Glenwood CX - CCC #2

 After the Saturday podium it was time to be brought back down to earth with a smack down in the second CCC race of the season.  The CCC 45+ race has all categories (1-5) and my lowly Cat 4 status pushed me back to the 4th row (races are also 40 minutes instead of 30).  I did have company as Tony F. and Joe Doyle right there with me in row 4 and Bryan C. was just behind.  

We had a really good Tower turnout for the Glenwood race.  In the 55+ there was Fran, George, Bob, Brad and Mark.  Bob's son John raced in the Cat 4's later on in the afternoon.

The Glenwood course is what I expected of the Field of Riches course > flat and grass.  This is the second year of the course.  They made a couple tweaks to it so it was longer.  It is more of a power course favoring steady sustained power.  Technique is important in any cyclocross course but this one less so.

I didn't know exactly what to expect from the legs after racing on Saturday but last year we did Jingle Cross the 2 days before and I still did pretty good so there was hope.  The temp was about 45 for my race (I race right after the 55+ group) so while it wasn't warm it was warmer than Saturday and we had tons of sun so it was all good.  I made the strategic decision to keep the arm and leg warmers on but change the gloves and hat to something lighter.  I ended up ditching the arm warmers midway through the race. [I actually forgot them on course and while driving home had to turn around and go back :(  It actually worked out, I spotted a Portillo's and treated myself to a morning chocolate cake shake.  Glycogen replenishment right?!]

Clipping in at the start wasn't near as good as Saturday but wasn't horrible.  I might have been able to make up a few spaces but it was pretty clogged and not too much lost.  I was near the inside of the first corner when all of a sudden some jack-a-loon in a UPB kit with a curly mustache flies up and smashes into the guy in front of me.

Oh, I learned GoPro 101 and will post the entire race plus a recap video (hopefully).

The last CCC race I was mentally broken when I saw 4 laps to go at the end of the third lap.  I made sure to prep myself this time to make sure my expectations were not too low.  It was a longer course than last year and I was pretty sure we would do 5 laps so I mentally prepared for that.  Turns out that was what we did so that mental box was checked.

The first lap was all about just following a long line of wheels.  There were 54 racers and I was somewhere right in the middle.  The second lap started to string things out and is where Tony and I started to dance.  He passed me in a straight and then I passed him back over a barrier.  Tony and I had done a lap together in pre-ride and we chatted about preferences.  He prefers to rest in the straights and I prefer to use my power to extend gaps (power is relative to my technical ability).  At the end of the second lap he was right behind me with one rider in front.  I said Giddy Up and he grabbed my wheel as we punched it.  We passed the rider and gapped him and then once in the grass Tony passed me for good. He was even nice enough to say thanks lol.  He dangled in front of me but slowly pulled out a gap of 30 seconds by the end.  Spoiler > Tony was the first Cat 5 to cross the line and the second 4/5.  Tony is a monster. 

I should take time here to mention that I DIDN'T FALL!!!  I know you are all waiting for the GIF so sorry to disappoint.

I got a new pressure gauge after discovering that my gauge and George's (which are the exact same) were off by about 2-3 PSI.  A big deal when you are running in the 25-28 range.  So maybe I was dialed in just right.  I ran 28 in front and 29 in back.  It was dry and I'm heavy so I needed more pressure than most.

The last three laps there were 4 of us battling for positions.  And here is a good spot to talk about mental strength.  You can only control what goes on in your head and can't assume what is happening in someone else's.  Just like on the road if you are hurting the others are probably hurting.  Two racers were in front of me at one point.  The lead guy started to put a gap into the second guy.  I should have made an extra effort to get around him to close the gap but I didn't.  The gap went out to 5-10 seconds or so and so mentally I let him go.  Eventually I passed the second guy.  

An important thing in cyclocross is that if you are in the lead of a group and you make a mistake then the other guy is slowed too.  But if it is the opposite then there is a gap.  So taking what little aero drag there is in cross is usually worth it.  Surprisingly, that is not a precursor to a story about me making a mistake.  Just good tactics.  You can also go as slow as you want in the technical bits because they can't get past you and you can rest a bit.

Getting back to the mentality of it all.  I think this is where the ABD guy started to lose it.  Me passing him and then a SpiderMonkey guy passing both of us just broke him and he started to fade.

I was not thrilled that the SpiderMonkey guy passed me.  He was dangling for a bit behind me and then at the beginning of the last lap he got by me.  What is ironic is I finally was able to pass him back later in the lap on a straight stretch that was parallel to the stretch where he passed me. And within about 30 seconds he was 3-4 seconds behind.  I think he was at his limit and that was it.

Do you remember the guy who got a gap on the 3 of us and I kinda mentally let him go?  Well near the end of the race I could see him 4 seconds in front of me.  A measly 4 seconds.  (You actually count these things while racing to mentally help you).  I'm not sure if he slowed down or the chase with the SpiderMonkey guy brought us closer but he was there.  But I had reached the depths of my mental strength.  I think if I had been willing to go all in and really go into the red I might have been able to catch him.  But that pain cave was a bit too much for me.

I settled for 23rd place.  Actually, that is a fantastic result for me. Not only is that my best result in a CCC 45+ race it is the first time I've finished in the TOP HALF of a CCC 45+ race.  This is headline news!!!  Now, I hear you saying that I shouldn't really be bragging about a 23rd place.  That is positively pedestrian.  But it is progress.  Significant at that (especially considering my crap result at Schiller Woods 2 weeks ago).  So I am happy!  It improved my points which also helps improve your start position in the grid.

I do want to reiterate something.  The comradery of the Tower team (and heck the cyclocross community in general) is amazing.  Having other guys there to race or to cheer you on is immeasurable.  You can hear them cheering you on and you can cheer them on.  They also take pretty good pictures (Thanks Brad).

The same can be said for the entire Tower club.  Let's keep it that way.

Full race video: https://youtu.be/9S-7iVVlvso

Field of Riches CX

Once again it was time to head north of the border and race in Wisconsin.  Just outside of Milwaukee, George and I carpooled on Saturday morning to the Field of Riches CX race.  The better half was out of town so what better to do than race.

We signed up for the 50+ Cat 4/5.  It was a 30 minute race in a park amongst some beautifully changing leaves.

Based on the name of the race I didn't expect too much more than riding around in a grassy field.  I was very wrong.  The course included three hills, 2 sketchy downhills and two sections of forest.

