News

Next up: Granite Bay Challenge!

UPDATED THURSDAY MARCH 18 WITH NEW COURSE MAP. LAST-MINUTE CHANGE TO CLOCKWISE!

This Sunday, March 21, 2010, we’ll race the second 2010 NorCal race at Folsom Lake State Recreation Area.

Returning riders rode at this site twice last year. NorCal organizers mixed it up in 2009 by changing some of the trails and reversing the direction for the second visit to Granite Bay.

For 2010 we’ll only be visiting this site once, and the race will be run clockwise.  Here’s the course map, updated Thursday, March 18, 2010:

Thurs. March 18 update: corrected course, confirmed CLOCKWISE

There are no real extended climbs here, as you can see from the contour lines and elevation profile on the course map: you do more climbing on most of the BHS practice days. However, Granite Bay has loads of technical single track! Check out these shots from last year’s race courses at Granite Bay:

If you get the chance, this is a good course to pre-ride the day before the race. That way you can check out the trickier technical bits, watch how other riders approach them, and have several runs at them yourself to find your best line and hone your technique.

I’ll try to post pictures of this year’s course the night before the race, if possible. Pictures from last year’s course are available here:

http://traffic.its.berkeley.edu/20090314_granite/
http://traffic.its.berkeley.edu/20090425_bhs_mtb/

Get plenty of sleep, eat sensibly, don’t forget your number plate, helmet, or shoes, fix any mechanical problems NOW, clean your bike after Thursday’s practice, and lube your drivetrain. Sunday’s gonna be awesome!!

-Greg

Berkeley High had a great season opener at the Central Coast Invitational at Fort Ord near Monterey this weekend.  The weather cooperated with cool temperatures, cloudy but not rainy, and the trails were a bit damp without being too sloppy.

Coach Moberg and a handful of BHS riders pre-rode the course on Saturday afternoon.  With the league expecting a record number of registered riders this year, it was no surprise that the trails were crowded with pre-riders!

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As always happens on race day, there are many things happening all at once all over the place:  riders out on the course, other riders getting ready to take the start, sprint finishes being contested, last-minute mechanical emergencies, and so on.  I had a full day running around, and what follows is a report based on what I saw and heard that day, with a focus on the girls’ races.  I’m sure I’ve missed a ton — it’s impossible to catch it all on race day!

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The Fort Ord course is fast and fun.  It’s not terribly technical, with the trickiest bits being some sandy corners that will send you sliding out if you take them too fast.  There are a few short hills, but no real extended climbs.  The route was different from last year, and I’m sure riders appreciated the variety rather than a straight “rerun” of the 2009 edition.

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Race day started with a number of impressive rides by the BHS girls.  Three returning riders and two new riders contested the course on Sunday.

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Mekayla was the first BHS rider to start.  Thanks to her strong results last year, Mekayla, a junior, made her debut in the tough Varsity field.  This is a tough, competitive group, featuring the fastest young women cyclists in northern California.  They’re not just running fast, they also have to endure an additional lap!

Mekayla racing Varsity

In Junior Vasity, returning third-year veteran Lang, a junior, was joined by a senior and first-year rider, Liv.  Liv and Lang finished their race within about a minute of one another — fabulous performance for your first race ever, Liv!

Lang

 

Liv

 

In the sophomore category, new rider Nelle and returning rider Emily took the starting line together.

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Emily had her personal best NorCal finish and first podium appearance with a third place, and has locked in advancement to the Varsity category for her junior year — one of her top goals for the season, achieved in the first race of the year.  Way to go!

Emily finishing 3rd

 

Nelle arrived at the race a bit too late to pre-ride, so she started the race — her first ever — without having previewed the course!  In spite of that, Nelle earned a fabulous 7th place.  With a result this good in her first race, she’s halfway toward making Varsity next year:  one more finish of 9th place or better this year, and she’ll be riding with teammates Mekayla and Emily in the Varsity category in 2011.

Nelle

 

Continuing on last year’s tradition of completing all of their races — no DNF (“Did Not Finish”) results for BHS girls last year — all of the BHS girls completed their races on Sunday.  I also have it on good authority that each and every one of the girls crashed at least once while racing on Sunday.  That’s some serious determination!

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Nelle checks out her elbow

 

Some of the team’s bikes had a really tough weekend.  Unfortunately, after pre-riding Saturday, two riders’ bikes were on a roof rack when their vehicle drove under a low overhang, causing some serious damage to the bikes.  JV rider Yuval, a junior, had a crash early in his race that tweaked his front wheel enough to make his bike unrideable.

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Time for a new front rim, Yuval!

 

Isaiah, a sophomore boy riding his first JV race, finished on the podium in fourth place — despite having a mechanical problem with his bike out on the course that caused him to lose a couple of spots.  Awesome riding to pull in a fourth in light of some bum luck.  Way to go, Isaiah — and one step closer to making Varsity next year!

