As promised, here goes race reports from Cooper River CX and West Chester Cross Classic this weekend. My week consisted of a long weekend off in Boston for my birthday (my racing age is finally only one year more than my real age now) then a work trip back to Boston Wednesday through Friday. Needless to say there was also plenty of poor eating, drinking, and training choices too.
Cooper River CX - Men's 4/5
Rolled up to Cooper River Park 10-15 minutes later than expected and was only able to squeeze in two easy laps before being kicked off the course for the juniors. Crap. My biggest issue so far is having a good start and I thought this would hurt me even more than poor starts have been in the past!! End up doing some good efforts on the pavement and practicing starting a half dozen times and semi-figure it out. The start is on pavement leading into a wide right hander then into a wide-ish left hander so I line up 2nd row on the left side but not all the way left since there are feet from crowd control barriers sticking out every 15-20 ft and I like my teeth the way they are.
The USAC official stands in front of the field in full view of the front row and the whistle goes and I miraculously clip in and have a pretty darn good start! Keeping places well and even gaining a few off the line!!! I was halfway in shock that I didn't screw up that I almost didn't know what to do. I went into the first corner in 5th position and stayed top 10 through the first few corners then settled into a group of 5 or so at the back of the group after the first half lap. It's amazing how much easier it is to ride from the front than frantically trying to pick off places from the back. My heart rate wasn't redlining the whole time and I felt like I had so much more in the tank.
This is Dan's video, you can see me on the left in the gray long sleeve jersey and pink socks.
I stayed 5th wheel most of the first 2 laps then a CRCA/e2Value rider comes up from the back to join our group, hangs for a few minutes, then solos off the front. My group is down to 4 for the last 3 laps with another ride who will/
may remain nameless almost running me out the course tape twice then dive bombing me in a corner right after announcing to the group that his handlebars are loose and he doesn't have a lot of control. Thanks bro... After a love tap from me, he then has some other than savory words for me including a slur that doesn't have a place in sport or life and then tells me that he'll kick my ass on line. Rubbing is racing though, right? I plan on making my move on the 2nd position rider coming into the barriers where he's had trouble clipping in the last few laps but lapped riders and him having a good remount foils my plan. I stay in 3rd wheel coming onto the pavement for the finish in the drops and hold 3rd in the sprint across the line!
Lap times: 8:35, 8:15, 8:05, 8:27, 8:03
https://www.strava.com/activities/745795708
It's amazing how much different the race is without having to burn most of my matches in the first lap to make up positions and really "racing" a race. My form felt a bit off coming into the race so I was thrilled with the result. The course organizer did a lot with a small space, very technical with enough power sections, one set of barriers, a high two step run-up, and a pre-school sized sand pit. Lots of roots, sticks, and bumps added to the challenge. The highlight of the day was the promoter/timing guy providing emailed results with lap times an hour after my race finished. Why doesn't every race do this? It's a value add that will make me come to your race. Maybe a suggestion that it could be a requirement for all MAC races next year?
West Chester Cross Classic - Men's 4/5
I stayed with my mom in Bucks County PA on Saturday night to reduce driving time back and forth to Hoboken. Some dubious strip mall Korean food and tired legs had me awake before my alarm and I got an early start to the race though my stomach was unsettled and my legs felt like bricks.
I get to the course super early and get a prime spot. I get in 4 pre-ride laps though I don't feel like I have enough energy to ride a hot lap so I keep my pre-ride to working on form and memorizing the course. This course has a LOT of climbing! A few steep up, down, up downs plus a barrier into a run-up and lots of twisty turns. There were even a few off-camber switch backs that felt Zolder-esque though were probably only scale models. Plenty of power sections to go along with the punchy and gradual climbing.
We lined up for the start and I had a 2nd row call up and I line up behind a known fast guy. I look around and there are tons of hitters here. Basically everyone who has beaten me all season is here. (I'll learn after the fact that the podium was all cat 2/strong 3 road guys while I'm damn near pack fodder in cat 4). The whistle goes from behind the field like a good USAC official should do and I lose a few spots but then settle in to 5th again after the end of the prologue lap. We head into a climb up the hill, steep downhill into a sharp turn, then into a steep uphill on wet grass and my Grifo goes "slipslipslip" and I bleed a few spots up the hill but I'm able to make my way back up to 5th after a few turns.
A group of 3 of the hitters breaks away and I settle into the 2nd group of 3 riders for a lap or so before losing one rider and swapping leads with the other guy for the remainder of the race. The other rider has me on the power sections but I can make up any lost ground in the technical areas. On the last lap the other rider puts in a huge dig up a sustained climb through traffic and I crack and can't respond. Legs feel like Jell-O. I look back and the 6th position rider is close but not too close so I still dig my hardest for the last 1/2 lap and cross the line in 5th, 4-5 seconds behind 4th place.
Lap times: 10:03 (with prologue), 8:34, 8:44, 8:39 (Same timing guy as CRCX, now I'm getting spoiled)
https://www.strava.com/activities/747092078
PA does 5 deep podiums (weird) so I stick around for a goodie bag and awkward floor podium. I can get used to this doing well thing! It feels so much better to actually have good starts and race for 40 minutes compared to chase for 40 minutes. I came away with 6 points in my first weekend as a Cat 4 which isn't a bad haul. The cross hangover is real on Monday morning though. A few celebratory glasses of rose and tired legs had me awake at 4:50 AM so why not write some race reports?!?! I have GoPro videos processing now and will upload them later today.
Next up: Whirlybird Cross - Men's 4/5 and Marty Cross - Men's 4
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