Ours was the first race of the morning and even though the temp was about 39 there wasn't the frost on the grass we saw at Trek day 2.  The course was in good shape even though there was some rain Saturday.  The woods had some dampness but was very ridable. 

We had 42 racers and I had a front row start with George in the second row.  When the whistle blows you need to be ready.  At Trek I was not ready for either race.  They don't actually count down the start but give you the "Anytime in the next 30 seconds".  So, I made sure this time to watch the official with the whistle and focus as best as possible.

It worked out perfectly as I not only jumped right at the whistle but I clipped into my other pedal instantly and was off.  In cyclocross there's this thing called "The Holeshot".  Basically, the first one to the first turn wins the holeshot.  And today that was me!  You don't get anything for it.  No medal or gels.  But wow was it fun.  I don't think it counts as an out of body experience but in my head as I made the first turn I was thinking to myself - "I won the holeshot!"  Such a novice.

Right after the holeshot a couple guys passed me but I was ok with that.  I was not going to blowup early and felt right in rhythm.  We did start in a grassy field but a few turns in we took a left down a fairly steep hill with a little shimmy at the end.  It wasn't enough that needed to slow down for the shimmy but did have to give the bars a little push to the side.  

Of course what goes down must come up.  We started the first hill in a zig zag fashion but the last half was straight with a log in the middle.  During pre-ride we did a couple tests to see if we could bunny hop it.  I tried left at first but the back wheel didn't make it.  One of the course marshals said to stick left and try it again.  I wasn't buying it because the ground behind the log seemed a bit higher to the right.  I tried the right side and it worked.  So, during the race I stuck right and gained a ton of distance over other racers who were dismounting and running it.  

I was still in third at the top but the rest of the race was getting strung out behind.  We took a left and headed into the woods down some single track.  The entry you could take with speed but then there was a right-left-right combo you had to brake for.  It got more slick with the subsequent laps.  [In the race after ours one racer crashed and messed up her leg/ankle.  Took a while to get her up the trail and to the ambulance.]  I ended up deciding to unclip with my left foot and hand it out for balance on the tight left and slid the back tire a little.  It worked for me.

George and I had done our pre-ride together and we talked about the next hill and not blowing up.  It was a slow drag where you could easily go too hard and over heat (so-to-speak; remember it was 39 degrees).  So that hill led to the second sketchy downhill.  This one was a crushed limestone path with a u-turn at the bottom.  When your heart rate is up there (average was 166) the brain doesn't always work as planned.  So at the bottom of the gravel I had to slam on the brakes because I forgot it turned left.  No harm no foul.

The last main feature on the course was a combo of an even bigger tree across the pass right after a u-turn which then led to a straight, but rooty, single track through the woods.  The first lap I dismounted fine and got over the log.  But the second of 3 laps I took the u-turn with some speed and unclipped the inside foot to help with balance.  But that is normally the foot I keep clipped in when dismounting so now I was stuck with no feet clipped and my butt stuck in the saddle and came to a full stop.  Ugh!

At this point in the second lap the chance for the second step on the podium had been lost so my fumble wasn't costing my progression, but maybe my hold onto 3rd.  Turns out after owning a GoPro for a number of years I still can't figure out how to turn it on.  In the middle of the second lap on a straightaway I took a peek to see if the red light was on and it wasn't.  So I clicked the button again and got the blinky red light I needed.  This distraction didn't make me lose my balance or ride me directly into a hedge but it didn't keep my focus sharp.  The second place racer was about 2 seconds in front of me and when I took the next left turn I took it too hot and slid out.  Usually, I fall because I brake too much and the back wheel loses traction.  This time I should have tapped the brakes.

I was able to pop up quickly and the other racer was still only 10 seconds away but it took a while to regather my mojo.  I think I ended up about 30 seconds back from second in the end.  [For some reason the GoPro turned off right after the crash so this is all I have].

Now my focus was looking back instead of forwards. I knew I was still in third place and was excited about being on a podium.  Another rookie move was thinking about my position in the group as opposed to focusing on the course.  Luckily I didn't fall again but I kept checking over my shoulder.  The 4th place racer was a guy with a long goatee.  He was about 10 seconds back and even though he might make some progress in the corners (everyone corners better than me) he was thicker than me and I thought I could make up some time on the hills (As you all know I am a mountain goat).

At some point in the last lap I peeked back and there was someone who had passed the goatee guy.  Uh oh.  I was talking to the 2nd place guy after the race and he said this guy doesn't start fast but makes progress throughout the race and was strong.  That put a little more pressure on but I was able to hold him off.  

The 35+ race started 30 second before ours and we were catching the back half of that race (Actually I think I finished around 6th in that race too lol).  As I came to the hill with the log I had two racers from the 35+ group in front of me.  I yelled ahead that I was going to the right.  I wanted to have a clean line to bunny hop the log.  They both moved to the left as they dismounted for the log which was great.  I hoped the guy behind me was going to dismount and then I would gain some more time.  It is fun to have a feature you know you can nail where others might not.  

This was actually the place on the course I was hoping to pass the 2nd place guy (before I fell).  I was feeling good and I wasn't worried about being just behind him.  He was dismounting for the log.  I could get past him here and then push it hard in the last lap.  Oh well.

I went with a little higher pressure since it was mostly dry which probably contributed to the fall.  But it was good everywhere else.  In the last corner I had pulled past another racer from the 35+ (he was nice enough to move over) but he decided he wanted to sprint.  His pressure must have also been high because as he tried to come around the outside of me he slide out.  That corner took out more than one person that day.

So I made the podium and was super excited.  I made the podium at regionals last year but there were only 11 guys.  What made it even better is Erik Hagen let me use his Tower jacket which looked awesome on the podium!

The winner got some local beer.  The 2nd place guy got a bag of coffee.  Me, I got a box of Clif Bars.  They pay out big up in Wisc.  Actually, it worked out perfect as I don't really drink much and I don't like coffee.

So, this was really a field of riches for me.  Hoping to build on this keep moving forward.

Thanks for reading!

>>> Bonus pictures I just found from the Trek races courtesy Focal Flame Photography.

Trek CX Cup 2022

Two days.  Two races (in 16 hours).  Two friends.  Same course.  

