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Race toyama cx

andywood

Maximum Pace
Apr 8, 2008
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After getting an off road fix on Sunday I've decided to enter the Toyama Cyclocross event in December.

Part Whackey Races, part Canonball Run, judging by this video...



I have a couple of weeks to learn how to dismount and remount efficiently and how to run on the beach ala David Hasselhoff!

Web link here


Here we go!

Cheers, Andy.
 
Very entertaining and good fun, I guess! But the start looks super crowded. To win this race the starting position and the first few hundreds of meters seem crucial.
Would be great fun if you also could get some camera action going during the race.
 
Very entertaining and good fun, I guess! But the start looks super crowded. To win this race the starting position and the first few hundreds of meters seem crucial.
Would be great fun if you also could get some camera action going during the race.

Yes, it's a race to the first corner, or rather the entrance to the forest. Not much chance to move up in the forest and your pace is dictated by the person in front of you. You could possibly move up on the beach but the race may be long gone by then.

I did a similar race in the forest by the beach here a couple of weeks ago. I was way off the pace but the course is much trickier. A mini TT on the concrete wall each lap in Toyama might be my salvation!

Also, 2018 looks glorious but difficult to guarantee good weather on the Japan Sea coast in December....

Andy
 
Good luck! I recommend some figure of eights on grassland as well to practice cornering feel, along with getting off and on the bike. Also, lots of sprints. You might be surprised but parts of the forst section on that course actually look pretty wide open between the corners, with enough space either side for overtaking. Whatever happens though, it will probably be a middle school student on a mountain bike who wins anyway so don't sweat it. :cool:
 
Good luck! I recommend some figure of eights on grassland as well to practice cornering feel, along with getting off and on the bike. Also, lots of sprints. You might be surprised but parts of the forst section on that course actually look pretty wide open between the corners, with enough space either side for overtaking. Whatever happens though, it will probably be a middle school student on a mountain bike who wins anyway so don't sweat it. :cool:

Good points about the figure of 8s. On the Kakuda trail I find tight right hand turns very difficult for some reason.

That trail is also single track so I guess, like you say, there is room to pass on the Toyama course.

I was surprised by the argey bargey at the start of the Gravel race at Nobeyama. I got angry with some guy who leaned on me. His response was to pull a wheelie!

Like bike handling, sprinting is a big weakness, which I guess is why I want to do it!

Thanks for the advice, Andy.
 
Made a nice little loop to simulate the Toyama course today.

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Starting on the forest trail. It then turns to woodchip.

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Some staircases. A bit of gravel, some mud. More stairs.

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Exposed up top on the grass bank.

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The concrete sea wall a chance to drop the hammer.

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The beach with the bike over the shoulder. More stairs.

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A soggy football field and home.

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A 3.5km loop. Heavy underfoot with the wet snow coming down.

8 loops is plenty.

Beer o'clock!

Andy
 
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Wow! That's dedication/ambition. I'm sure it'll pay out for you on race day.

Thanks, it's something I do for every race I enter. It really helps to get your head in the game. The next step is to do race distance at race pace.

Andy
 
Wow! That's dedication/ambition. I'm sure it'll pay out for you on race day.

I used to have aspirations about getting serious with my cycling, but then I got to learn how much effort @andywood puts into making the podium effortlessly and decided I'd just stick to having fun on my bike. He is bloody amazing and I don't have that. Still inspirational, though.
 
I used to have aspirations about getting serious with my cycling, but then I got to learn how much effort @andywood puts into making the podium effortlessly and decided I'd just stick to having fun on my bike. He is bloody amazing and I don't have that. Still inspirational, though.
Cheers Roo!

I put the effort in for sure. But never thrown my leg over the crossbar without the desire to go for a ride.

As I get older, trying new things keeps me motivated. Also I have one eye over my shoulder on the kids who, I've recently learned, are now better than me at cricket and ice skating!

The bike? I'll enjoy my moment in the sun while it lasts!

Andy
 
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A few of us got together at the Kakuda trail yesterday.

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We also did a few beach runs in preparation for Toyama.

Wrote a little about it for the blog.

The usual link and cut and paste below.

Cheers, Andy



endless twisting up and down
a real rollercoaster

they say if you ride the kakuda trail
any other course is easy

according to Kusumi sensei
I have the power and the traction

I just need the skills!

my cyclocross debut in two weeks time

fortunately it's not too technical

and there are a few places to put the power down

and if it's weather like today it will be glorious!

jumping into cyclocross!
 
Also I have one eye over my shoulder on the kids who, I've recently learned, are now better than me at cricket and ice skating!

They're pretty good runners, too! Watch out or you'll be struggling to catch up there soon, too.
 
Really enjoyed my first experience of cyclocross.

The Toyama venue was great. Once off the highway you have to tackle the "Oyashirazu peninsula", is this really R8?, and then down to the beautiful Asahi coastline.

The usual race report facebook post and cut and paste below.

Cheers, Andy



「toyama CX race report」

the toyama cyclocross race today

the niigata army descended on the beautiful hisui coastline

*the course

4 laps
the road, the forest, the sea wall, the beach
repeat

*the training

my CX debut

I used the kakuda trail to improve my skills

I used the shiokaze loop to simulate the physical demands of the race:

bike transitions, 30 minutes pacing, running on the beach...

*course check

I spent a lot of time checking last year's course on youtube

but a maze in the trees
it changes every year

we did a walk in from 7am
and a ride in from 730

difficult to remember the full course
but it's important to practice the key sections

our race is at 2pm

a second course check at midday
the corners are getting trickier!

*the required effort

a 30 minute effort

I spent a lot of time mastering a 30 minute effort for the japan masters TT

in a TT it's a steady 30 minute effort
before squeezing it all out at the end

in CX you have to go really hard at the start
fight for position
then try to hold if from there

*the start grid

the start grid is like an F1 start

I get a good spot
second row
behind Ito san

*3,2,1 GO!

never a fast starter
everybody wants to be first in the forest
I must be around 15th

*the forest

the best line?
stop start stop start
a few riders pass me
my weakness for sure

*the sea wall

TT mode
a chance to move up
but like F1 it's a strategical game
nobody wants to let you through

*the beach

you can ride the initial section
but I mess it up
more riders pass me

on the beach riders are in single file
making use of a narrow strip of compact sand

I go wide
running up the middle of the beach
try to clear as many riders as possible

*sea wall return

after the beach
the steps are a killer
back on the bike
a chance to pick off some more riders

*forest return

「keep it in the big ring!」
a shout from Kusumi Sensei

I follow his advice
grind it out slowly
close the gap to the leaders

*lap 2

「you can still close it!」
urges someone? Motoki san?

in a road race
these words usually mean game over

but in cyclocross
crashes happen
and riders fade

push on!

*lap 3

moving up
moving up

on the sea wall I realise I'm third on the road

Ito san in the lead

disaster in the forest
I miss a turn and end up going the wrong way down the course

5th place now

1 lap to go

*lap 4

following the wheels of 3rd and 4th

I need to drop them on the sea wall and the beach

once clear

I need to hold them off through the last forest section

it's all about stamina now

make no mistakes

bring it home

*Goal!

1st place to Ito san!

3rd place for me!

first CX race?
happy with that!

I played to my strengths
and highlighted my weaknesses

there's lots of room for improvement

but that's a good thing!

next up Zao CX in January

a super technical course apparently

here we go!
 
I think different courses suit different people.

Next week at Fukushima Airport is apparently good for me but I didn't enter. They have the same venue in March though, so I'll try that.

Time to start to work out how to prepare for Zao next month...

Andy
 
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