So with that said here are a couple of stories and experience from promoting the race that I’m gonna take with me.
First the leg marking. Nothing like working with everyone in your community feeling like you have accomplished your goal of putting on a great event to get home and find emails on the Mass list bitching about no leg marking. On this one I took Biddle’s advice, and deleted myself from the group. Now let me address why I decided to not mark legs, and no it wasn’t because we didn’t have enough help. 3 part answer. Email trolls get your pen’s ready. Here it goes, first, I’m allergic to that damn ink in the pens, and my skin gets all nasty when they write on me, next, I hate walking around with black letters on my leg for a week. Oh, you can scrub it, but it doesn’t come off. Finally I submit this, if you are on a hill, and there is a dude in front of you that you can catch, then catch him. Looking at his calf to decide if he is in your class, to make the decision that you want to pass him is lame. If you can get him, then go get him. I would suggest that: if you are challenging for a win, and pass a dude pushing his bike with vomit on his chin, I would guess he’s not the leader. Do you think Travis Sealer was looking for calf marks as he plowed his was through the 30+ and 19-29 classes on his single speed? Nope, he was passing anyone who was in front of him. Sorry kids I may be dead wrong on this, and if that’s the one negative from our race, then so be it, I hate calf marking.
5 comments:
i've never heard of calf marking, and i am no bike racing phenom, but i think you make sense in your defense of not having it. seriously, the goal in a race is to go as fast as you can, right? and to pass whomever you have to pass along the way, no? yeah... calf marking es el stupido!
Honestly, who has ever referred to leg markings while racing? Besides it forces you to get to know the guys you're riding with, thus making everything more fun. I always thought it was for the race scorers or something, but even that argument doesn't hold up under scrutiny.
Kudos to all who raced, as this race humbled me in ways I still can't deal with until I finish my therapy. Slurppp...mmm that's better.
I only did one MASS race (granogue last year) and I had never heard of calf marking. It's seems pretty silly and it just reminds me of tri-geek stuff. Back to grassroots.. how about paper plate numbers ? I remember seeing a smiley face on a paper plate sign at Michaux Teaberry race back in 2003 that said 3 more miles or something to go ..which was not totally accurate, but it made me laugh. Hillsboro Classic in NH had some little trolls on a stump for some entertainment value to racers..
Glad to hear your race went well !!! Hope you had a great sunday relaxing...
KC
my first ever bike race was a mtbr back in 1999. I led off, won the sprint for the first corner and stayed off the front for the next 3 laps. or 2. whatever. well I won my age group, but some junior who started the group behind ours "won" the beginner category. I always thought the goal was to win the whole thing.
Fat Marc-
People who bitch on the Mass list are those who were in the middle of the pack and lost in the mix anyways, like I was. Reguardless of calf markings, everyone pushes themselves as hard as they can reguardless of the classification. If you are seriously trying to contend for a top 5 position, you are likely surrounded by your competitors who you are racing against and know who they are by sight which nullifies the need for a big black 'S1' on everyone's calves. The MASS mailing list is a joke. I joined it just before Granogue and removed myself today, less than a week later, because of the huge amount of trash that I recieve from it. Under ideal conditions and the way that I thought it was going to be, it would only be used by promoters for important news and announcements, but rather every lame ass out there bored at work has to chime in on every tiny little issue. I loved Granogue (as my second non-collegiate MTB race) and it's a great departure from the normal snobbiness of the road races I usually attend. The USCF officals never thank anyone, nevermind Bart Simpson. Thanks.
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