rond..@spiritone.com

Thanks Molly for showing honest respect for other humans on the racecourse. The racers of your high caliber almost always exhibit amazing abilities to get around and by slower riders without negative impact. Some stuff will happen. The good thing in your race is the different cats. racing at the same time have been racing long enough to know mishaps are not intended......they help nobody. I hope a slew of beginners / newbies read your post and realize it is only the occasional person in some particularly bad mental space that does negative things on the course. You rock and are a stellar example of a top class racer! We all need to try hard (keep the pain level up high), but keep that positive vibe for those around us...just like you.
ron s.

From: Molly Cameron via OBRA
Sent: Monday, November 02, 2015 10:26 AM
To: obra@list.obra.org
Subject: [OBRA Chat] open apology to Sunday's Crusade race:

I owe an apology to all of the riders during the A race 1:15pm time slot.

It is a complicated, beautiful, chaotic thing to race a Cross Crusade race. We've got wildly varying skill levels and huge fitness disparities racing on the same course at the same time plus a range of riders that take their racing very seriously and others that are just out to have a good time and goof around.

I've been racing Crusades for a long time and have gotten pretty good at the friendly pass, giving riders generous amount of space (and encouragement) while not being needlessly aggressive when negotiating lapped riders. It is my opinion (and practice) that it is the passing rider's obligation to make the clean pass: not the lapped riders obligation to pull over.

I was locked in a tight battle with another rider for the win yesterday and it was a difficult course to make any progress on. We'd attack each other over and over again just to immediately get stuck behind lapped traffic. Negotiating lapped traffic was absolutely the single biggest deciding factor of our race. It was a tight and technical course, and it is a Cross Crusade, so it is what it is, I know what I'm getting into.

It is a frustrating thing for a couple reasons: not only do I want to be able to race my bike without having lapped traffic determine my results, but most importantly I want all of the other riders on the course to be able to race their own races and not have to deal with us careening past and disrupting their races or creating dangerous situations.

There is no simple solution for this, (believe me we've tried to work out a better schedule and a cleaner solution for the A-race time slot categories) and I'm the first to thank OBRA and the Cross Crusade staff for putting on fantastic events and taking good care of our great community. I would not have any races to write emails about if not for our promoters and officials.

I definitely caused a rider to crash on the sidewalk section while making a pass (if anyone knows who it was, forward my email on so I can personally apologize) and I got tangled up with dozens of other riders on the stairs, the tire run-up, pretty much everywhere else on the course. I was at my limit and doing my best to win the race while moving through lapped riders and trying not to kill anyone in the process.

Please accept my apology if I was a terror to you yesterday. I love what our OBRA community has built and want to be a positive contributor, not a menace.

Molly Cameron

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
_______________________________________________
OBRA mailing list
obra@list.obra.org
http://list.obra.org/mailman/listinfo/obra
Unsubscribe: obra-unsubscribe@list.obra.org

Hazel

I just wanted to comment on this as well. I've been racing cross for 7
years and did my first Crusade Races of the season this weekend in the
Master A Women's field and I was mortified at the amount of terrible
behavior that I witnessed on Saturday and Sunday. The women's race block
presents an even bigger challenge since we have beginners all the way up to
A's and a lot of people on the course. There were a lot of lapped riders
out there and fields passing each other. I saw and heard so much aggressive
behavior and poor choices of places to pass. I understand the frustration
of wanting to go fast but being rude, aggressive or crashing people out
won't encourage them to keep with this sport and feel welcome. I continue
to remember being a beginner and how terrifying some of the technical parts
of the course were and yelling at these women or intimidating them to get
out of your way just isn't in the fun of the sport. So often waiting 10-15
seconds is all it takes to get to a place where you can pass respectfully
and courteously. I've gotten to a point where I let ladies know I'm behind
them and that I'll wait until there's a safe place to go around them.
Even in the A's I got yelled at by I think a B and had someone trying to
pass me the infield turns where there wasn't enough room and bumped my rear
wheel several times.

