Conference noted::bicycle

490.0. "WRC Mt. Wachusetts Race Results" by RETORT::SCHNARE (CHARLIE SCHNARE) Tue Oct 27 1987 11:59

Worcester Road Clubs - Mt Wachusetts Hill Climb Results


Novice Men 14-18  3rd place Mike... last name escapes me.
Novice Men 18-34  3rd place Chris Hinkley
Novice Men 35-44  1st place Dick Johnson
Novice Men 35-44  8th place Norm Lafluer

USCF Senior Women  3rd place Marion Garver
USCF Senior II Men 2nd place Dave Longcope
USCF Veteran Men 1st place Charles Schnare
USCF Veteran Men 3rd place Carl Goddard
USCF Veteran Men 4th place Rich Shuman
USCF Veteran Men 6th place Mike Farrell
USCF Master Men 1st place Dick Lortie


USCF - Veterans Mens Race Report 

Weather was very windy, temp about 50 degrees, bright sunshine.

Course was dry with a few wet leaves along the side of the road.

10:45 the VETS race started, with about 12 riders crazy enough to climb 
this mountain this late into the racing season. I jumped right from the 
start in a 52-17. Settled into my TT hillclimb mode and took a quick 
peek back and found one rider (Peter Bates) sitting on my wheel with the
rest of the pack about 50 yards back. 

Just a quick note on Peter with whom I am quite friendly. He rode the 
district TT in 57 min. He won the KOM (king of the mountain) jersey at 
the Killington stage race this year and was the third New England rider 
overall in that stage race.

Ok, back to the race. Peter stayed on my wheel all the way up mile high 
hill to the entrance of the state park. At the point we turned into a 
stiff wind. I slowed down to force Peter to take the pace, also so I 
could get some shelter sitting on his wheel for a change. We both knew 
what was going on so we climbed side by side most of the was up. Kind of 
an unwritten gentleman agreement. After the two chair lifts there is a 
long decent then a gradual climb up to a very steep portion just prior 
to the lookout area. It was on this steep portion that Peter came off 
the back a little. At this point I shifted down and jumped on it and 
opened a gap of about 30 yds and held that to the finish.

I felt sorry for Peter having climbed with him for almost the whole race 
and with 500 meters to go to have that happen to him. Its causes me to 
reflect on how unfair in a sense sports can be. We both put a lot of 
time in training, I think about all that time, and racing together for
miles, yet someone has to cross the line first, 2nd ,3rd,etc. I went up 
to him afterwards and congratulated him on an excellent ride. I could see 
the disappointment on his face and I knew how that was cause I had been 
there all season it seems. So believe me winning isn't everything. I 
did not feel like I had done anything special. Everyone wants to win but 
only one person can. Yet at times there is so precious little that
separates everyone. Everyone else who did the race suffered just as much
as I had, so I felt everyone was a winner. 

If I had it all to do over again I'd do it the same way.

Now retired for this season---Charlie Schnare

    	never having biked/driven/hiked/been to Mt. Wachusetts what
    is the distance of the race, total climb, steepest climb and either
    winning time or "average competitive" time.
    
    thanks
    Ed

    The distance was 6.1km.  I'm not sure what that translates into
    for miles, but I'm sure Reg can fill us in.  The vertical climb
    was 1000'.  The winning time for novice(?) men was 16 something,
    I forget the seconds.  The winning time for novice women was 19
    something.  It seemed like anything under 20 minutes was very
    respectable, at least for us novices.
    
    And I came in second!!!!  Which was pretty unbelievable, since there 
    were about a dozen women.  Actually, it was pretty embarrassing, too.  
    The woman who won was SO far ahead of the rest of us that I didn't 
    even know she was there, and until they gave out the awards, I thought 
    I had won!  Should have known better!  But second was better than I 
    ever expected, so I was real happy.
                                
    

>        The woman who won was SO far ahead of the rest of us that I didn't 
>    even know she was there, and until they gave out the awards, I thought 
>    I had won!  Should have known better!  But second was better than I 

    
    	??????????????????????

    I know the woman who came in third.  She also thought that she had
    finished in second place.  Apparently most of the riders who started
    off in the front of the pack ended op being passed by Kathy.  By
    the time Kathy had passed these slower riders, the winner was already
    out of sight.
    

< Note 490.0 by RETORT::SCHNARE "CHARLIE SCHNARE" >
                      -< WRC Mt. Wachusetts Race Results >-


Add my name to the list of results (are these all DECcies?)


Novice Men 35-44  4th place Kevin Klasman

And would you believe, I dropped my chain somewhere near the end, had to 
dismount to put the chain back on, remount and pass the four riders who passed 
me while I was diddling with the chain?  If only I know how to shift!

Kevin

< Note 490.0 by RETORT::SCHNARE "CHARLIE SCHNARE" >
                      -< WRC Mt. Wachusetts Race Results >-


Charlie,

   Could you post the times for the USCF Vet Mens class (if you still have
them)?  I'm already looking forward to this year's race!

Kevin