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Isaiah takes 4th in JV boys

 

Junior Luke got his taste of the fast boys’ Varsity group on Sunday.  A tough start:  for reasons unknown, race officials decided that the rightmost start lane was not available for the Varsity start, so Luke and several other riders were told to move from their decent start positions to the very back of the bunch.  Tough break, but what the official says, goes.

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Luke listening in disbelief as the official tells riders to relocate to the rear of the pack!

 

Returning Varsity rider Alex made a fine finish with 7th place in this tough, tough group.  Awesome!

Alex

 

The whole team has been training very hard these past couple of months, and everyone gave it their all and finished the way we like to see:  completely wiped out!

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After their races, there was no holding riders back from their Picante burritos to replenish and recover.  Thanks for your support, Picante!

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Chet, about to inhale a burrito and a half

 

I can’t wait ’til the next practice, when I can hear more first-hand stories of race day from riders.  Less than two weeks to go until Granite Bay, when we do it all over again.  I’m counting the days.  GO BERKELEY HIGH!!

Crockett Hills Trail Workday rescheduled for March 27th, 9:00am | 332 Cummings Skyway, Rodeo

The workday has been rescheduled for March 27th at 9:00 am. The new trails have held up reasonably well, but they were newly constructed going into the winter and need some drainage improvements, the switchback turns could be leveled out, and signs need to be installed before the trails can open. BTCEB Trail Coordinator, Daniel Perkins (drp@btceb.org), is putting together a new RSVP and t-shirt list. Drop him a note so you can get one of our snazzy new t-shirts, and EBRPD brings enough grub to avoid a Lord of the Flies episode.

We’ll be working on a *newly constructed, narrow trail* that was designed for multi-use by former IMBA Trail Care Crew leaders Nat and Rachel Lopes of Hilride. This is the first time in a very long time that EBRPD has embarked on a new multi-use trail building project, especially a narrow-gauge trail open to bikes. It’s a big deal, and cyclists now have an awesome opportunity to show their appreciation and let the District know we like narrow trails!

The schedule includes a half-day of trail work with FREE lunch provided by EBRPD. BTCEB will also provide a FREE BTCEB t-shirt to the first 25 members who RSVP Daniel at drp@btceb.org. Snacks provided by Clif Bar.

Directions
From Highway 4 take the Cummings Skyway Exit and travel north roughly 1.25 miles. You will see an entrance gate to your left, and a sign that says “Trail Event”.

From Highway 80 (North or South), take the Cummings Skyway exit and travel south roughly 2.25 miles. You will see the entrance gate on your right, after the Crockett Blvd stoplight.

Once through the gate, follow the roughly paved road to the meeting location.

As always, call us at 510-761-MTBK for more info (even the day of the event).

Google map of location (with pictures).

Lunch meeting Wednesday to discuss race stories from previous weekend and go over race strategies for upcoming race. Mandatory!!!

New riders at spin class with Peter at 4:45pm and returning riders meet at Live Oak Park at 4:30pm with Mobo and Bobo.

Here’s the standard checklist of items to bring. If you have questions, talk to one of the more experienced riders on the team or ask a coach.
Basics:

• Show up in the morning wearing warm street clothes
• Bring a towel (it will get muddy)
• Have a plastic bag to put wet, muddy items in
• Bring post-ride food and water (it’s very important to start refueling the body immediately after the ride, especially on cold and/or wet days)

Riding Gear

• Bike (tuned and ready to race!)
• Helmet
• Cycling Shoes
• Water – 2 large water bottles or Camelback
• Riding clothing – Coverings for arms and knees are a must with the cooler weather. Also bring a vest or jacket in case it gets cold or wet
• Tube/pump/tool
• Food for ride – sandwiches, energy bars, gels, whatever you like but plan on carrying 500 calories
• Windbreaker or rain jacket (the rain can roll in suddenly during our rides)
• Spare riding gear (just in case the weather is different at the ride location than at home)

The post with the times has been reformatted a bit. Give it another peek to see how you fared against Pug. The dog can ride, I’m telling you. Also, for some historical perspective, check out the post with last season’s times. No word from our friends over at El Cerrito’s site…will the world record be broken this year?

Also, Coach Jon has posted photos from the time trial. They’re both on our photos page, as well he’s posted them on flickr.

Jonah looks ahead

Team lunch meeting in Ms. Kavaler’s room on Wednesday, 3/3 room G304. Will discuss race details and take team orders on supplies. Please be there!

Mobo

No outside ride today. Practice for returning riders at spin class and new riders meet at team office.

Mobo

First run of the team time trail held 02-28-10. Conditions were warm and overcast with slightly wet trail. A bit of foot/dog traffic with overall slower conditions than normal. Everyone rode great and our sympathies to Mekayla whose chain broke at the bottom of the hill – next time!! Let me know if you believe there is a problem with your time. Coach Bobo

What was my time???

Coach Kelly Digs!!