it's well after midnight and i'm here trying to figure out something to do. i've checked my ebay auctions, my mail, my phone messages, done some REALLY dirty laundry, eaten some cereal, stretched, taken a shower...i'm still pretty wired from the inaugural hermann nighttime cyclocross race.
the beautiful mrs k and i loaded up the family to head out to washatonia (washington, missouri for those not in the know) to pick up brian and his lovely wife. washmo is on the way to hermann, so it made sense to pick up brian's busted ass along the way. plus, it's always nice to go to races with friends. brian had been taking this thing pretty seriously...he even bought a new 'cross bike and made some custom shoes for the event.
upon arrival at the venue, it was pretty apparent that this was no ordinary cross race. jeff yeilding, a hermann local, did this thing up right. hermann proper is a crazy hilly town, and every inch of the city park was used for this course. there was a super cool section that had 3 flights of stone stairs! that was, of course, after the not so super cool section of sewer stinking bubble gum mud in the bottoms. ah, the give and take. that's why i had some VERY dirty laundry.
anyway, after the ladies wished us luck, we lined up with 41 other 'cross maniacs and hit it. 75 yards into the first straight, everyone backed up at the first corner, then the second corner, and finally we got going as the group spread out. brian was right behind me coaching me through the stuff before he got waylayed by the sewer stinking bubble gum mud. i was not unhappy with my racing, even though i was never much better off than mid pack. my riding was good, my handling was good...i just can't seem to go that fast. i think i got in 7 of the long laps before butthead finally passed me, sending me to the showers. that was metaphorically speaking, of course, as there were no showers. i did want to continue, even thought it was incredibly challenging. it was still quite fun, and the family was at the top of the stairs yelling, along with everyone in hermann, at the tops of their lungs for me to go faster.
so, another non result in cyclocross. it's a hard sport, one that has me baffled. i am interested in unlocking the key to this thing before i throw in the towel.
5 comments:
I hear you just go faster than everyone else. Try not using your brakes - they just slow you down.
hmmm. go faster. brake less. i like it! thanks, casey!!!
Don't throw in the towel. 'cross is one of those things that you have to train for specifically. I literlly hang the mtb up August 1st every year and all of my training is focused on 'cross. I've tried overlapping the mtb and cross seasons in the past and one or the other suffered.
Give it a whole season for once, it's the best cycling has to offer.
thanks, guys. i definitely want to keep going, but i'd like to keep going closer to the front of the race!
Post a Comment