On Mon, Nov 2, 2015 at 11:04 AM, adam holt via OBRA
wrote:

> Molly,
> Sending that note showed a lot of class.
>
> My better half was bumped up to the A's early last season. She didn't
> race on Sunday, so she wasn't on the course with you then, but she did make
> a a comment following her Saturday race.
>
> Something along the lines of - I'm paraphrasing here... Some of the A
> (Men, specifically) racers are the most polite and encouraging people she's
> ever raced with. The call out a pass (and specify which side they're
> passing on), make the it quick, go out of their way to not crowd her off of
> her line, and often will shout something encouraging while doing so.
> Others cut her off without a word, or worse shout at her when she doesn't
> telepathically know which side they're trying to pass on.
>
> She and I both know that there are some really fast folks out there with a
> lot on the line. That said, the reality is that there are mixed ablility
> and confidence levels out there during every race, and that's just the
> nature of the beast that is Cross Crusade. I know that racing can be
> pretty intense, but *It doesn't take any extra energy to be nice to
> someone*. And if you can't be nice, at least be clear on your intentions
> - being "stealthy" or worse, a jerk, isn't really safe for anyone - just
> discouraging. And I agree with your opinion - "it is the passing rider's
> obligation to make the clean pass: not the lapped riders obligation to pull
> over."
>
> Other than that, we had another great Cross Crusade weekend, and are
> looking forward - as always - to many more!
>
> Adam
>
> ------------------------------
> Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2015 10:26:31 -0800
> To: obra@list.obra.org
> Subject: [OBRA Chat] open apology to Sunday's Crusade race:
> From: obra@list.obra.org
>
>
> I owe an apology to all of the riders during the A race 1:15pm time slot.
>
> It is a complicated, beautiful, chaotic thing to race a Cross Crusade
> race. We've got wildly varying skill levels and huge fitness disparities
> racing on the same course at the same time plus a range of riders that take
> their racing very seriously and others that are just out to have a good
> time and goof around.
>
> I've been racing Crusades for a long time and have gotten pretty good at
> the friendly pass, giving riders generous amount of space (and
> encouragement) while not being needlessly aggressive when negotiating
> lapped riders. It is my opinion (and practice) that it is the passing
> rider's obligation to make the clean pass: not the lapped riders obligation
> to pull over.
>
> I was locked in a tight battle with another rider for the win yesterday
> and it was a difficult course to make any progress on. We'd attack each
> other over and over again just to immediately get stuck behind lapped
> traffic. Negotiating lapped traffic was absolutely the single biggest
> deciding factor of our race. It was a tight and technical course, and it is
> a Cross Crusade, so it is what it is, I know what I'm getting into.
>
> It is a frustrating thing for a couple reasons: not only do I want to be
> able to race my bike without having lapped traffic determine my results,
> but most importantly I want all of the other riders on the course to be
> able to race their own races and not have to deal with us careening past
> and disrupting their races or creating dangerous situations.
>
> There is no simple solution for this, (believe me we've tried to work out
> a better schedule and a cleaner solution for the A-race time slot
> categories) and I'm the first to thank OBRA and the Cross Crusade staff for
> putting on fantastic events and taking good care of our great community. I
> would not have any races to write emails about if not for our promoters and
> officials.
>
> I definitely caused a rider to crash on the sidewalk section while making
> a pass (if anyone knows who it was, forward my email on so I can personally
> apologize) and I got tangled up with dozens of other riders on the stairs,
> the tire run-up, pretty much everywhere else on the course. I was at my
> limit and doing my best to win the race while moving through lapped riders
> and trying not to kill anyone in the process.
>
> Please accept my apology if I was a terror to you yesterday. I love what
> our OBRA community has built and want to be a positive contributor, not a
> menace.
>
> Molly Cameron
>
> _______________________________________________ OBRA mailing list
> obra@list.obra.org http://list.obra.org/mailman/listinfo/obra
> Unsubscribe: obra-unsubscribe@list.obra.org
>
> _______________________________________________
> OBRA mailing list
> obra@list.obra.org
> http://list.obra.org/mailman/listinfo/obra
> Unsubscribe: obra-unsubscribe@list.obra.org
>
>