Let's compare:

First race on Friday: Cat 4 (all ages); Second race Saturday morning: 45+ Cat 4/5

1st: 50 degrees; 2nd 35 degrees (um, brr)

1st: 30 minutes (actual race time 40 minutes WTH); 2nd: 30 minutes (actual 32 minutes)

1st: 120 racers (5th row start for me, 7th for George I think); 2nd: 29 racers (more in 35+ and 55+ scored separately) (1st row start for me, George had a second row start in the 55+) (Bryan C. started in the Cat 4 race right after ours)

1st: Finished 55th; 2nd: Finished 10th

1st: dry and dusty course; 2nd: frosty grass that slowed things down (but not as much as expected)

1st: 1 crash (a slide out on the off camber dust); 2nd:  no crashes (at least I learned something from the day before)

1st: Number of guys who passed me because of the crash: 11; 2nd: Not applicable

1st: 0-5 number of times I cleared the rock wall; 2nd: 3-4 (And I woulda made the 4th time but the guy in front of me stalled)

Total number of flyovers both days: 27

Weird mustache guys on course: 1

1st: Lap where my legs blew up - 3rd; 2nd: None (Didn't go into the red at the start and kept it steady all race)

1st: People at the Secret Bar > dozens; 2nd: Zero > Too damn early (For the World Cup race Sunday there were hundreds)

1st: Did I finish strong? No.  Chased the same Eliel sponsored guy for 2 laps and was 2 seconds behind at the finish; 2nd: Yes, took the final 180 turn 100 meters from the finish behind a guy.  He went wide and I went tight so we were head to head by the time we straightened out.  We sprinted and and I beat him.  Kinda like getting a birdie on the 18th hole.  Made the day worth it.

1st: Lap times >  7:49, 8:09, 8:03, 7:57, 7:49; 2nd: 8:12, 8:03, 8:17, 7:58.  Excited that the last laps were fast. (Again, same course.  Legs were tired the second race)

1st: Avg HR > 168; 2nd: 161 (The lower second day is a combo of being tired, early morning [7:30am start], and colder temps)

It is a great course for amateurs.  The pros raced on the same course Friday but the harder version on Sunday.  

Come 'Cross with Us

Schiller Woods CX - CCC #1

Schiller Woods in the city is the first round of the Chicago Cross Cup series (of 7).  It is a new venue as the typical kickoff (Caldwell Woods) is under construction.  The pre-race info was that it was flat with one hill used in multiple ways with a gravel run up.

This was a real power course.  Those with good power should be able to take advantage of the long grass sections.  This was me last year.  This year is up in the air.

The gravel run up had 2 barriers in the pre-ride but they came afoul of regulations because they were too far apart and they ended up scrapping them until later races.  So it became a gravel ride up for those with skill and space (Foreshadowing).

The turnout for the day's racing was really good - 532 people pre-registered.  70 in the 45+ race  (Bryan, Tony F. and myself) and 43 in the 55+ (Fran, George, Bob, Brad, Mark M.).  Old people basically fund these races.

So, we had perfect weather (high 50's) and dry grass and a nice course.  All that was left was to let the legs to do their thing.

The 55+ race was first (30 seconds after the 35+).  The boys battled it out.

                          

In my race I started 4th row.  Bryan and Tony were near the back.  For the third race in a row I was able to clip in right away and had a good start.   (Well, except for forgetting to start my Garmin and GoPro.....rookie).  I lined up 30th but was inside the top 20 in the first meters.

After that it was a slow attrition.  My bib number was 99 (my group started with 65) so I tried to keep track of anyone 100+ that got past me.  At first it was fine, only 80's and 90's were passing me.  And I would make up a position or two in the longer grass power sections.  But then I had a morale blow.  See, Fran's race did 5 laps in their race.  So at the end of my lap 3 I expected to see 2 to go or maybe 3.  But the number 4 was showing loud and proud.  UGH!  My mouth was dry at this point and now my shoulders slumped.  

My prep for this race wasn't the best (Excuse list coming).  My car got totaled a couple weeks prior (everyone's ok) and I was totally stressed about getting a new car quickly - and in this market that really sucks.  Then after that stress ended I caught some kind of non-covid bug.  

So my mouth was dry in the third lap even after plenty of hydration for days and now I had to stumble home for 4 more laps.  The bittersweet moment of the race also happened on lap 4.  I could see Tony making progress and it was inevitable he was going to catch me.  Awesome for a guy who was supposed to be in Florida on a beach.  I decided to let him get past me the hard way and used too much brake on a downhill corner and laid it down.  Tony was nice enough to ask if I was ok as he passed by.  I hopped back on the bike but it took a lap to get any mojo back.

The coolest part of the race was when the leader lapped me.  Not just any leader, the 3 time BMX World Champion and current age group National Champion in CX.  I was ok with the lapped part because it meant I only had to do 6 laps instead of 7.  He came past right when we got to the gravel run up section.  I had never made it to the top riding each of the previous laps (so it was an actual run up for me) but by watching how he did it I was able to accomplish the task the last 2 laps.  It was now a good day.  I finished 40th/63.

The best part of cyclocross is the community.  I met people I hadn't seen since last season.  Kenny was on the microphone.  And all the Tower guys hung out after.  Fran even brought home made blueberry pie and chocolate milk for everyone.  What a guy!

Next is Trek Cup in Waterloo (Still not 100% but am giving it a go anyway) this weekend and then back to the CCC in Glenwood.

#CrossIsHere 2022 - LAPT Lion Cross

The CCC season doesn't start until October so the pre-season for us entails motoring up to Wisconsin.  The nice thing about the Wisc CX Series is there are a ton of races to choose from.  This was opening weekend and on Sunday it was the LAPT Lion Cross near-ish Milwaukee.

Bryan Connelly (UPB) and I signed up and headed up to Tichigan, WI.  The forecast was cool rain all day just like back home so I didn't even use the bike rack and stored the Crux in the rear of the car.  No sense in washing off all the lube BEFORE the race.  I also brought an entire 2nd kit (shoes included) as we were doing 2 races and didn't want to be sitting for an hour in cold/muddy/wet clothes.

When I got there the rain was coming down so hard I didn't get out of my car.  Wind was 20 mph steady with 30 mph gusts.  No thank you!  We were in a parking lot with a grassy patch in the middle.  It was designed to be a retention pond and by the time of the first race it absolutely was a pond.

Eventually, it let up enough to make a dash for the bathroom (absolutely needed) and to registration.  The race director was out on the course making changes because the new conditions would have made the hill un-ridable and maybe un-walkable.  My head space was questioning whether the race would go on at all due to the damage we would do to the park or at least if it would be delayed.

