Well, I've had it. It took a complete failure on some folks part to do it, but they did it with flying colors, as far as I'm concerned. I wasted a perfectly good 3-day weekend, blew $90 in entry fees, plus another $100 or so in travel, and destroyed a perfectly good rear brake, all for nothing. I wasted time I could have been spending totally focused on my family, dragged them out of state for an overnight stay where we rushed around, working the whole weekend around 'cross, and spent hard earned money paying promoters to "official" the races, all for nothing. I went into this past weekend excited about the real "beginning" to my second full year of 'cross. Two top ten finishes in the first two races, 7th place overall in "the series", and the first time I've actually started taking the races and the series seriously. I've made an effort to plan more races, and to prepare a little more for the races (when was the last time I ran 3 races w/o having beers to prepare for them?). All that excitement about getting better, making progress, working harder, ended this weekend in what I can only call a total joke of event from an officiating standpoint. I was very sadly made aware at just how pathetic it has gotten, and how incapable of SCORING races really are. This says nothing about how the folks who sponsor these races, volunteer, set the courses, work the events, and even they way they do the registering (sometimes the same people trying to score the event later) do their jobs. They are amazing, and the events are fun (I want to be very clear on that, and will get to it later), but something HAS to be done about the scoring one way or another. I realize people have been quietly (and some a little more loudly) complaining for years that something needs to be done about the way some of these races are officiated/scored, but I've always been pretty quiet about it. I'm not the guy who cries b/c I get placed 10th instead of 7th or 12th instead of 10th. I'm also well aware that I probably get put 6th instead of 9th once and a while (unless the guy who is really 6th isn't married and had the time to wait around 4.5 hours for the results to be posted so he could "protest" within the 15 minute window). If it's easy, we fix it ourselves. On more than one occasion last year, I either asked someone who was behind me or had someone who was ahead of me ask to verify to the results table that we needed our finish positions to be swapped. Gladly. These are minor mistakes that will happen. But this year, maybe due to the larger fields, it's gone WAY beyond that, and something needs to be done.
Let me digress for a bit after that initial rant (oh, it's not over by a long shot), and first say again that I LOVE cyclocross. I don't think anyone who knows me (especially my family and friends) or anyone who reads this blog can deny that. In fact, I don't just love it, I'm obsessed. I'm addicted. I talk about it constantly. I even send out emails to thousands of unwitting friends and family every week begging them to come out to watch it, or try it each week (I won't be asking them to do that for a while). This weekend made me sit back and say, WHY do I love 'cross? Why am I even doing this? Something I've never had to ask myself before.
So, why do I love cyclocross? I LOVE the exercise for sure. That 110% heart rate for 40 minutes. The "I can't breathe, but I still need to pedal" feeling. It helps me stay in the best shape I can imagine over the winter, while having a ball. Awesome! I love the atmosphere. I love festivals. I love parties, and I like to have a beer or two (or 15). 'Cross has that vibe for me. Finish the race, find the kids and the teammates, grab a beer. Music blaring, cowbells ringing, kids screaming, "go mommy!" and "go daddy!". Friends screaming, "pedal faster!", "hey Doug, this is a race you know!" and "why aren't you trying?!" (I think those are all Duane's by the way). Hippies, Hipsters, athletes, roadies, mtb'ers, all meshed together in a big party every weekend. It's Awesome! I love the camaraderie. Not just with my close friends and awesome teammates (both old and new) that you hear about on this blog (Steven, Duane, Brian, Fatty, Pope, Michael, etc.), but with the guys I've met from other teams, in other cities. Guys I race with, and often side by side with, every week, as we race the Cat 4 35+ races for spots in "the series". The guys from Queen City Wheels stand out in my mind. Dave Nissan and Jerry Hayes, who I've been racing with now for over a year, and Scott Lyle, who I formally met this weekend, and who I raced nearly shoulder-to-shoulder (I should actually say wheel-to-wheel -- his back, my front) with for all three races (although you may not know it looking at any results). All just great guys, and plenty more I haven't mentioned, obviously. The end of every race is a parade of high fives and "great race" exchanges, and I love it! So, all good so far. No amount of officials' incompetence can really screw any of that up. The folks who put on these races do a great job of getting the courses set up for fun, and the good people keep showing up to race. The last reason I love cyclocross (or triathlons, or running marathons or 10k's or doing any "organized" race) is for the COMPETITION. That's where this weekend (and the series in general) starts to go downhill.
