back to portfolio | back to deepbrook home | by Jeff Dieffenbach

[credit: Jose Martinez (left) and Katie Busick (right)]

Photos: by Jeff - of Jeff | Video: Beginner Lap 1 | Strava | Results | My CX History


The Ice Weasels Cometh

Great start, took advantage of wide open space on the left [00:00-00:40 in lap 1 video above], caught up to Heath/Eric [00:40-01:40].

Poor post-barriers technique, knocked the chain off, lost 30 seconds and a LOT of positions [01:40-02:10].

Hop on Troy Kenyon's wheel, dispatch Troy with some dubious passes [02:10-03:05].

Single file doesn't necessarily mean single file. MAGIC HAPPENS. My best 30 seconds of CX ever [03:05-03:35].

I went on to battle Tom Pincince. Lifetime, I've been 0 and everything against Tom in sanctioned events. We traded spots several times. In general, I was a bit faster on the 1 mile of wooded sections (where I could employ the Force, which was particularly strong in the Belgian Woods; see his account below) while he was faster on the 0.6 miles of grass (where he could employ his superior power and FAR superior power-to-weight). In the end, mostly by virtue of the finish coming BEFORE the soul-sapping grass power section, I held him off.

Here's Tom commenting on the Belgian Woods.
Remember that part of the Ice Weasels course where you had a left/right choice of path through an almost pump track that led to a downhill? The right track was a bit longer, but set you up better for the descent.

Lap four. TomP and Jeff vdD trading places back and forth. I am briefly in front of the vD and he yells "take the right path.” I take this to be more of a “let us mates in the back of the pack work together” (use your best Brit, Aussie, or South African accent for that last quote). I take the right path and I hear from the left path “you know the right path is longer.” (use your best Brooklyn or Southie accent for that quote).
For some reason, off the bike, I'm faster than people who should be faster than me. I finally figured it out. I've been running slow my whole life--I'm good at it. Fast runners just don't do well running slow.

47/86, about as close to the top half of a race as I've ever come (55% back). Given the added bottleneck my chain drop subjected me to, I could possibly have finished 43rd or better (43rd was 60 seconds ahead of me), which would have snuck me in the top 50%.

Congrats to the team--big showing:
7. Jim Godbey
11. David Waltz
17. Jason Carleton (STBG)
20. Heath Umbach
27. George Piepgras (son of Digital Lumens' Colin Piepgras)
33. Eric Poch
39. Jeff Cardini
48. Jeff Dieffenbach
52. Tom Pincince
54. Tim Daley (mechanical)
62. Todd Kenyon
67. David Goldberg
68. Troy Kenyon (ooh, some tension in the Kenyon clan ...)
70. Max Grinberg
72. Dan Sullivan

I earned an impressive (for me) 584 Cross Points (CXP) in yesterday's Beginner Men race at Ice Weasels. That's one of my best-ever Cat 4/5 results.

In the afternoon fat bike race, I planned to keep it tame with Bandit 3 hovering the next day. We lined up with the male single-speeders first (95 entries), the female single-speeders second (17), and the fat bikers third (32, including 2 women).

The men went off first. A minute later, the women followed. Another minute and it was our turn.

I was off the back before we left the grass starting loop. Just past the barriers, I picked up my first hand-up, a 16 oz Boom Sauce.

Shortly thereafter, I caught up to the two women fat bikers. And not too long after that, we started to pick off some of the slower female single-speeders.

In the Danger Zone, I picked up a 12 oz Harpoon IPA. Warm, but hey, whatever.

Not sure where I finished my first lap, maybe a woman or two behind me. I debated pulling the plug at that point, but then I thought, "If I go back through the Danger Zone, I get more beer."

Part way there, I started getting lapped by the lead male single-speeders.

Danger Zone. Another Harpoon IPA. Colder this time. Well, okay, cooler.

Back up the granite steps, over the low barriers, slow to a halt at the finish line.

"DNF," I call out, and swing off the course.

Mission accomplished, two easy laps done, no (additional) harm to my Bandit campaign.

Turns out, we received CXP for the fat bike race--I had not idea. But since I "earned" 516 for finishing 23 of 25, I'm not complaining.

Because that's my second best CXP ever. Undeserved, but best ever.