Come 9am the first race started on time.  I was amazed.  I had a lap and a half of pre-ride (less than optimal) but was able to identify the main features.  An off camber left turn up a sharp/short hill, an accordion section which would line everyone out, 2 barriers back to back, and a sand pit.  A tiny bit of gravel paths but otherwise all grass.  Very wet grass.

Ours was the first race.  Cat 4/5.  Bryan was in the 35+ group and I was in the 50+ group which started about 30 seconds behind.  My field had 29 racers and Bryan's 17.  I was predicted 7th in my race based on CrossResults.com points which meant I had a front row start.  This doesn't happen for me in CCC races because we don't split the categories here: 45+ includes Cat's 1-4 (Another fun reason to head north of the border to race).

I want to call out the Thursday crew here and say I am grateful for the practicing.  We practice most aspects of racing (no sand at Spring Rock Park) and especially starts.  I had a great start in my race.  Basically, what that means is I was able to clip in on the first try and was able to put power to the pedals immediately.  I'm about 50/50 in practice clipping in so it was really exciting.

Into the first corner I was in about 3rd position and had a good runup the first hill so at one point early in the lap I was in first position.  I've never been in the lead of a race before and it was pretty crazy running through my head.  Heading into the accordion section (a succession of tight U-turns back to back - about 6 of them) we started to catch a couple of the 35+ racers.  I made an effort to get past one of them which I knew would clog the other racers behind me.  I was able to hold the lead for just a little bit but it was a highlight.

In pre-ride I wasn't able to ride the sharp/short hill so in the race I just ran it which I think worked out for me.  Trying to ride and getting stuck would have been slower.  Bryan said he was able to ride it which is really impressive.  

Eventually a few people passed me and I wasn't concerned about trying to hold wheels.  The race was 30 minutes long and I didn't want to blow up on the first lap.  I kept my pace (169 HR AVG) and counted how many people were passing me to get an idea of my placing.  I was shooting for at least a top ten.  I counted 4 and then I eventually passed one of them back so I thought there were three.  Because of the mixed fields I was using rider numbers starting with a 5 to judge who was who.  Unfortunately, the Wisc CX Series had number issues and some people were racing with last year's numbers.  More on that in a minute.

I am using a new bike this year - Specialized Crux - and it is really a gravel bike in the 2022 model that can be used for CX (Pros are using it so why not me).  I was pretty happy with the cornering and my ability to handle the course.  The course was wet and full of puddles but it wasn't really muddy (yet). The sand pit was a volleyball court and of the 4 laps I was able to ride it twice which I was excited about.  

Behind me I could see the next racer was there but not close enough to be an immediate threat.  I kept my pace ("Early Season Slow") and motored through.  I finished 5th.  I thought I was 4th but #262 snuck past me and I didn't realize he was 50+.  [Honestly though I probably wasn't going to catch him]

I'm pretty excited with 5th - the Wide Angle Podium!  If this was ABR I would have gotten a medal LOL.  

Also, I now realize why the pros change bikes every lap when it is nasty out.  My brakes were grinding with all the mud/sand in there.  I'm sure my gears weren't very happy either.  I could feel it and hear it.  At first I thought I was just rubbing the new chain guide I put on.  Luckily I had extra water bottles and used them to clean the brakes/gears for the second race.

The second race was the Cat 4 with the young guns.  I had a second row call up and had another great start but 30 seconds into the race I could tell I had no power left.  I immediately turned it into a technique practice.  Trying to find the green lines (Green is grip) and staying on the bike while others were running.  The course was much more muddy now.  Not quite peanut butter thick but the rain wasn't as heavy so it was more viscous.  I didn't bring mud tires (Mounting issues) so I was spinning out in a few places.  Thankfully the same 30 minutes took 3 laps and I was spared a 4th.  Only managed to clean the sand once and walked up the sharp hill instead of running.  That's ok.  The race legs will come.  22nd/33.

There was a BBQ joint on site and Bryan and I sat down to some post-race brisket and beans.  It never stopped raining but was lighter than it had been.  The best part of the day was watching all the racers dip their bikes in the new created pond to clean them off (and themselves).  I was too cold and tired and my poor bike is still sitting in the garage a mess.

My prep for the races included a drive to Purdue Saturday for a football game in the hot sun and a bunch of walking.  So, all concerned it was a good day.  The Battle of Waterloo is in 2 weeks and I'm hoping to make that.  Until then...

Worlds.... and oh yeah, Nationals

 It was an opportunity I couldn't pass up.  Cyclocross World Championships in the U.S.  Within driving distance.  And what turned out to be 50-60 degree sunny weather.  Arkansas here I come.  Well, came and went by now.  The last weekend in January I hitched my wagon to Peter's wagon and we trucked (Compact SUV'd) to Fayetteville (actually stayed in Bentonville).  Peter is an industry man (Watch out for his Eliel kit) and I tagged along for the ride.

Besides actual racing I'm a pretty big pro racing nerd.  I know all the top names and still swoon over my selfie with 3 time world champ Sanne Cant from 2018.  It was an event that I waivered on due to Covid but made the 9 hour drive and had a great time.  We brought our gravel bikes and got in a couple local rides as well (The maiden voyage for my new Crux gravel/cross combo).

I imagine most everyone reading this has been to an actual bike race.  Probably a crit.  This was a very similar watching experience.  The racers would roll by every 7 or 8 minutes and you scream and depending on your spot could maybe watch the rest of the lap on one of the jumbo trons.  The course was very spread out and we decided to keep moving to check out the different parts of the course.  I was in geek mode as we spotted Allen Lim from Skratch Labs, almost literally bumped into Canadian National Champ Maghalie Rochette (shoulda gotten a selfie dang it) and ended up chatting with a guy who turned out to be Tyler Hamilton.

Watching a race on tv you can actually follow the race action.  Being on site it was more about being in the moment without the narrative.  In a way it is like racing.  I have no idea what is happening in a race except for the guys right around me.  Even the guys behind me I don't really know what is happening.  until the course folds back on itself.  In Fayetteville we would just wait for the leader(s) to roll by and see what had changed since the last lap.  Cross races are timed so you don't really know how many laps there will be until 2 laps in and if you can't hear the announcers or see the jumbo tron you just kinda guess based on the start time.  And I can't count laps to save my life so it makes it that much more of an adventure.

