UCI Bio-Wheels/UDF Cross

Wow.....my first race in almost exactly one year, and it shows. Threshold is a bad word right now. My first time at Harbin Park. I've heard that it is a always a fast course, but I was surprised to see elevation change, as well. A pretty long loop this time. Mostly fast-but-twisty grass field, with lots of off-camber turns, judicious use of the park landmarks and obstacles, and two runs of doubletrack (but with only one good line); one fast and swoopy, one mystifyingly slow feeling but flat. One set of barriers, but on a slight incline. No intentional run-ups, but two sand traps. The ground was dry, but dew and mist kept the grass just slick enough to keep you honest, especially for the elites on the well-trodden line.

I lined up late and at the back of the Masters 35+. Smaller field than the B's, and there was cash vs merch. I didn't think about a few older elites, maybe sans a UCI liscense (the Mens and Womens "A" races were UCI-point events), riding this one. But I have no race confidence at this point, so it didn't matter. We had 25 starters.

Blair (fresh from the B race) said the sand traps were ridable at speed, which was probably true, but I missed a pre-ride and wasn't ready or positioned for the first one, 1/3 a lap in. I was kind of in a third group, but two dudes in front of me both bog and go down, sending me to the sand and loosing me some places I had just gained. A shin knot and sand-filled shoes were my reward.

I settled into a pace and managed to pick off maybe 3 riders over the next few laps. After that, it was just survival. I think the positions in front and behind me didn't change the rest of the race. I kept pulling in the next guy up, but he was riding the sand that I was running, and gapping me each time. Since I would gain it back, I thought I could get the better of him over the last 1/3 lap, which was the fastest part of the course. I had no idea where I was in the field, and the money was only 6 deep, but I would have felt pretty stupid assuming I was at the back and end up maybe missing a top 10 finish. That's defeatist racing.

I surged and dropped back a few times, just to test the legs, but this must have nugged him along. I kept a distance until the last few turns, but really had to dig to get the wheel for the last left turn. The finish was like a "V", dropping and then kicking up hill for maybe a 50m straight sprint. I never got closer than a bike length. Ends up only being for 16th place anyway.

Thanks to Blair, Joe B., Ezra, Layne, and any others that were cheering and bell clanking, and to all the Cinci folks for putting on a great race environment. The gumbo was over the top.

30 or so starters...i start near the back and have trouble clipping in and already have a 10 seconds deficit in the first 50 meters, no sweat, half the field goes down on the first corner-i ride by and scoff at the foolish knaves, and over the rest of the 1st lap watch as they one by one pass and leave me in the dust. ha, though, i crash not once and settle into a nice solo rhythm...for the remainder of the race. i zoom by a bonking hekman with 2 to go, and even have the spare energy to ask if he would like his wheel back. then i proceed to the finish line in 21st. great job to ryan...and thanks mark for letting me race UCI legit on your spare bike wheel. cross racing makes us all feel like winners. and kudos to hekmans car/storage unit...i miss driving to races in that...the smell is unmistakable...also a shout out to whoever decided on skyline chili for a prerace meal...it tasted soo good (burp) even 4 hours later.

Nato was right, he wasn't going to let me beat him again--so he took my rear pit wheel which made me getting a wheel change quite difficult--its all good though. Who knew that spinergys were not UCI legal? None of us did. Today was awesome, great cross weather and a fast course. Ryan Rish did a great job today--probably due to his superior sand riding technique. I flatted with three to go and ended up getting lapped. Oh well it was still a crapload of fun and I feel better everyweek--10 more weeks til nationals.

Add to the long lists of things I truly suck at, which generally fall in the broad categories of anything involving eye-hand coordination and a ball or anything involving women, the specific activity of CX. How tough can it be if it involves a thing that looks like a road bike, I thought? I'm such a fool, such a misguided ass. I bounced along, all white knuckles, never in control of my bike. Two minutes into it I was already in dead last. Then I took a turn wide, hit a hidden dip in the grass, and did an endo over the bars. I was still clipped in on both feet and couldn't shake my feet free for fifteen seconds. Not a minute later I went down again of a little steep dirt section when I unexpectedly lost all momentum and couldn't unclip. Maybe I was kind of getting the hang of things towards the last lap, but that would be a bit of an exaggeration. But crazy thing is, I had a grin on my face the entire time. This stuff is way fun! Watch out if Brook were to try this stuff-having seen her laugh doing the circle drills in the grass, one go at this and she would give up road racing, I think. I definitely want to get my 12 year old, Alexi, involved. In addition to being fun, the "feel" at the race, if this event is representative, is so much more open and friendly. From the organizers to the racers to the spectators, everyone is rooting everyone else on. I was getting lessons on how to mount and dismount from a complete stranger while we watched the B-race. No game faces, no attitude, none of the typical roadie bull. I'm sore with some abrasions, a flare up of my bad right shoulder, some bruises, and I'm sure I looked pretty foolish out there, but can't wait til the next race. A true shame we don't have more cross events in the Central Ohio area. I gave myself a "field" finish a)to make myself feel better and b)cause the results listed me as finishing (dead last). Truth is, I quit with a lap to go.