Tough weekend

It is exhausting racing cross. At least this year it seems to be more so. Is the fatigue just showing itself now that I'm not amped up on 1200+ mg of caffeine a day? Or am I actually pushing myself that much harder now that I'm sort of figuring out the racing thing again.

Or I'm just getting old and this racing thing isn't getting easier? I'd like to think I'm just going harder.

It was a great weekend of racing. I have to first thank my family for tolerating this obsession I have with cyclocross. Without their support and patience it wouldn't be possible. I am very lucky.

Esp considering I crashed hard on the couch last night and my legs were pretty solidly hosed. Of course when I got home Lucy and I went for a little walk to the park with some running mixed in for good measure. Stood around there and THEN came back and crashed.

Mansfield hollow was saturday. Got over there and parked next to the nicest guy racing (no offense to cronoman) Ken Scott. I was messing with the shifting in the rear. It seems that it was 'okay' at G-ster in the big ring most of the time. Not great but just okay. There were enough punch ups and stuff that a few times I tried the little ring and the damn cogs didn't seem to be in the right place. I had considered taking the cassette off friday night so I could give it back to G-ride but that didn't happen. I was futzing with the damn shifting and missed the fact that everyone had already lined up. So I rushed over there and got in line in the back. And boom before I knew it we were starting. I found myself behind The Bull in the China shop and Wayne, and well Tom is a great draft and Wayne's been kicking my ass so lets be all smart and just ride their wheels for a while. That lasted a lap and a half. Then GeWilli's heart kind of vanished. I had a moment of what am I doing this hurts, I kind of mentally checked out for a minute. The shifting was wicked distracting. After I got gapped off the back of those two I tried riding the small ring most of the way around. It isn't that small. A 38. But I've found this year, if I am in the 38 I'm sucking and going too slow. Turning the 46 is a lot of work at times but I seem to go faster, or I should say, I slide back less. But Saturday with my not so stellar start it wasn't so much about sliding back and holding my position. I did manage to pass a few people, and suddenly with 3 to go it all clicked. Maybe it was 2.5 to go. In all seriousness it was Tom's bad luck that flipped the switch. I saw him in the pits and someone stoked the locomotive with a fresh shovel of coal and I was off. And racing. Railing turns. Powering through the straights. It was fun.

Coming in I had a gap. In front and a gap behind, but I felt like I was closing in on the one in front. And then I hit a turn hard. Rocking this tubbies has amped the confidence way up. Then, riiiiiiip whup whup whup whup... WTF... Damn it Jerry... I managed to rip about 8-10 inches of the tubbie off the front. Popped it back on and kept going. But that killed that turning confidence. I stopped looking forward and started looking back. "Gotta hold them off." Steve with Joes Garage wound up catching me into the wind as we passed the start line going into the turn that I ripped it on, and I actually raced. I eased off and kind of made him go around. He said something about not really wanting to pull me there. But I sat in (he's not the tallest and the draft wasn't the best, but it was better than being in front) and he railed the turns. But a bobble on the off camber hill climb had me stopping on his wheel. We rolled down the hill and I took off. And scored a nice 18th place finish. Out of? 27? Or something. 5 minutes off the leaders.

So anyway, I finished. The crappy warm up in the morning might have had something to do with it. Instead of getting the ~10-20 minute spin on the trainer with a couple bouts with intensity to tickle the lactic acid release listening to Death Magnetic, i was chatting with a team mate about Jamestown. Then the whole messed up shifting on the pre-ride (done after sitting on the trainer spinning for 10-15 minutes) got me all off kilter. And I miss-judged how warm it would be racing. The sun was out and the long sleeves were too much. Too hot. I don't like too hot. But well that's what I went with. The course was awesome. Lots of getting on and off. Lots of good elements. Wicked fun. Gotta thank the Cronoman for the heckling/cheering, it's always good to hear his voice barking at ya.

Hung out with G-ride's kid while he raced in the Men's B race. We went all over the course. Most of the transitions were done with him riding on my shoulders the whole time. So I guess I didn't feel like I got enough leg work because I did all that walking with a not so small 4.5 year old up there. But we had fun. It was good.

Hit a nice spot for dinner with G-Ride and SWD's kids and what not and all and it was good food, fun times and all that. G-ride re-glued the ripped section of the tubbie and it was going to be ready to go for Canton.

Ah canton.

I'll get to that later. Only first to say how awesome it was to hear everyone yelling around the course... "Go Tall guy" and "PUT IT IN THE 12" and "CTodd's right up there" and all there rest. It was super cool... Great crowd there at a wicked tough (and cold) race. Oh and seeing Mikey Z was a highlight. Dude lights up the room (venue) when he shows up. It was just awesome to see him, we've really all been missing him at the races. Did miss the Tall Freak though. Not many other's missed the racing... even Nega-Coach made an appearance, and Il Bruce showed up to check the scene out.

Rode the bike in this morning. Decided knee warmers would be enough. Couldn't find the black cotton cycling cap to stick under the Giro Helmet so I popped on the Specklized lid that doesn't have enough adjustment to fit anything under it and headed in. Kinda cold. 37°F this morning. And windy. That same damn cold wind yesterday was blowin on my face on the way in. Then met up with a McCormick (not a mccormack fortunately - or maybe that would have been better) and well that McC was drilling it and I haven't chatted with him on the path so I was obliged to give up on my silly slow ass ride and drill it. So much for nice and easy. It was okay though. The legs actually responded. And while McC was pounding his big ring I was able to buck the headwind and chill in the little one. Didn't feel too bad. It has been pretty quiet on the path. Either my timing is way off or the regulars I normally see on the path are using alternative modes to get too and from work.

So yeah...

canton... will get to that soon

heddwch
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