Logistics onsite aside it was a great weekend.  There were 3 races each day (We missed the junior races each day though because we were riding) and an incredible atmosphere.  I can't imagine where they would have put everyone had this been a non-Covid year.  On the recommendation of a couple guys from Specialized we parked the second day near a trailhead to avoid the shuttle bus.  Besides the 25 minutes it took us to "ride" our gravel bikes up this mt bike trail, the parking lot had a drive thru coffee hut called Bikini Coffee.  And as we left after the racing we peeked inside this hut and there was a barista actually wearing a 2 piece bikini.  Ah, Arkansas.

Oh, Nationals.  I sent out a short video of the last 2 minutes of my race a long time ago (I'm way late on this post).  Nationals was fabulous and rough both on and off the course.  How cool to have Nationals in our back yard.  And I raced ok.  26th out of 48 but was the second Cat 4 to cross the line.  Passing 3 guys in the last 2 minutes is like playing a really crappy round of golf but then nailing the last shot.  You can't wait to get back out there.

While I didn't know it at the time I had Covid and ended up missing the Elites race on Sunday which was a huge bummer.  And because I have a EuroSport subscription and not FloBikes I still haven't seen the racing.  Ugh!  If anyone really wants a play-by-play let's go find a local establishment.  Otherwise, let's get ready for North Carolina and for a new set of warm days this summer!

Region Riot CX

 Midwest Regional Championships

The end of the season is here.  The Region Riot race and Nationals was all that was left.

The Region Racing team is based in Crown Point, IN.  I hadn't been to this race before but as buildup to Nationals I thought it was good to keep racing.  Evidently, not many people had that same thought.  In fact, of the 48 people signed up for the 50+ race at Nationals (my race) 75% of them are from out of state.  Where the heck are all the Illinois racers???

Fields were smaller all day at Region Riot and my race (45+ Cat 4/5) only had 11 starters [13 registered but 2 didn't start].  The 45+ Cat 1/2/3 had 16 starters and they started 1 minute in front of us.

2 weeks before the race there was an announcement that this race would also be the Midwest Regional Champs.  Covid played havoc with a lot of races this year and this late assignment didn't really bring many people from potential places like Minnesota and Iowa.  But either way it would be fun to say you were the regional champ.

As it is Indiana (similar to Illinois) there isn't really a lot of elevation to play with at the Lake County Fairgrounds.  They did their best with a woody section with turn after turn after turn and even a trip through a covered bridge and what appeared to be something akin to stock buildings.  

Fran is still nursing his thumb so it was only Bob, George and Mark rounding out the normal crew.  Actually, Bob's son John did well in the 4/5 race later in the day (He was the 4th Cat 5 to cross the line)  They all did the 55+.  It was cold (33) and windy so I watched their race from the car.  My vantage point was only the 2 straightaways so nothing too exciting to report.  Bob finished second in the 65+.  I cannot confirm if there were more than 3 guys in his category.  :)

I can confirm that I did another shit job clipping in.  Of the 10 other racers 8 were in front of me immediately.  It was my first front row start so that was fun but I didn't take full advantage of it.  That being said I was in third position by the time we hit the first feature.  I had hopes and dreams of a real result at this race considering the small field (predicted 5th based on points).  As we hit the slight off camber rise (I don't really want to call it a hill) the guy right behind me crashed and I was right on the tail if the two leaders.

After that it was catch my breath time.  I had worked hard for good position but was now paying for it.  Brain got a little fuzzy, lungs were pumping and adrenaline at the max.  Going through the barriers my left foot hit the first barrier (hasn't happened all season) and I was out of sorts.  No lasting damage to the foot, just felt stupid.

I tried to keep the leaders in site but that didn't last too long (The guy who won was about 3 minutes in front at the end) and the guy who crashed slowly tracked me down and passed me.  Then my goal was to keep up with him but that didn't last long either (1:45 down at the end).  

So I was in 4th place with 2 guys a little bit behind me.  As we hit the woody turny section the two started to close in on me.  As you all know by now turning isn't my specialty (yet).  But back at the start finish there is a long straight section where I can use my strength (Pow-ah) [You have to say that in Fran's voice].  

So, each of the 4 laps I was able to pull out a gap in the straights and that gap was bigger than what they were able to close on the turns.  One thing I didn't really pay attention to was that on lap 3 I passed a rider who had a mechanical.  In my brain I thought I had just caught a slow Cat 1/2/3 from the group who started one minute in front of us who was nice enough to pull off to the side and let me get by.  So unbeknownst to me I was now in 3rd place.  

I felt comfortable with my lead over the two guys behind me but I was starting to dial in the course better and wanted to continue getting better.  This of course led me to slide out in a turn after the covered bridge and hit the deck.  I was up quick and only lost about 5 seconds.

Usually you only get pulled early from a race if you get passed by the leaders.  That hasn't happened since Caldwell Woods for me (By the 4x BMX World Champion).  But the first race of the day went off about 10 minutes late so I think they were trying to make up time.  Only the top 2 did 5 laps and the rest of us did 4.  I wasn't complaining too much but it was somewhat disappointing.  I heard Kenny on the PA system say it was our last lap and sprinted to the finish for fun.

After picking up my jacket from the start I thought I heard Kenny make the call for Bob to come to the podium.  I wandered over there and while Bob had already gone home for the day I decided to stick around for the presentation of my race.  Much to my surprise Kenny called my name.  I actually made him double check.  Like I said before I didn't realize the guy I caught had a mechanical and was from my race.  Woot Woot!  My first cyclocross podium!  Take what you can get right?!

I think I have the feeling that all our kids got when they got participation trophies growing up LOL.  It was fun to take the podium picture.   I realize what my actual ability is though and while I've improved a lot there is plenty of room to grow.

Nationals for me is Tuesday afternoon @ 2:30 at Cantigny in Wheaton.  The rest of the gang goes Wednesday at differing times.  If you make the trek cheer loudly.

First Lap Video

https://youtu.be/cVbS6aRRwpQ

Wisconsin State Championships CX

 Double Feature(s)

With the CCC season over too early one must sometimes cross rival's borders in search of that racing fix.

Saturday brought us to Waterloo, Wisconsin, home of Trek bicycle company and this year's state cyclocross championships.

The literal backyard of Trek is a permanent cyclocross course.  In October it hosted the 1st World Cup of the season with all but a few of the European and American pros.  

With a little less palmares than the pros and more prep needed for Nationals in Wheaton in a couple weeks Fran, George, and myself made the trek (see what I did there?) up north for Saturday's racing.  