DIEFFENBACH CROSS RESULTS


2015 RESULTS

Race Field Distance
(Mi)
Avg
Speed
(mph)
Max
Speed
(mph)
Elevation
(ft)
Elevation/
Mile (ft/mi)
Avg
Heart
Rate (bpm)
Max
Heart
Rate (bpm)
Cadence
(rpm)
Place Field
Size
Percent
Back
Race
Points
(lower better)
Overall
Rating
(lower better)
AVERAGE/MAX -- 7.4 10.8 29.5 399 - 54.3 155 174 71 -- -- 75% 604 --
Ice Weasels CX 12/12* Fat Bike 3.3 8.3 17.7 207 62.7 145 161 n/a 23 25 92% 516 570
Ice Weasels CX 12/12* Beginner 8.6 9.6 22.4 492 57.2 158 170 70 47 86 55% 584 570
NBX CX 12/05 Cat 4/5 5.8 10.9 20.1 230 39.7 157 165 73 84 137 61% 600 593
Shedd Park CX 11/15 Cat 4/5 9.3 11.7 22.6 604 64.9 157 167 72 59 90 66% 621 588
Monstah Cross 11/14 Cat 4/5 35+ 7.2 10.7 22.4 194 26.9 161 168 68 50 79 63% 641 585
Plymouth CX 11/01* Masters 45+ 7.5 10.2 20.4 397 52.9 143 155 n/a 22 23 62% 659 563
Plymouth CX 11/01 Cat 4/5 8.6 10.4 23.7 505 58.7 153 160 n/a 65 88 74% 650 563
Plymouth CX 10/31 Cat 2/3/4 7.5 11.1 21.6 380 50.6 150 162 77 42 45 93% 492 554
Plymouth CX 10/31* Cat 4/5 7.5 10.6 22.5 407 54.6 157 169 n/a 61 87 70% 668 554
Orchard CX 10/25 Cat 4/5 50+ 9.1 11.3 21.7 574 63.1 158 167 n/a 28 45 62% 619 566
Fruitlands 10/24 Cat 4/5 35+ 5.6 9.6 17.4 551 98.4 158 174 n/a 47 63 71% 642 560
Providence 10/03 Cat 4/5 40+ 8.7 11.0 29.5 574 66.0 n/a n/a n/a 79 108 73% 633 560
Night Weasels 09/30 Cat 4/5 6.6 9.6 18.6 453 68.6 n/a n/a n/a 83 100 83% 646 560
Gloucester 09/26 Cat 4/5 35+ 4.0 11.6 20.6 272 68.0 n/a n/a n/a DNF 116 n/a 727 560
Midnight Ride 09/23 Cat 4/5 8.6 12.2 22.2 213 24.8 n/a n/a 72 64 113 56% 576 560
Sucker Brook 09/20 Cat 4/5 35+ 8.0 11.6 25.3 279 34.9 155 166 72 54 83 65% 604 566
White Park 09/19 Cat 3/4 9.0 9.9 21.3 564 62.7 152 163 61 55 61 90% 523 568
White Park 09/19* Cat 4/5 9.5 11.2 21.0 558 58.7 157 166 61 46 53 73% 642 n/a
QuadCross 09/13 Cat 4/5 35+ 9.0 11.8 19.5 387 43.0 156 164 n/a 40 62 65% 576 585

