on Friday so I could get an "easy" pre-ride in. There is no easy pre-ride on that single-track! I went into the TT feeling great. I had ridden the trail on Friday afternoon to get a feel of the flow. The Comp riders were called up after the Expert women's field. I started in 4th -5th position behind Todd Nesvold, thirty seconds back. At the bottom of "Suicide Hill" I saw he was about half way up, and realized I was making good time. Over the top I pushed through the burn and let it rip on the ski trails. Big chain-ring all the way. As I railed around a corner and up a small hill, I stood to pedal and my chain jumped off and wrapped around my crank. (Insert several choice explatives)- race over! So I got off and back wound my cranks until the chain was loose, then got it back on, pushed the bike to the top of the rise and started over. I was supprised that Jason Sherman, or Ryan Sportel hadn't passed me yet. I settled down and got back into a rhythm, took it easy in the two sections of single-track and ten hammered as hard as I could on the last .5 km of ski trail. Ended up in 6th place at 11:18. How much time did the chain mishap cost? Could have easily made the race. Better luck next time.

Short Track- Thirteen minutes plus two laps. Seemed like a finish sprint out of every corner. I was able to jump out with the lead group for the first 6-7 laps and then the elastic started to stretch, and then break. Felt like I was stuck in no-man's-land for the 2nd half of the race, but upon the finish I had three or four riders close behind. Luke, and John Sandberg kicked some butt- along with Jenna Rinehart (expert woman who rode in the Comp wave, and beat all men). All I know at this point is that my legs are cooked. Not sure how they'll rebound for the XC race.

XC Race- Have I mentioned there has been no sleep for three nights due to my little girl's night-time coughing? And the fact that I can't shut off my brain pre race. We got up in time for a great breakfast, and for Amy to do her 6th ride of the summer (4 of the other 5 have been races). She decided to get out and go for a Sunday ride. During a race. All things considered she held her own, and had a fun ride. After that she jumped in on Kyia Anderson's skills clinic. Said she learnd a few good techniques. Then it's off to lunch follwed by the Shimano Youth Series "race". I was out warming up and got there in time to help Ayden through her little race. She started very upset because all of the "big girls" are winning. So after short pep-talk, we ventured on and had a great time. She had a huge smile on her face as she caught back up to the group ahead. Ah the lessons of youth.

Being part of the stage race, and finally moving back into 1st place in my age group, I was called up to the line. Mass strat for the entire COmp field. Love it. Went into the first little section of single-track in 2nd or 3rd position. Skidded a little and had to stop so I wouldn't hit a tree. Then, ran up out of the section and back on. John Sandberg jumped out ahead or the lead group of 6-8 guys and held on the entire race. For me it was an early battle with cotton mouth, then the legs decided I'd played a horrible trick on them by making them ride fast two days in a row. Had a really fun, but brutal race plaing leapfrog with 23or three different racers. Piotr Bednarski put a gap on me in the first lap of around a hundred meters. I could get a glimpse of him and a coule other through the entire race. At this point I'm resolveed to finish 3rd in my age group based on the points standings. But I hammer on through the back pain, and thighs that were on fire. Coming through the last half of the 2nd (of 2.5 laps) I passed a couple of guys ahead of me, then mad e the corner to climb "Suicide Hill" for the last time and saw Piotr up the hill. He stayed about 15 seconds ahead of me until we came out of the single-track and on to the ski trail and the final .5 km of the race. Into the big ring for the push to the finish. Closer. Closer. Jesse Haglund off the trail shouting that I've got him. Fifty meters to go, around a slight bend. The catch. The pass (inside on final turn). The line. One second ahead.

Those are the reasons I race these things. Great battles with great riders like Piotr (in my age group) and many others in the overall Comp field. Piotr and I are less than one and a half minutes apart in head-to-head races this season. John Sanberg kicked both our butt's, and all three of us 40+ year-olds were in the top 9 in a small but strong field.

Looking forward to St. Cloud and the Jail Trail. Fifth place overall last year and looking to move up the leader board.

Have fun, ride hard. Go home and thank my wife and daughter for letting me have so much fun.

