12/15/12 - CX of the North - State Champs

The last race of my 2012 CX season this year was mid December and the state championships in Loveland CO, since I just moved to CAT 2 I decided to race 35+ 1/2 on Saturday.  I had not been to the state champs in CO before and did not know what to expect.  It was dry and in the 30's at our 8:30 start time, we were the first group to start for the weekend.  The course did not disappoint, it was super fun, with a lot of tight turns, some straight sections, a huge jump, barriers, and a super steep run up.  I had a goat head puncture my rear tire right prior to the start, got it fixed and headed to the start line, this has become routine for me by now and I gave it little thought.  Though my rear tire had a little too much air I noticed after the start.  I had to start almost dead last in a field of almost 50 guys.  The first few twisty sections of the course really got jammed up and we lost a lot of time over the leaders.  Either way I was out to have fun not win this race, I battled with a few guys the first few laps and ended up in a group of 5 or so.  The course was really great, I choose to ride the run up at full speed and dismount mid flight, I almost fell backwards a few times, but that was the fastest way up.  Others dismounted at the bottom and ran it.  The huge jump was tough not to get air on, and sketchy when I got tired, but I managed to stay on the bike the entire course each lap, except the barriers and the run up.  The leaders were a few minutes in front of me, and the guy behind me was from the 35+ CAT 3 group that started 30 sec behind our group.  I pushed hard to not let him pass me and I think it helped him gap his 2nd place guy.  Either way I passed 3 of the 5 guys I was with and did not let the CAT 3 guy catch me.  Finished 32nd out of 41, does not sound great, but these guys are all CAT 1/2 mainly CX racers.  Little do they know I am a triathlete, ha ha, I am sure some of them road race as well.  But racing with them only gives me motivation for next season. This CX season was great 13 races, moved from CAT 3 to CAT 2, but most of all had fun doing it and with a little luck improved my bike handling skills and gained some fitness for triathlon and road racing in 2013.  Now for some time off over the holidays and back at it come January.  Sorry no pics, remember my photographer is a fair weather CX spectator.

12/8-12/9 - BR CX series 5 / Green Mt CX

It has been a while since I did a double CX race weekend and I was due.  Saturday did not go my way, and Sunday was cold but went much better.  The first race was at the Boulder Reservoir, the course was nothing but sand, sand, and more sand.  I decided to race the 35+ CAT 1/2 race, which I think is good for me since I seem to be mid pack there now.  Only room to improve from there.  I had a flat during warm up, but thought nothing of it, got it fixed and ready to race.  All the sand and tight course made it a very tough one, I was about mid back of the pack on the last lap and my rear tire went flat again. I had no choice but to make the long walk back to the pits.  I got my wheel changed and finished the race, dead last at this point.  Since then I have figured out that the rim tape was bunching up and causing the tube to get cut on the spoke holes.  Anyway now I have duct tape as rim tape, and seems to be a great fix.
The race on Sunday morning was in Golden and man it was cold.  Race time was 10 AM and it was 19 degrees with about 1/2" of new snow.  Warm up was really non existent, and there were only about 15 guys to start, which meant I as going to be in the top 20 for sure.  The course in golden was a good one, fast, with a run up and a few barriers.  I ended up mid pack and was trying to catch 2 guys the whole race, but they ended up pulling slowly away from me.  Still felt a little under the weather due to the kids coming home with various sicknesses last week.  I took 9th place in the end of this cold race, my toes took a few hrs to warm up.  Sorry no pics for these races as my wife is a fair weather CX spectator.  Next weekend is CO state champs and my last weekend of CX racing, should be fun.

12/1/12 - BOD

The first CAT 1/2 race for me just happened to be at our local stomping grounds at the bowl of death in Louisville where we have CX practice every Wednesday morning.  We took the kids over at 12 or so for the kids race and they got to ride one loop and one of the run ups on course, they loved it and asked to go again.  Riley was to top girl out there.  My race was not until 3:15, so it was nice to head home and then just ride over to to local race.  I was not expecting to be near the front at all, but my goal was to stay in the pack and not get lapped.  Well I did not achieve my goal, I just went out and got my ass handed to me for 60 minutes.  These guys were so much faster than I expected.  Danny Summerhill lapped me on his last lap, so I saw 2 to go then I was done, which was a welcome sight at that point.  The course was one of the toughest this season with 2 big run ups, and lots of climbs.  I ended up 23rd out of 30, so I did beat someone, but next weekend I think I may be racing the 35 plus open category.  It is quite another level moving up to CAT 2, but I will get there over time.  Yes I have two excuses, my front tire went flat during the race, causing a few spills, and I was coming off of a head cold, but either way it would not of made one bit of difference.  On the bright side I did take the whiskey hand up towards the last laps, which only made things hurt more, thanks Mike Hogan!