Now, what competition means to me, versus what it means to anyone else, may be different, but from most of the guys I talk to, I think i'm in the majority here (comments gladly accepted to the contrary). You see, all the reasons above are why I come out and race 'cross races. The reason I PAY SOMEONE to do it is so that they can keep track of me and the other people racing, and when it's over, they can tell me where I finished in relation to those other people! Seems kind of simple. If I didn't want anyone to keep score, and I could just keep track myself, I wouldn't need to pay anyone, right? I mean, I know I'm not going to win. Just like I'm not going to win a marathon, or a half-ironman. I would just like to know if i'm making progress. I pay to have it scored so that there is an official record (for year end series standings) of how I stack up to other guys of my like ability who also take the sport seriously enough to race each week. If the extra hours I put in practicing dismounts, or cornering is helping. Did I get faster? Did I beat that one guy who usually just edges me out? Can I only drink 10 beers before each race (vs. 15) and finish 5th overall in the series instead of 8th? That's it. And guess what? That tiny amount of benefit is worth $25-30 per race that we get charged. But if you can't do that, then wtf am I paying you for? Of that $30, what's the breakdown? $1 for the tyvek race # and safety pins? $2? $5 to the prize kitty (I doubt that much makes it to the winners). I'd say $3 for the "registration" effort, but I'm charged a $3 surcharge for that. The courses are set up and run by volunteers (I know, I've done it a few times). SO WHAT AM I PAYING FOR!? I can only guess it's for the officiating/scoring, which isn't being done properly, if at all.
As I mentioned before, I know these guys I'm racing with each week for the most part. I've raced 5 races this year so far and finished with the same 3 or 4 guys each race (again, you'd never know it by looking at the results), except for the last one where I broke the bike. I know right where I finish every week (give or take a spot or two) and I know who I beat, and who beat me. You think I don't notice when the guy I've been trying to catch all year pulls away. Hell, I've been staring at the back of his jersey for 25 laps this year already. You think I don't notice when I pass him? Hell yeah I do. You think I don't notice if my legs just don't have it, and the guy I know I always beat by a few spots comes cruising by me? I do. We "debrief" each other after the races, over beers and high fives, talking about who "got" who, and which part of the course hurt the worst. It's not "official", but we know how we're doing, and I know who I beat and who beat me each week. So, after we finish, and every has a good idea of how and where, and we talk about the great race with our friends, and laugh about who beat who, and then we see the "official" results 3 hours later (if you're still on site) or 2 days later when they finally get around to posting them, and you see that you didn't finish the race at all, or that you were a lap down, or that all the guys you beat actually beat you, It's a little annoying. Frustrating, really. And more importantly, it's a stupid waste of my money. Someone is taking money for something they are not doing. And I think it's crap. Every race, there are numerous (10-20+) errors and complaints in EACH of the lower categories about how the scoring is screwed up. These folks can't keep track of who's on what lap, let alone who's in what position. Story after story each week about top 5 racers being scored a lap down, or friends of mine who knew they were a lap down being scored in 2nd place. Total random chaos. This is not just me. It's just the first time I've been screwed so bad, multiple times, that I've snapped.
In the first two races of the year, I finished 10th in both. The first one went off without a hitch, although I believe there may have been different folks involved. The second one definitely had it's issues, although I was fortunate enough to be relatively issue free. I believe I finished somewhere between 8th and 10th, so 10th was an "argument free" placement. Many others were not so lucky that day, I know. Then came this past weekend. The big UCI3. The weekend I didn't do last year, b/c it places a large burden on my wife for me to race 3 consecutive days, 2 hours from home, and honestly, as much fun as I have racing, I can happily survive on one race per weekend (or even every other weekend) to get my fix. This year, however, I made a commitment to myself to race more races, focus more, and try to gain ground in the overall series standings -- hopefully a top 5. I was 7th going in, and I was sure I could have a couple good races (or at least one) of the three, and make some ground up.
Friday's race was "epic". Really. I think that term is overused, but this was crazy. I'm going to leave the actual race reports to Brian for the most part (he's chomping at the bit to write). The course was a total muck fest, where you were essentially either racing on wet, muddy pavement, sliding down a hill on your ass, or running/walking through 3" of mud. It was a fitness and endurance course, and I finished 10th again. How do I know? Because I wiped out on one of the last turns, and Scott Lyle (new friend), who I'd been battling back and forth with the entire race, got past me and finished just ahead of me in 9th. I had to out sprint another to keep another guy (#650) from passing me at the line. Brian and a few other friends of ours were done already when I finished, having been just barely lapped before x-ing the line after lap 3. I was thrilled with my finish, until I was told by a friend later that evening that when they finally posted results that I was 28th. Scott was 9th, #650 was 10th, I was 28th. Apparently a lap down, behind EVERYBODY. The "results" had been posted around 4 pm (we were long gone back to Louisville), so I'd missed the "15 protest window". F-me.
