192: goal # 6

Coming from a mountain biking background, one of the newest things for me to learn in cross was the concept of pinning numbers. Oh yeah, I’ve been to that race where they have mountain bike numbers on the cross bike. I have to admit I’m kind of against this.

First from a functional standpoint, the numbers are huge, and often too big to fit in a normal size of cross bars, next when attached to the bars the number will impede you from a hand position as the tops are blocked off. Additionally, I have found that the mountain bike style number impedes my shouldering and running technique. Although it can work, it just isn’t the true intention of the mtb number.

Perhaps from a fashion standpoint, and showing my true wannabe colors, I just don’t think it looks cool. Ever see the Belgians use mountain Bike number? I didn’t think so. Since we are racing cross, might as well look the real deal. My conclusion: Handle bar numbers for cross are so 1999.

Ah, but I as figured out, you can’t just pin that number on any old way, like many things in cross, there are unspoken rules about these things. My first couple of races, I can
remember Judy Miller, our official, re-pinning my number on the line. That was a little embarrassing.

Three years ago, as part of my routine my buddy Slik Rik used to pin my number, and then last season my teammate E-town pinned me up. This year, early on my friend Megan (the potty mouth princess) was pinning me. However, on my list of goals for the year: #6. pin myself.

Over the years, I have listened and learned the rules of number pinning:

1.Never use the holes
2. Always ball up your number, then flatten it out to pin.
3. Minimum of 6 pins, 8 is better.
4. Pins go in the corners, and on the center of each edge
5. Never fold the number- officials get really upset about this.

I know a good friend who used the same pins the entire season. They were his lucky pins . From a recycle reuse standpoint, I think that’s cool.
But I’ll admit the pile of safety pins on my dryer tell the truth, I take a new set of pins each week. As you attend more races it won’t be unusual for you to have a friend ask you to pin them. This is a big responsibility, and one you don’t want to screw up. I have a few pointers here.

Rule one: don’t stick your friend with the pin. You might get away with a nervous initial prick, but multiple stabs or blood lettings are bad form.

Rule two: when working with a skinsuit versus a jersey, take great attention to not pin through any base layers, or with your female friends the jog bra. If this happens it will mean disaster as they make last second runs to the bathroom, only to find that they have become trapped in their skin suits. Friends don’t trap friends in their skin suits.

Rule three: when pinning take care to make sure the number placement is good, and that enough pins are used so to avoid the number flapping in the wind.

When I was in high school I had this creepy friend named Jason. I can remember he told me that when slow dancing if you slid your hand up your partner’s side you could graze their boob with your hand. He told me if the girl liked it, she’s clamp your hand down with her arm, and you could feel up the girl, while you were dancing to “Every rose has it’s thorn”. Now, I was never successful using this technique, but there was one girl (Jenny), who didn’t have any trouble sticking my hand on her boob while we danced. That was an interesting night for sure.

But I digress. I will admit, every time I pin one of my women friends, and I get to that bottom front corner of the number, and I have a small panic attack. All that is racing through my mind is “don’t touch the boob, don’t graze the boob, Oh dear got if I graze her boob she is going to think I am such a perv, be very careful, it takes a steady hand, What ever you do don’t touch the boob.”

Rule four: don’t touch the boob. I swear creepy friend Jason, this is your fault, and totally stresses me out to this day.

Number placement has been tough for me, I’ll admit it. Too low, and it’s on your hip, too high and the official can’t see it on your back. This just takes a little practice and feedback from your
friends. Also key, remember to make sure to have the number right side up. Yup, I’ve done the upside down number trick. Not good. Luckily for me the C3-Sollay kit has a huge logo on the back of the jersey that allows for easy alignment of the number.

Shoulder numbers:

More and more promoters are using shoulder numbers to help officials score as cross fields continue to grow.

At Nationals in 2005, in registration they had a jersey with the shoulder number kind of on the chest. So, I like 80% of the people there ended up racing with my huge number basically on my chest. I’ll admit in those conditions the extra layer was helpful, but the number placement was all wrong.

Ethan has gone with the euro shoulder tops. This is a smooth move, but I’m not sure how helpful it is to the officials. My best recommendation is on the arm, and wrapped around, so that the number will be parallel to the ground when you are holding your handle bars. Four pins should suffice, six if you are getting some flap on the long sides. See above rules for pining guidelines.

Now for riders with extremely skinny arms, such as Joe Piccolo, this simply will not work. In this case, the parallel should number technique should be employed. Same pinning guidelines.
I will admit as a cat 3, Killer B, my research with shoulder numbers is far less extensive, and as such I have much to learn in this area. Yes, perhaps one of my minor goals, but a goal none
the less this year was to learn to pin myself. I’ve made great progress, I’m not yet ready to cat up, but I’m gaining valuable pinning experience each week.

Heidi and Auer have been using a spray glue to keep their numbers on that hold no sweat and doesn't damage the skin suit. That's top notch, cat1 pinning material if you ask me.

Hope you found this helpful.

Goal #4 for me this year was win a Maryland State Championship. Well, an 11 hour day at work today had me missing the championship race. I was kinda bummed, but then again Fairhill worked out for me, so I gotta have some balance. Sorry to have missed that race. Good thanksgiving, family was good, even got some climbing in with Rachel, Buddy, Jeb and Diane.

sooner or later, I'll actually get back on a bike...

respect

faticus

pictures from dennisbike.com were used in the fabrication of this blog entry. header photo by Kevin Dillard.