5AM wake up call and a 6AM roll out for the C race starting at 8:30. Arrive to a pretty cold Goddard Park with plenty of time to warm up. Beach section was shorter than the video I watched, but still no joke. Fast asphalt start. UCI/Verge finale race so there was a call up! So pro. Since I registered pretty early, I was definitely a few rows ahead of where my legs should have been. Bang and it's on. Furious charge through some asphalt corners to the 1st run up. Jump back on after the run up and I have a flat??!!!???? Cursed! How can I have fucking flatted in the first 30 seconds of the race? I am pissed. I ride about half a lap to the pits totally bumming, but get wheel fast and am back chasing. The Saturday course seemed more suited to road bike guys. More longer straight sections. The terror and fear of chasing and not wanting to get lapped got me moving. You have to just set small goals. Mine was to catch five people. I got six by the end so that was a success, 66 out of 75 and I didn't get lapped. Stoked.
The rest of the day was a blur. Watched all the races. Driscoll was a beast. Jumped in the car, got lost, got home. Quick bike cleaning and that was that-off to bed.
Repeat the morning routine. Up at 5 out at 6.
Where's the snow? I thought. Don't worry it started a few minutes into the drive. Arrive to a totally new course-much more technical and cross like-especially covered with snow. Another front wheel issue. I didn't have much of an opinion on the Hutchinson bulldogs that came on the Redline, and was withholding judgement, but just like their road tire cousins, Hutchinsons suck! Too prone to cuts and the attract debris and problems like a magnet. 1st upgrade to the cross bike will be new tires.
So after one slow practice lap, it was time to line up and race. This day had a much longer second beach section and I was anxious to test out my cross-guru's advice to run it clean the whole way rather than try and ride it and fail. Cross-guru's advice was good, cause I was catching and passing people on the run. The snow added an element of fun as my front wheel seemed to wash out at every opportunity. Either way it was fun and over before I knew it.
I got to sit in the pits for cross-guru's race with his spare bike and did one bike exchange which I didn't fuck up (thanks Matt Roy for the cross clinic!) Waiting in the pit, while Dan was racing was probably as stressful as my race. Especially after getting lectured by the mechanic....
Pam spray works! But I spent lot of time banging my shoes trying to clear the cleats to clip in. But for $2.99 you better have a can of it in your possession.
Thanks to Dan for the wheel, the advice, the support, and putting up with my driving. Thanks to Andrew for the support and the cheering. Also thanks to the neutral support mechanic(Mark)for the fast wheel change!
I am bummed that my cross season is over, but totally stoked for it to start next year when, hopefully, I will have some leges!
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