As mentioned in my Kringle Kross entry the WICX series does things a little different than the CCC.  That includes separating the old farts by category and also running some of the races shorter.  Our race is normally 40 minutes which really is enough for one day when done all at once.  But, at only 30 minutes and a much longer drive, to make it worth it we decided to double up.  

The first of the double feature was the 50+ cat 4/5 race at 9am.  Then, after an hour of rest we got some more popcorn for the elite 4/5 race at 10:30. (Actually, instead of popcorn I used the advice of Peter on nutrition.  One caffeine gel immediately after the first race and a regular gel 15 minute before the second).

BikeReg has a cool feature where it "predicts" the results based purely on accrued points.  The first race had me at 9th which means a second row start and a good shot to stay out of the chaos behind.  The second race had me at 33rd out of 70 something (This race included all the young guns).

Perhaps the coolest part of the day was that I was lining up for the first time with Fran and George.  Our categories don't usually line up and I roll off the start line an hour after them.  So, directly on my right was Fran with George close by.  Fist bumps were passed around acknowledging the moment.

It was cold out (37ish) but it was dry which is waaay more important.  In fact the course was bone dry.  Had it been wet this course would have been much slower and 10x harder.  The course is built on a hill and there are plenty of elevation changes.  Off camber wet turns are what destroy derailleur hangers as well as hopes and dreams.

Being dry this was a good course for me.  Lots of pedaling sections and turns that you could take with some speed without fear (my mortal enemy on the cross course).  

I had a good/not great start and gained a couple spots quickly.  This course started with a long parking lot section before hitting the grass which also went straight for a bit.  I made sure my starting gear was 1-2 gears harder than if we had started on grass because I knew we'd have more speed and while it took me 2 tries to clip in I was right there.

A couple races ago I switched to my mud tires because I was sliding around way too much.  I switched back due to the dryness but also because there is a rock step on this course.  My intermediate tires also have Cush Core (foam insert) inside for added protection and thinking of trying to ride that wall like the pros I was more comfortable with the switch.

Above is the feature I mentioned.  To give it some reference I left in the friendly spectator.  It is probably 1.5-2 feet tall.  This course has a ton of cool features that make it both fun and challenging.  My hope was to ride up the right side using a slight crack between rocks to roll up like the pros.  But the line we had leading up to it was different and made you go straight to it and not on an angle like I expected.

Even with my Cush Core I didn't have the confidence (see above mention of fear) to try it.  People did ride it.  In fact, George rode it every time.  I was able to run if fairly quickly but because you are still going up when you remount all momentum is lost and if you are riding you can pass people.

Right before the rock wall there were a couple logs on a slight uphill.  There was a ridable line on the left.  During pre-ride I was there with Fran doing it over and over to make sure we could do it in the race. (If you can't do it 10 times out of 10 in pre-ride don't try it in the race).

I'm happy to report that of my 8 trips ups these logs (4 each race) I either rode it clean or just put one foot down every time except the first lap of the second race where the guy before me got stuck.  Then I got stuck behind him and 3-4 people passed me by running it.  UGH!  Evidently his fancy skinsuit doesn't help with his skills.

>> Funny aside, a fan was fixing that stake on the left that someone had knocked down but was standing in my line while doing it.  I had to yell at him while pedaling (and out of breath) to MOVE! <<

If I continue to go backwards on the course there was a flyover.  The later races (higher categories) actually got to go over 2 flyovers and sometimes the World Cup has 3.  

The flyover itself wasn't particularly challenging but it is important to be in a low enough gear to power up it and then get back into a big enough gear for the speed you'll carry on the way down.  Really it is just fun.

Rearward with the time machine there is a hump right before the flyover.  On my pre-ride I carried some good speed towards the hump and almost did an endo.  The backside is almost straight down and if you have too much speed and don't get your butt hanging off the back of your saddle mountain bike style then you are in serious trouble.

On the first lap of the second race (with all the young yahoos) George went over the hump 3 abreast.  Bumping elbows - scary shit.

It is difficult to describe what an off camber is like.  This picture below has the camera vertical.  As you can see the grass I'm on is slanted left and the guy on the other side of the turn is at about 45 degrees going up.

This part was fun also but if it had been wet would have been treacherous.

>> Gratuitous cyclocross fun picture.  Where else do you see a ramp with a huge cheeseburger to jump over?  You'll see another picture of that cheeseburger below unfortunately.  <<

On the backside of the course you slalom through some woods and encounter a small rock wall.  In this case we were going down so it was just a matter of pulling up the front wheel and letting the back wheel roll over it.

The rocks were up to a foot high but if you have any experience at Palos they are fine.

The one incident I did have was on the last lap of the second race.  With no space on the left because if the cheeseburger jump some yahoo decided to pass on the right when there just wasn't enough space.  

The eagle eyed among you might notice the irony that he has the exact same bike as me.

I hit the ground and other than a cut on my right leg all appears to be ok.  And have no fear, thanks to the GoPro and some internet sleuthing I tracked his a$$ down and expressed my displeasure politely (After all, it is cyclocross and rubbing is racing).

Closing in on the finish line I had two different race experiences.  

The first race had the 50+ Cat 1/2/3's about 30 seconds in front of us so throughout the race we were catching the back half of that race.  As I finished the S curves and hit the final straight my weak cornering abilities didn't allow me to catch one of the 1/2/3's in the sprint but was able to throw my bike past a lapped rider at the line.  

The second race had me coming into the S curves leading a group of 4-5.  Nothing is more motivating than heavy breathing cat 4/5's in lycra on your tail.  This time I was able to carve the corners enough to hit the straight with enough of a gap that I didn't need to sprint - just keep pressure on the pedals.

Because cyclocross races are all over the course due to the differing abilities and sometimes multiple fields on course at the same time it is hard to know exactly where you finished (especially for a mid-packer like me).  Since I was "predicted" 9th I was really hoping to at worst keep that placement or at best move up 1 or 2.  Almost every race this year I've outdone my prediction.  Honestly, I felt like 7th or 8th was where I ended up.

The one great thing about the CCC is that we use One2Go timing and results are almost instant (plus lap times).  But in Wisc things are manual and much slower.  It was worth the wait in the first race as I pulled off a 6th place (out of 38).  Super exciting for me!  My highest placement ever.  I'm starting to like the 4/5's being scored separately LOL.  In the second race I was 37th out of 77 - not too bad for the second race of the day and losing 4 places due to the crash.  (We waited an hour for the results and they didn't appear so we took off).

Fran and George have their own stories to tell with 60+ podiums.  Those guys are studs.