adam holt

Molly,Sending that note showed a lot of class.
My better half was bumped up to the A's early last season. She didn't race on Sunday, so she wasn't on the course with you then, but she did make a a comment following her Saturday race.
Something along the lines of - I'm paraphrasing here... Some of the A (Men, specifically) racers are the most polite and encouraging people she's ever raced with. The call out a pass (and specify which side they're passing on), make the it quick, go out of their way to not crowd her off of her line, and often will shout something encouraging while doing so. Others cut her off without a word, or worse shout at her when she doesn't telepathically know which side they're trying to pass on.
She and I both know that there are some really fast folks out there with a lot on the line. That said, the reality is that there are mixed ablility and confidence levels out there during every race, and that's just the nature of the beast that is Cross Crusade. I know that racing can be pretty intense, but It doesn't take any extra energy to be nice to someone. And if you can't be nice, at least be clear on your intentions - being "stealthy" or worse, a jerk, isn't really safe for anyone - just discouraging. And I agree with your opinion - "it is the passing rider's obligation to make the clean pass: not the lapped riders obligation to pull over."
Other than that, we had another great Cross Crusade weekend, and are looking forward - as always - to many more!
Adam

Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2015 10:26:31 -0800
To: obra@list.obra.org
Subject: [OBRA Chat] open apology to Sunday's Crusade race:
From: obra@list.obra.org

I owe an apology to all of the riders during the A race 1:15pm time slot.

It is a complicated, beautiful, chaotic thing to race a Cross Crusade race. We've got wildly varying skill levels and huge fitness disparities racing on the same course at the same time plus a range of riders that take their racing very seriously and others that are just out to have a good time and goof around.
I've been racing Crusades for a long time and have gotten pretty good at the friendly pass, giving riders generous amount of space (and encouragement) while not being needlessly aggressive when negotiating lapped riders. It is my opinion (and practice) that it is the passing rider's obligation to make the clean pass: not the lapped riders obligation to pull over.
I was locked in a tight battle with another rider for the win yesterday and it was a difficult course to make any progress on. We'd attack each other over and over again just to immediately get stuck behind lapped traffic. Negotiating lapped traffic was absolutely the single biggest deciding factor of our race. It was a tight and technical course, and it is a Cross Crusade, so it is what it is, I know what I'm getting into.
It is a frustrating thing for a couple reasons: not only do I want to be able to race my bike without having lapped traffic determine my results, but most importantly I want all of the other riders on the course to be able to race their own races and not have to deal with us careening past and disrupting their races or creating dangerous situations.
There is no simple solution for this, (believe me we've tried to work out a better schedule and a cleaner solution for the A-race time slot categories) and I'm the first to thank OBRA and the Cross Crusade staff for putting on fantastic events and taking good care of our great community. I would not have any races to write emails about if not for our promoters and officials.
I definitely caused a rider to crash on the sidewalk section while making a pass (if anyone knows who it was, forward my email on so I can personally apologize) and I got tangled up with dozens of other riders on the stairs, the tire run-up, pretty much everywhere else on the course. I was at my limit and doing my best to win the race while moving through lapped riders and trying not to kill anyone in the process.
Please accept my apology if I was a terror to you yesterday. I love what our OBRA community has built and want to be a positive contributor, not a menace.
Molly Cameron

_______________________________________________
OBRA mailing list
obra@list.obra.org
http://list.obra.org/mailman/listinfo/obra
Unsubscribe: obra-unsubscribe@list.obra.org

Bob Croucher

That's a class act apology.