So, dejected a bit about being screwed, but knowing I had two more races left (and I was going to race enough this year to drop at least one race), I headed back up to Cinci for day 2 (this time with the family in tow). Before the race, Scott actually acknowledged to the scorers that I finished behind him (and indeed races all the laps), to no avail. Whatever. So this day was another GREAT racecourse, and another good race. I again raced with (read: just behind) Scott and a couple other guys I recognized, plus some other QCW guys I hadn't met (since this was their sponsored race). The course was excellent, and although I can't pin it down quite as close, I believe I finished somewhere around 7th, but it could've been as bad as 11th. I'm not sure how many of the "new" QCW guys ahead of me were actually in my Cat., and they had a little train ahead of me cruising through the course that I couldn't catch up to. My main point of reference would have been Scott ahead of me, and then I notice Jerry (Hayes) come across the line about 7 or 8 racers behind me as I was just cooling off. Also, after having talked to the scoring table before the race about how Friday's results were messed up, I actually made a (half-joking) effort to look him in the eye and literally point to my number each time I passed the start finish. I was going to make sure I got credit for this one. Anyway, I was really happy again that I was able to overcome my frustration and put such a good race together. I waited around for 2.5 hours, but the results never came, and I was late for a date with my wife and kids at Kings Island. I finally saw the results posted at race 3 the next morning (Sunday), and was horrified to see myself listed at 31st, a lap down again, behind EVERYBODY. Classic. I couldn't even use the "Scott Lyle" approach this time, b/c they'd screwed him up too. Are they even watching the race? Now, since they had just posted the results, they allowed for "protests", so I did file a complaint, but haven't seen any updated results yet. I was told by Jerry that they had been revising them and re-revising them all day, and that at one point I may or may not have been 16th (still behind him, though, so probably still another 8 or so places off). Not sure where Scott was placed. I guess you just take whatever they make up and like it. It's noon on Monday and there are still no results from any of the days posted on our www.ovcx.com results site.
Sunday was good and bad, I'd say. I'd just about had it after I saw the 31st place from Saturday, but had to get ready for a race. Alison and the kids were out to watch, as was another friend from H.S. and her children. I was thrilled to see that they had decided to use transponders for the race! Finally, some legitimate results! I got around the course for practice, and realized I was missing a few gears. The svc. manager for Darkhorse Racing (Dave, I believe) was super cool and did some quick work on the rear derailleur and cabling and got it shifting like a dream. My second practice lap was excellent, and I felt great. Maybe a great finish on Sunday could help ease the pain of being screwed not once, but twice, by idiotic scoring the first two days. The course was tough, but fun, and crossing the start/finish line with one lap to go, I was either in 6th or 7th -- I was at the back of a chase group of three guys, and one of their friends yelled "you're in 5th!", so it depends on who he was yelling at. Anyway, after the s/f line, there was a double sand pit, separated by a short winding section. As I came out of the second pit, a place that had been giving me trouble all day, I jumped on the bike and it stopped/skidded. The back brake was fully engaged and locked. Ugh! I stood there for what seemed like an eternity, but was probably only two minutes trying to loosen the cable, twist the screws, anything. I'd have to say that 15-20+ people passed me, but not sure how many were in my Cat. (most probably). Finally, someone from off course (I think it may have been the announcer) said to "just rip the cable off the brake". So I did. POP! The brake popped open, I jumped on, and finished the last lap with no rear brake. Great! The one result that is bound to be accurate, and I mess that race up. Grrrr. So, probably a 28th, a 16th, and a 25th(?) for the three days. Now don't get me wrong, I had a blast all three days, but if I had know I wasn't going to get series credit for racing them, I wouldn't have done them just for fun (or maybe just one). I would just do the races that are more convenient. I feel like the money I paid to the promoters was stolen from me. Don't say you're going to score toward an overall series if you can't do it right!
So, not to list a problem without a solution or two, here's what I've thought of.
1. Mandatory transponders. Enough said. That way, we can all be part of the series, and know we're actually being scored right.
2. I we're not going to mandate transponders, I think there ought to be a "don't score me" option. If the results are going to be such B.S. anyway, I don't need them. Screw the stupid series (which is bogus due to the scoring anyway), let me come out and enjoy myself, but don't charge me a fee under the guise of scoring. I've got better things to do with my money than pay for non-existant scoring. Drop my entry fee to $5 to cover the tyvek race # and my share of the winners pool. I have a USAC license (or I'd have to get a one-day), and I'll race my proper Category. Just make the 0-99 series #'s for "no score" (or make them a different color) and the officials can just ignore those numbers when they go by. I'll know about where I finish like I always do, but I don't have to pay and then wait around for some promoter to tell me otherwise. The promoter/scorer will make less, but they'll actually earn it. In fact, if enough people choose not to be scored, they may actually be able to keep track of the ones left. Hell, I'm in 7th overall, and finishing in the top 10 in the races, and they can't get me right. The only folks who should care about being "scored" are the top 5 who have a chance to podium.
3. At the very least, if you're going to charge for the "service" of scoring, lets get ONE common place that the result have to be posted, available online, and maybe a deadline of some sort, and then give folks the right to protest on that posting is made. We can't all wait around 3,4, or 5 hours for the results to be posted, just to have a chance at the 15 minute "protest window".
Whew. I don't know who reads this blog (let alone this ridiculously long post), but I'd love to hear comments from anyone, whether you're in the ovcx, or some other series.
Do all series have these horrible scoring issues?
Do you use transponders?
What are some of the solutions?
Am I being a big baby?
Should Brian buy a size larger skinsuit (okay, I just threw that in there for fun)?
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