Perhaps showing our age we didn't get any pictures of us as a group.  Maybe next week at Region Riot.

If you've gotten this far in the post I thank you for letting me ramble.  It was a fun day and very rewarding.  

Wheeling CX

 The Pre-Ride

Wheeling is usually later in the year when it is colder and is always slick.  So, when there was midweek rain and projected 30 degree temps it felt just like old times.

Come race day it was actually 37 and the course was nice and grassy >> Green is good, green is grip.  I got my normal 2 pre-ride laps in and the course was good.  I wouldn't say I felt confident because this course always has my number.  But the amount of grass (as opposed to mud covered grass or just plain mud) was promising.  

In the normal CCC series of races my race (45+) is the second race of the day.  So my pre-ride is always on the pristine course before Bob and company rip it up.  What the course is going to look like after 50-100 guys dig their nobbys in with anger is anyone's guess.

The pre-ride is your real chance to test out the features and redo features that could cause you trouble.  You want to see how fast you can take the off camber turns without falling or whether you can ride an uphill.  Wheeling always has a short downhill U turn that is tricky to get back up.  Bob and I both did it a couple times to make sure which line we could take to ride both up and down which we did.

Unfortunately, the course didn't hold up as well as I wanted it to after the first race.  It wasn't the complete mud bath that this course has been in the past but rain and sleet came down.  I try to get  pictures and video of the guys while they race but on this day I sat in my warm car and watched the rain pelt the windshield.  The radar gave me hope that it would stop by my race (which it did) but Bob and George and Mark weren't so lucky - George's fingers could barely brake.

The first lap or two of my race then become re-testing grounds.  What has changed and what is ridable?  The U turn?  The only person I saw riding it had a mountain bike (of course I'm riding in the middling group so it's very possible the leaders rode it).  There was no longer grass on the uphill portion.

There is a long straight off camber of the west side of the course with a couple lines you can take.  The lower line is a bit more flat but it is muddy.  The upper line is more canted but a bit more grass.  I took the lower line the first lap but then followed another rider and stayed on the upper line after that.  The reason?  Slightly above the higher line there was grass >> Green is good, green is grip.  Even though it wasn't as flat as the lower line there was much better grip and I could put down a little more power and try to make up ground.  I actually clipped a post on one lap because the line was so close to the tape.

I did end up sliding out once because I chickened out in a corner and hit my brakes (I hear you cringe - DON'T HIT THE BRAKES).  I also had someone in front of me put a foot down in another corner and landed on a course stake but I don't count that as a true fall.  I probably shouldn't have been following so close but there were 4 or 5 of us bunched up and I was protecting my position.

Out of the 45 starters I finished 25th (the 4th Cat 4 to cross the line so not too bad).  Usually, they only pull riders once they are lapped by the leaders.  That didn't happen to me but they cut everyone after position 20 one lap early - I wasn't complaining mind you.  I didn't have the pleasure of sprinting at the line as I couldn't close on the guy in front of me.

Donnelly BOS tubeless mud tires were inflated to 26 front and 28 rear.  Heart rate averaged 166 with a max of 180.  The max seems like a weird spike compared to the rest of the graph unless it was when I fell.

All of the CCC races are done.  There is the Wisc state championships we are talking about going to this weekend at Trek HQ, plus Region Riot in Crown Point.  Then, all that's left is the National Championships in Wheaton.  So excited about Nats!

copyright Big Ring

Groundhog CX

They filmed the movie Groundhog Day in Woodstock, IL so that is where this race gets its name.

We had a smaller crew than usual with Bob (and sons) and Bryan (and son) up at Iceman this weekend.  Fran, George and I along with Mark in his Intent kit made the trek to Woodstock.  

Since there is no CCC (Chicago Cyclocross Cup) this year and the races are all on their own the PSIMET team decided to shake it up a little.  So, instead of the bulk 55+ and 45+ races that we do they created sub-categories of each.  There was a 55+ cat 1/2/3 race and then starting 30 seconds later the 55+ cat 4/5.  The same for me in the 45+.  As someone who finishes mid pack at best it was kind of exciting.  A chance to find a higher number... maybe even single digits (foreshadowing).  

The course this year was fast as it has been dry.  It has a number of technical features including off camber u-turns, barriers, and some climbing in the woods.  None of it was too complicated but stringing it all together made for a good course.

For some extra racing I went to Waukesha, WI on Saturday and did a couple races.  The Wisc CX series splits the categories regularly like we did on Sunday.  I started with the 50+ cat 4/5 and then did the open 4/5 an hour later.  I had a good finish in the first one (12/46) and an ok finish in the second one (34/75).  I wasn't sure how racing on Saturday was going to affect my legs on Sunday but it turned out pretty good.

Admittedly, on the second of 5 laps Sunday I was worried about having to keep going but the legs woke up.  Some of it was adrenaline I'm sure.  The pain may also have been numbed from the work on Saturday.  But what was really cool - and really the fun in cyclocross - is that I found myself in a group of guys.  We weren't leading the race but we were all challenging each other.  A guy from The Pony Shop was in front of me and he usually beats me.  I pushed to keep up.  My goal in the race the week before was to keep up with him but he sailed away from me.  This time I found some strength and passed him on the bike path right after the woods climbs.  2 laps to go and he passed me back.  On the bike path I found my way past him again, this time for good.  Seeing him 5-10 seconds back really put some wind in my sails.  

Next, I found myself with a guy on a mountain bike from the cat 1/2/3 group.  On the last lap he blew past me on the last woods climb using a match.  My CX bike had a little better rolling resistance than his MTB so by the end of the bike path and up the next grassy rise I caught back up to him.  We flowed along the rest of the course until the barriers.  In the straight right before the barriers I pushed it and moved in front of him.  As I hopped off and cleared both barriers he flew past me again.  It was like I was standing still.  There was one more U turn and then a downhill sprint to the finish.

Before we hit the straight I was already in the drops and clicking up the gears.  I have confidence in my sprint and that my bike would sprint better than his.  I hit a whopping 24.7 miles an hour (LOL) but I beat him.  Since he was in a different category we weren't really racing against each other but it was really fun.  (I lost a sprint in the second race Saturday but it was still a blast).

I ended up 9th out of 30.  My first top ten and I am excited.  I fully understand that if it was a normal race with the cat 1/2/3 guys I'd have finished around 30th but that feeling of your first single digit result still gets the blood flowing.

