Now I Understand

Sunday, I lined up for my second ever cyclocross race. In my first race, I crashed pretty good on the fourth lap and therefore didn't get the full effect of the 'cross race scene. The Spanish Lake course looked entertaining to say the least. Mike Weiss, our race promoter, set up a little bit of everything for this week...a steep downhill/run-up section, the requisite barrier crossings, and a mound of dirt. Yep, a pile of dirt approximately 5-6 feet high. On the warm-up laps we sort of looked at the dirt and wondered do we run it or ride it. Riding it definitely won out, but it caused many a mishaps during the race.



I got a decent start and headed into the run-up section (which many of us chose to ride every lap) near the top half of the pack. The feeling by many was that there would be a big pile-up at the bottom of the hill and they wanted to avoid it by hanging back a little. My group all got through cleanly and we made the climb back towards the start finish section. As we neared the start finish line, the course featured a zig-zag section which seems to be a requirement for a 'cross race. It's a good feature to help you see where folks are without looking behind you all the time. By the time we reached this section, the group was already starting to string out quite a bit. (I'm the 4th rider from the right.)



As the race strung out, I looked for a wheel to get on in an attempt to pace myself and determine how to settle in for the next 35-40 minutes. I quickly found Rick Hess of ICCC and grabbed his wheel. He would ride the lower section of the course very strong, while I seemed to ride the upper section of the course a little better. We continued this ham and egg approach for the better part of the entire race. Every now and then we'd catch a rider and toss them into the mix.



With each lap, we'd pass the cowbellers Mike Magnussen and his buddy warming up on their trainers for almighty B race. They always be cheering me to close the gap on Rick, get his wheel and keep hammering on. Invariably, as we re-entered the loop where they set-up shop, they'd urge Rick to sprint out and drop me off his wheel. You gotta love the all-inclusive style these guys employ to cheer on the riders.

I was really battling to stay on Rick's wheel and towards the end of the race. I was riding in the red zone for the entire race and that's not my style. I was hurting badly and was just hoping he was too. As we made the u-turn at the bottom of the run-up section, I took a different line up the climb, spun-out and lost all of my momentum, a in what seemed like the snap of a finger, I gave Rick a considerable lead on me at a time when my body could least afford it. This on top of the fact that every time we rode the lower section, I just fought to get through it so I could make time on the upper part of the course. That slip up was the beginning of the end and I knew I wouldn't have the legs to reel him back in this time.



As I approached the barriers for the last time, I felt like I was being chased by a ghost. I was gassed and I was in pain big time. As it turns out, I was being chased by something or someone who's face was equivalent to mine. While his was cosmetically painted on, mine was painted on with pain and suffering. 'Cross is like putting your body in a blender for 45 minutes. At the end, you're just hoping you can turn the pedals and keep the bike upright in all the right places. My hands were getting numb and my legs and lungs were burning. Rick had passed me for the last time and won the race within the race.

Overall, I'm not sure where I finished. I'd guess somewhere around 20th, but I don't know for sure. I finished and now know what it takes to race cross. I've had many people tell me it's quite painful and they're right. You never seem to get a chance to recover and always seem to be really pushing the pace. I'm taking two weeks off due to travel, but I'm planning to race 3 more times this year before beginning my off-season. I can't wait.