RO

Race recap from 2009 Trek Border Battle

While waiting for the awards ceremony I told Nate that this was my best race of the year...so far. I have taken a step back and gained some perspective regarding the wave starts. It isn't going to change, so I have decided that a top 15 finish overall is close to a top 10 finish starting in the same wave as the group ahead- at least that's what I've rationalized.

It was a typical start for this year. Me in the mid-back of the wave - Since I lost my call-up due to a flat at Afton. We start and I make my way up through the group. Make our turn toward the first climb and, pinched between two riders that might as well be stopped. Both feet on the ground I wait for them to gain some space and tell myself it's the first minute. The climb was very crowded so I settled in and passed as best I could. We hit the top and that's when I decided, throw it into the big ring and hammer away. There was about two feet of mowed grass along the trail on the field at the top of the hill. For about a quarter mile I blew past as many guys as possible- maybe 20-25. But I had lost the one age grouper I had marked- Piotr Bednarski. So off I went trying to chase down a rider I couldn't see.

I happened upon two other 40-44 year-olds and played hop-scotch with them as we slowly made our way through the field. We caught and passed all but two of the women's expert/pro field, along with many of the under 34 Comp wave, and several of the Elite men's field. Heading through some of the final single-track as I was being cought by the top men's Pro racers, I was able to jump on some of their wheels for short periods of time, and gap the other riders i my age group. Still no Piotr in sight. I came out of the single-track and on to the last big open field section of the final lap, made a turn and saw a black and yellow jersey about 200 meters ahead. This is when I put myself way over my threshold and was able to catch Piotr and pass him with some good distance to the single-track. Through the final mile of the race I pedaled beyond my reserves, trying to remain smooth, but fast. I made it to the last turn on to the final finishing stretch knowing a number of riders were close behind. No one was able to catch.

I did all I could. Now it was time to wait for the results. First place in my age group, and 13th overall Comp. Best race of the year? No doubt. and it should put me in to 1st place in the series in my age group, and 5th-6th in overall Comp rankings. Nice.

Big thanks to my team-mates and their families who stuck around and cheered for us as we rode. That makes me want to push that much harder when I sometimes feel like sitting up and spinning out.

Can't wait for Maplelag...

___________________________________________________________

Buck Hill Birch Bump: August 9th, 2009

Don't have too much to say. I'm hoping to place this one in the "worst race of the year" category. I felt ok warming up, and in the days leading up to the race, but...everything went south from the start. I didn't feel bad per se, but not good either. The first climb was decent but as soon as I went into the single-track the timing was off, and I had a hard time bringing it back together. It's like in Slalom (ski) racing when a person gets behind on a gate- the rhythm of the entire run is off. The course was in as good of shape as it could be because recent rain helped to firm it up. I still slid off of course on three occassions because I got too close to the side of the trail and the sand gave way. I felt like I climbed pretty well because I was able to stay with Jack and some experts on the climbs, but the single-track got the best of me. That tends to kill me mentally because I usually excel in the tight and twisty stuff, and hang-on on the climbs.

I am also having a hard time accepting the wave starts. It's not easy to claw your way into a spot you should have been in from the begining, which takes more energy than staying in a position. Having to start in the last wave of every race has required me to have to pass between 15-30+ riders who would not have been ahead of me in a mass start. It is all good experience though as I've learned to deal with another aspect of racing. Hopefully I can increase my fitness and drop some weight over the off season and race Expert (Cat 1) next year. Got to have some lofty goals.

Nate and I watched the Sport guys take off and then stood at the bottom of the climb at the north end and tried to give them some encouragement as they passed each lap. We both enjoyed seeing Adam Caughey seem to get stronger on every lap. Really digging down to move up a few positions. That was very encouraging.

Nate and I are both also in some prime fighting position for some top age-group finishes in the series. We can both finish in the top (1), 2, or 3 position in our age-groups which are two of the most stacked groups in the series. Should be and interesting finish to the year. Along with having a strong qualifying race for XC Nationals in 2010.

Thanks to ALL of our Sponsors, and to those who come out to give us a holler as we ride by.

Rick, and Amy & Ayden Ochs

Webpage hosting by Web.com