Fran got his second podium in a row for the 65+ group even though he was grumpy about his performance and George was on the wide angle podium in 4th (55+).  

Wheeling is next and with the rain expected Thursday and 30 degree temps it is promising to be slick as usual.  Until then...

First Lap video:  https://youtu.be/2tJB_7TL0Q0

Campton Hills CX

 This should be a short one as I didn't fall and didn't have any real power.

Campton Hills is the usual Halloween race.  Many people dress up on the sidelines and especially on the bike.  Most of the costumes are in the later races but even in the 45+ race there was a guy in a full bunny suit.  There was an appearance by the Allez Omi Opi fan as well.

It had rained a bunch during the week but the course turned out to not be too bad.  Us old farts go early in the morning so there is dew even if there isn't rain as the temps drop.  I put on mud tires considering last week fall fest and that seemed to help.  I also finally warrantied some really old Reynolds wheels and got a deal on some ATR 700's.  23mm internal width which should also be good for gravel tires (Rough Road anyone?).

The night before the race we went to a birthday party and while I went to bed later than I should have I think it was the patio party chill that zapped my legs.  I could feel it in warm up and especially at the start.

The start itself went well.  I picked a left side lane because there was a right bend initially and didn't want to get pinched.  I clipped in right away and made good progress but by the time we got to the first u-turn/pinch point I could tell the legs had no pop.

I held fairly steady and only people with lower numbers were passing me (lower meaning started ahead of me - I was 5th row).  2 guys crashed on the first barriers (which were low by barrier standards).  The only real technical part of the course was an off camber u-turn uphill.  I put a foot down 4 of the 5 laps not losing too much time and botched the other time completely.  

I said I was gonna keep this shorter so I'll just say I kept fairly steady the whole race and finished 33rd out of 53.  My best placement at this race in previous years was 40th (also my previous high water mark in general).  The bummer is that if I had the same legs as the Glenwood race I would have been probably a minute faster and moved up a few places.  This was a course for power.

Bryan C was also out there with me in the 45+.  Mark M., Fran, George and Bob did the 55+ right before us where Fran was on the 2nd step in the 65+.  I caught some of the last two laps and George and Bob had a nice battle going on.  

Nationals is the week of Dec 7th.  Hope to see some of you out there.

Race video:  https://youtu.be/z-p2XFz2Gpg

ABD Sunrise CX

 Stupid!

That describes a bunch of my race on Sunday.  But mostly the last bit when I was fighting for 24th place and pushed it too hard in a corner when I didn't need to.

But let's backtrack and set the stage a little.  The race was at Sunrise Park in Bartlett which is a staple on the CCC circuit.  All week long it was calling for rain on Sunday and it didn't disappoint.  But lucky for me the rain waited until after my race and hit most of the other races.  That didn't mean my nerves were any less fried after checking the forecast every two hours for 3 days.  You see, cyclocross is meant to be in the mud.  I realize that but still don't like it.  What I've gained this year in fitness doesn't help my poor technical skills.

As we get further into the season the morning dew still makes the courses slickery even if it doesn't rain.  So, as I benefitted from a lack of rain the course still wasn't bone dry enough for me to fully succeed.

I don't want to make you read too much before giving you what you actually came here for:  I finished 25th in the 45+ race (out of 42).  Average HR was 165 with a max of 182 (the final uphill sprint).  Tire pressure was 24 in front and 26 read.  Both probably too high for the tires I was running (I ran all around tires instead of mud tires).

As all of you dedicated readers know until this year I have never cracked the top 40 in a race.  Now, I have been in the top 30 three times with 25th now being my best placement ever.  >>> Grain of salt time.  Race fields are down this year so that number might be a bit watered down.  But hey, you can only race who shows up.

As I re-watched the race video from this course in 2019 I noticed how many times I fell - much wetter course back then.  Unfortunately I was pretty on par with that same number this year.  I just can't ride an off camber turn.  I even slipped and fell when RUNNING one of those turns.  Oy Vey!

Without going into a full play-by-play (you can watch the video below if you like) I'll say I had a good start.  Actually, snuck into the 3rd row at call up.  At the gun I didn't have the greatest clip in (wrong gear too) but I made up some ground and was in the top 20 in the first few turns.  

There was a set of low barriers on this course and spaced far enough apart to be safe for us amateurs.  I practiced in warmups and cleared them and even encouraged Fran to test it.  I'll let him tell you how that went.  Needless to say after watching a couple of guys in the first race bite it at the barriers I chickened out when it came to race time  (Stupid!).  This leads me into the first lap where 3 guys passed me easily while I ran the barriers.  Ugh.

Also during that first lap I took a left turn and in the middle of the grass was someone's left crank arm.  The guy wasn't there and neither was his bike.  After a couple more turns we caught up to him carrying his bike to the pits to switch out to his spare bike.  Now, that's dedication to just leave the crank arm there.  Also poor bike maintenance.  

One of the best things about cross is Kenny Labbe on the microphone.  He gives blow-by-blow action and you can hear him all over the course getting updates as you race.  After the first lap he gave me a callout.  Actually said my name like 3 times as I was rolling through the S curves.  In the video you have to listen closely around minute 8-9. Between Kenny and also Fran, George and Bob shouting encouragements I was feeling the love.

So the story of the day was me falling.  One time the Boa on my right show came undone.  Took me multiple turns to get it locked in and cranked tight because I didn't want to lose time.  Luckily the lower Boa was still snug and the shoe was fairly secure.

On the back side of the course I had slipped out on the off camber every time the first 4 laps.  I actually nailed it the last lap (very relative term).  The guy behind me complemented me as he knew I sucked.  It was even his second race of the day.  He had done the 55+ race right before mine (15th) and I'm not sure how much he cared about this race.  He was fairly happy to sit behind me I think.  But coming into the last few U turns I still felt his pressure and over cooked it (see the first paragraph).  He passed me and asked if I was ok as he did it LOL.  I remounted and tried to catch up.  I was pretty sure I was going to out sprint him easily if I was in front of him based on previous laps but now I was behind.  Bryan Connelly was standing at the last corner and yelling at me to GOGOGO.  As I said I got my HR up to 182 screaming up the hill but lost by half a wheel (No photo but in my brain that's what it was).  Stupid!

One of these days maybe I'll figure out this turning thing (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEHZJNQ5Y4A).

Thanks for reading.  Maybe you'll try cross one of these days.

Full Race video:  https://youtu.be/gqtEuj5QOX4

George

Fran

Bob