On Mon, Nov 2, 2015 at 10:26 AM, Molly Cameron via OBRA
wrote:

> I owe an apology to all of the riders during the A race 1:15pm time slot.
>
> It is a complicated, beautiful, chaotic thing to race a Cross Crusade
> race. We've got wildly varying skill levels and huge fitness disparities
> racing on the same course at the same time plus a range of riders that take
> their racing very seriously and others that are just out to have a good
> time and goof around.
>
> I've been racing Crusades for a long time and have gotten pretty good at
> the friendly pass, giving riders generous amount of space (and
> encouragement) while not being needlessly aggressive when negotiating
> lapped riders. It is my opinion (and practice) that it is the passing
> rider's obligation to make the clean pass: not the lapped riders obligation
> to pull over.
>
> I was locked in a tight battle with another rider for the win yesterday
> and it was a difficult course to make any progress on. We'd attack each
> other over and over again just to immediately get stuck behind lapped
> traffic. Negotiating lapped traffic was absolutely the single biggest
> deciding factor of our race. It was a tight and technical course, and it is
> a Cross Crusade, so it is what it is, I know what I'm getting into.
>
> It is a frustrating thing for a couple reasons: not only do I want to be
> able to race my bike without having lapped traffic determine my results,
> but most importantly I want all of the other riders on the course to be
> able to race their own races and not have to deal with us careening past
> and disrupting their races or creating dangerous situations.
>
> There is no simple solution for this, (believe me we've tried to work out
> a better schedule and a cleaner solution for the A-race time slot
> categories) and I'm the first to thank OBRA and the Cross Crusade staff for
> putting on fantastic events and taking good care of our great community. I
> would not have any races to write emails about if not for our promoters and
> officials.
>
> I definitely caused a rider to crash on the sidewalk section while making
> a pass (if anyone knows who it was, forward my email on so I can personally
> apologize) and I got tangled up with dozens of other riders on the stairs,
> the tire run-up, pretty much everywhere else on the course. I was at my
> limit and doing my best to win the race while moving through lapped riders
> and trying not to kill anyone in the process.
>
> Please accept my apology if I was a terror to you yesterday. I love what
> our OBRA community has built and want to be a positive contributor, not a
> menace.
>
> Molly Cameron
>
> _______________________________________________
> OBRA mailing list
> obra@list.obra.org
> http://list.obra.org/mailman/listinfo/obra
> Unsubscribe: obra-unsubscribe@list.obra.org
>
>

Molly Cameron

I owe an apology to all of the riders during the A race 1:15pm time slot.

It is a complicated, beautiful, chaotic thing to race a Cross Crusade race.
We've got wildly varying skill levels and huge fitness disparities racing
on the same course at the same time plus a range of riders that take their
racing very seriously and others that are just out to have a good time and
goof around.

I've been racing Crusades for a long time and have gotten pretty good at
the friendly pass, giving riders generous amount of space (and
encouragement) while not being needlessly aggressive when negotiating
lapped riders. It is my opinion (and practice) that it is the passing
rider's obligation to make the clean pass: not the lapped riders obligation
to pull over.

I was locked in a tight battle with another rider for the win yesterday and
it was a difficult course to make any progress on. We'd attack each other
over and over again just to immediately get stuck behind lapped traffic.
Negotiating lapped traffic was absolutely the single biggest deciding
factor of our race. It was a tight and technical course, and it is a Cross
Crusade, so it is what it is, I know what I'm getting into.

It is a frustrating thing for a couple reasons: not only do I want to be
able to race my bike without having lapped traffic determine my results,
but most importantly I want all of the other riders on the course to be
able to race their own races and not have to deal with us careening past
and disrupting their races or creating dangerous situations.

There is no simple solution for this, (believe me we've tried to work out a
better schedule and a cleaner solution for the A-race time slot categories)
and I'm the first to thank OBRA and the Cross Crusade staff for putting on
fantastic events and taking good care of our great community. I would not
have any races to write emails about if not for our promoters and officials.

I definitely caused a rider to crash on the sidewalk section while making a
pass (if anyone knows who it was, forward my email on so I can personally
apologize) and I got tangled up with dozens of other riders on the stairs,
the tire run-up, pretty much everywhere else on the course. I was at my
limit and doing my best to win the race while moving through lapped riders
and trying not to kill anyone in the process.

Please accept my apology if I was a terror to you yesterday. I love what
our OBRA community has built and want to be a positive contributor, not a
menace.

Molly Cameron