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!