The Wall

The Wall always awaits in cross, it might come earlier or it might come late but it always makes an appearance. When it comes you either surmount, bust through, or bounce off.

Today in Golden Gate park i got bounced hard. I even have some bruises to show for it courtesy of a barrier. I staged well, got a good jump, wound my way through a big stack up in the deep sand on the first turn and found myself in great position on the first lap. Check !

Lap 2 I'm hanging w/ a fast group somewhere in the top 20, going a little slow in the corners but making it up in all out sprints out of each one. Lap 3 watch out here it comes early today, looks unsually thick wham ! I'm bounced and toasted. Bobble on the barrier bam !, crowd audibly shudders, that's going to hurt later.

Lap 4, can't hold a wheel. Lap 5 can't hold a wheel,... you get the idea. Finally with two to go the HR kicks up and I'm able to salvage some pride and hold a few riders off through the finish.

Great start, tough race but a fun day and and awesome cross race scene in the park today. Thanks to friends and teammates who came out to cheer.

Special props to Jim for the pics !

Result: 33/45

Back to it in Sacto

After two weeks away from racing and heavy training I finally felt good enough to get back to it up at Granite beach, Folsom Lake Rich Maile setup an excellent course featuring a long lap of excellent single track,long stretch of pavement, deep sand run, and even some fast grass sections. All the A's (open, 35+, 45+) started together in what would be a 60 minute race, ouch ! I staged well and jumped hard on the line to get in the long lead group at the start. It got a little argy-bargy around the first few corners but I stayed aggressive and won each little battle for position. There were a few early stack ups which I mostly avoided and found myself in the first chase group of around 8 riders on the long road section. Another stack up in the sand pit which I jogged around. Lap 2 I'm still holding on to the first chase group but full in the red zone. On lap 3 I'm starting to loose connection and feeling bad. Ease off some for lap 4, as 3 riders from behind catch, I latch on and spend lap 5 drafting on the long straight sections. I'm in a group of 3 content to hold my position and wait for some one to make a mistake. One rider does and he's off the back. More drafting as we catch up to another 2 riders who had lost the chase group. 3 to go and its a race, I'm not taking pulls and looking for a place on the course to try to break. On lap 2 I come around at the end of the long road section and get a gap on a the bumpy up hill leading to the sand pit. Good entry into the sand but poor exit and they are back on me ! Final lap we are all together, one rider falls on the barrier remount but gets back on quick. He goes by and goes to the front, ok fine. I'm 4th wheel coming off the road and to the sand pit lead up, there's an attack and a split as I can't get around the 3rd wheel, damn. Through the sand and onto the finish and I take the 3rd wheel in a sprint to finish 8th overall.

Excellent and fun race, after 3 laps of pain I was able to break through the wall, settle in and finish strong. Pics when I get them.

Mid-season stall

Like clock-work around this time of year I'll have a race where the engine goes on strike. Today was that day. I lasted 2 laps on the brutal McLaren course before electing to start my recovery phase early.

Spooky and Cold

Last night I went trick or treating with Mira, Ruth, and a two of Mira's friends. It was the coldest Halloween night in a long time, with spooky fog blowing over the neighborhood. The girls had a blast and came back with pillows well stuffed with loot.

Alas no good chocolate, at least the kind we adults crave.