*Metrics not included in running total; lesser of two races in a day excluded


2014 RESULTS

Race Field Distance
(Mi)
Avg
Speed
(mph)
Max
Speed
(mph)
Elevation
(ft)
Elevation/
Mile (ft/mi)
Avg
Heart
Rate (bpm)
Max
Heart
Rate (bpm)
Cadence
(rpm)
Place Field
Size
Percent
Back
Race
Points
(lower better)
Overall
Rating
(lower better)
AVERAGE/MAX -- 7.5 10.7 24.2 343 - 45.9 161 176 70 -- -- 75% 634 --
Scrub zone 01/11 Men's B 7.1 9.3 17.7 413 58.2 166 175 66 29 40 73% 549 594
Elm City 12/21 Cat 4/5 6.1 7.8 13.9 361 59.2 161 170 70 24 37 65% 578 611
Ice Weasels 12/13 Beginner 10.2 12.3 24.2 459 45.0 164 171 n/a 48 89 54% 614 611
NBX 12/6 Cat 4/5 6.4 11.5 22.4 128 20.0 161 167 71 90 111 81% 637 617
Sterling 11/30 Cat 4/5 45+ 5.8 9.2 19.7 243 41.9 159 169 62 31 48 65% 620 616
Shedd Park 11/16 Cat 4/5 5.9 10.4 22.4 446 75.6 151 159 n/a 76 84 90% 687 621
Plymouth 11/8 Cat 4/5 6.0 10.6 21.5 318 53.0 160 171 70 68 75 91% 682 621
Crosstoberfest 10/29 Cat 4/5 35+ 8.7 11.9 17.7 128 14.7 162 170 76 46 53 87% 669 621
Orchard Cross 10/26 Cat 4/5 50+ 7.3 10.9 19.2 361 49.5 157 168 69 27 36 75% 608 621
Canton Cup Cross 10/25 Cat 4/5 35+ 9.0 13.2 22.1 384 42.7 161 174 71 72 103 70% 642 628
Cooper River 10/12 Cat 5 7.5 11.6 24.2 100 13.3 162 176 77 41 63 65% 578 615
Whirlybird 10/11 Cat 4/5 40+ 7.4 9.5 16.3 220 29.7 165 172 75 82 96 85% 652 629
Providence 10/04 Cat 4/5 40+ 9.1 11.4 20.6 653 71.8 164 172 70 89 110 81% 672 629
Night Weasels 10/01 Cat 5 40+ 6.2 8.8 17.9 482 77.7 165 175 52 15 22 68% 633 629
Gloucester 09/27 Cat 4/5 35+ 6.5 11.6 21.3 387 59.5 165 173 76 80 108 74% 642 631
Midnight Cross 09/24 Cat 4/5 8.9 11.8 23.9 299 33.6 159 171 n/a 80 102 78% 646 633
Quad Cross 09/07 Cat 4/5 9.0 10.6 16.6 446 49.6 158 170 75 57 67 85% 660 636


2013 RESULTS

Race Field Distance
(Mi)
Avg
Speed
(mph)
Max
Speed
(mph)
Elevation
(ft)
Elevation/
Mile (ft/mi)
Avg
Heart
Rate (bpm)
Max
Heart
Rate (bpm)
Cadence
(rpm)
Place Field
Size
Percent
Back
Points
(lower better)
Overall
Rating
(lower better)
AVERAGE/MAX -- 7.9 11.2 29.5 462 - 58.3 162 180 77 -- -- 80% 655 --
Shedd Park Cross 11/17 Cat 4/5 7.5 11.7 24.4 417 55.6 163 174 83 72 91 79% 679 636
Plymouth Cross 11/09 Cat 5 7.9 12.0 23.3 374 47.3 163 175 82 23 28 82% 643 636
Orchard Cross 10/27 Cat 4/5 40+ 9.1 10.9 21.3 479 52.6 161 176 75 40 47 85% 667 641
Marty Cross 10/19 Cat 5 5.7 10.3 20.8 515 90.4 163 172 75 27 40 68% 580 642
Casco Bay 10/13 Cat 4/5 9.4 11.9 29.5 554 58.9 161 170 77 54 62 87% 660 665
Providence 10/06 Cat 4/5 35+ 7.3 11.3 19.9 436 59.7 n/a n/a 75 94 107 88% 646 646
Night Weasels 10/02 Cat 4 7.0 8.8 17.0 548 78.3 n/a n/a 72 76 92 83% 698 688
Gloucester 09/28 Cat 4/5 35+ 8.8 12.4 21.5 581 66.0 164 180 79 81 108 75% 651 688
Midnight Cross 09/25 Cat 4/5 8.6 11.8 22.6 253 29.4 162 171 72 73 101 72% 671 698


2012 RESULTS

Race Field Distance
(Mi)
Avg
Speed
(mph)
Max
Speed
(mph)
Elevation
(ft)
Elevation/
Mile (ft/mi)
Avg
Heart
Rate (bpm)
Max
Heart
Rate (bpm)
Cadence
(rpm)
Place Field
Size
Percent
Back
Points
(lower better)
Overall
Rating
(lower better)
AVERAGE/MAX -- 8.0 9.6 -- -- - -- -- -- -- -- -- 93% 711 --
Baystate CX 11/24 Cat 4 9.3 10.0 -- -- -- -- -- -- 93 97 96% 722 704
Shedd Park 11/18 Cat 4 6.7 9.2 -- -- -- -- -- -- 85 95 89% 699 699