Utah State Cyclocross Championships (Nov. 23, 2008)
A couple of weeks ago Roanne and I were out to dinner on Saturday night at a Japanese Restaurant, and when the conversation turned to cyclocross (and how sick I was feeling after the day's race), she mentioned that she might like to try it out. After I was done pinching myself to make sure I wasn't hallucinating as a result of my race-induced stomach ailment, I just sat there stunned for a few seconds, and then when she didn't yell "NOOOOOOT!!!" in a Kazhaki accent, I realized that it was true, and manna had just fallen from the heavens. Normally I go to the races by myself, so I was pretty excited to have someone as attractive as my lovely wife to share the racing experience with. A few days later we looked around for some cross bikes thinking they would be on sale since it was the end of the season, but after not finding anything appropriate in her size, we settled on ordering one online that seemed like a good deal. The bike arrived and I built it up, and on a Monday afternoon we headed over to Sugarhouse Park to practice some vital cyclocross skills, like dismounts and remounts, cornering on grass, and running with the bike. The practice went well and Roanne was still game to try a race, so like a good husband I signed her up for the state cyclocross championships which were taking place the coming weekend. Cyclocross races have A, B, and C categories for different experience and ability levels, so Roanne decided to start with the C category despite my assurances that she would do fine in the A category.
The race was being held in the Weber Fairgrounds in Ogden (about 45 minutes north of SLC), so on Saturday morning we loaded up the truck and headed north, arriving about 30 minutes before Roanne's race which started at 11:45am. We signed in, mounted her race number, and Roanne had time to ride about half a lap to warm-up before it was time to line-up for her race. Roanne was a little apprehensive, this being the second time she had ever ridden her (or any) cyclocross race, but there was no time for frayed nerves because before you knew it the gun went off and the 'cross ladies were out of the gates! Here is a shot of the field just after the start, with Roanne on the far left. Notice how she looks so much more serious than the other ladies!
The first lap went well, though she was stuck in some traffic (particularly behind the girl on her right in the photo above) on the back stretch of the course that was a bit narrow for passing. She came into the barriers for the first time, and despite the fact that we didn't have real barriers to practice on in the park, she cruised them like a pro. Here she is in the photo below demonstrating flawless barrier skills. She is passing the girl who was blocking her on the first lap, and notice how much more refined Roanne's technique is: the other girl is on the wrong side of her bike (with the drive train rubbing against her leg) trying to awkwardly manhandle it over the barriers while Roanne floats on by like a gazelle filled with helium.
There were a few sets of logs on the course as well, here is Roanne crossing one of them, her cross counry running skills coming in handy:
The C race was just 20 minutes long, but by midway through the effort was taking it's toll as seen below, or maybe she is just sticking her tongue out at the handsome camera man.
The juniors raced at the same time, and there were some pretty small kids out there ripping it up, one of whom is seen below. Now noone has a valid excuse for not racing cyclocross, if this little shredder can do it, so can you! He could barely climb over the barriers, and his Dad had to lift his bike for him, pretty fun to watch!
Towards the end of the race Roanne had settled into third place, here she is riding it in to the finish, still looking pretty happy. After the race Roanne said she didn't feel nearly as tired as after a cross country race, and I observed that she likely doesn't pass the time in cross country races smiling and laughing. So, perhaps Roanne had a few more watts that she could have laid down out on the course, but a podium finish for her first 'cross race was pretty stinkin' good, and she resolved to come back and try another one. It was a great race, and she really looked like a natural. Both of Roanne's parents are English, but I think there must a bit of Belgian blood somewhere back there in the ancestry.
After Roanne finished racing I got kitted up for my race, which was the men's A race that started at 1:30pm and lasted 60 minutes. I started the year in the B category, but after some good finishes and leading the series I decided it was time to go test my mettle against the rocket men in the top fuel class. I had done a couple of races in the A category prior to this one, finishing decently in 10th one week and 11th the week before. I had raced on this course once before early in the season and I knew it didn't suit me too well as it is dead flat and not very technical. I am better on courses with a bit more technical riding, as my bike handling is pretty good but I don't have the fitness of the Cat. 1-2 roadies who populate the A category. I was in the second row for the start, but when the gun went off I didn't have a great start (I'll blame it on the guys in front of me). I passed a few people during the first lap, and was in a group coming into a high speed turn on pavement before funneling into the barrier section. Much to my dismay, my front tire almost washed out on the pavement. I thought maybe my tire pressure was too low, and the tire was rolling off the rim, but in retrospect I think it was just the knobs on the side of the tire folding over. I hadn't raced these tires before (Ritchey Speedmax), and they have a pretty square profile with aggressive side lugs. This is fine for dirt, but dangerous for pavement. Needless to say, this gave me a bit of fright and threw me off my game a bit. I started taking it easy through the turns, and had trouble hanging onto the group I was with as I was slowing down too much for corners.
I was sort of yo-yoing off the back of the group I was with, and as seen below they totally lost me when after the barriers on the next lap I decided to put on a breakdancing show for the crowds with my bike as a prop. Okay, okay, actually I just botched a remount and almost impaled myself on my seat, then had to wrangle with the bike a bit before I could get going again.
By this point it was only 15 minutes into the race and I was feeling totally sauced and thinking my tire was going to roll off my rim, making me crash, injure myself, and miss the start of the nordic ski season, so I was pretty tempted to drop out. But then I came to my senses and realized that I couldn't disappoint the tifosi, so I soldiered on. And despite the course being pretty flat and boring, there were some redeeming features like the logs which could be bunny hopped if one was not inclined to dismount, as seen below:
Here is a shot of me prancing over the double log barrier, this one was a little too high to bunny hop:
Another fun spot was where the course forked and you could either take a longer route to the left (as the guy in orange is doing) and lose some time, or risk life and limb with a death defying jump over a moat filled with alligators (as our protagonist is seen doing):
As the race wore on I realized that the problem with my tire only manifested itself on the one high speed pavement corner in the course, so I settled into a groove and started riding better. I found myself in a group of three (including myself), I was quicker through the grass and log sections and could open up a gap but they always hauled me back on the long gravel road straightaway that followed. Here I am below trying to open up a gap. I don't know where these greyhounds get their fitness, they pulled me back like I was standing still every time we hit the road section. Somehow I need to figure out how to get myself some of that fitness for next fall.
A good spot for me to open up a gap was on the backside of the course, there was another log that was higher than the one previously pictured so most people got off to run it. If you hopped it on your bike you could carry more speed and then put the hammer down as soon as you were across, opening up a good gap on the people who still had to remount and clip in. In the sequence of three photos below I am demonstrating proper log crossing technique for the roadies who seem more inclined to carry their bikes over it:
Luckily the finish line was preceded by this more technical section, so on the last lap I stepped on the gas after the log crossing and opened up a good gap that I was able to hold to the line to finish first out of that group of three and 11th overall. Below in the photo I am seen driving it towards the line, with the remnants of the peloton in the background.
All in all I was happy with how it turned out despite the inauspicious beginning, and it fit the pattern of all of the three A races I have now done:
1. Race for 60 minutes on the rivet feeling like I am going to die the entire time and thinking about how much I would love to drop out.
2. Finish 10th or 11th, better than expected, and drink some chocolate milk.
3. About 30 minutes after the race ends, start feeling really sick in my stomach from the extreme exertion, swear that I will never race cyclocross again.
4. About 3 hours after the onset of "death belly", start feeling better.
5. The veil lifts from my eyes and I start thinking about how awesome the race was and how psyched I am to go do it all over again next weekend.
More Cowbell!!!!