Jingle Crossing and Ferris Wheel Lines Part Deux

Last year Jingle cross was crazy fun and raced both days. This year its only one day, but my first UCI Elite race, holy shit! One day will probably be enough and I'm just hoping not to get pulled. It will be mad fast with some of the country's heavy hitters lining up to take all that money. It should be way cool and great experience to really see how fast the top guns are while I dangle.

Last year I got into a little squabble with a fellow racer after he pushed me (open handed) into a bush on the course. After the race words ensued, hence the Ferris Wheel lines quote. I started back row in nearly 130 racers and made my way up to 6th. This was not done by waiting in line for the ferris wheel, it was by being aggressive, taking chances, and letting it all hang out. This fellow racer got all peeved when I cut him in a corner while making my way up. Let's just say it ended all good with only words exchanged and some parting gestures.

Everybody eat up and see you on the other side.

Bourbon and Night Time Cold Medicine

The last few weeks have really been a blur as work has ramped up considerably. Just got back from a business trip to Denver and caught the proverbial travel cold. I even went heavy on the Emergen-C and Airborne to no avail. D-Town travel is no big deal, was just very busy from early morn till late night every day working my arse off. So now I am fighting the head and chest cold running on no sleep and just pounded a bourbon and a couple of night time cold capsules, night night kB. It has seemed like I've been fighting something for several weeks, never realy sick, but not feeling 100 percent, well not even 80 percent. Better to get sick and get it over with, rather than have it linger.

Last week we finally got our new kits so were able to don them at the Kansas State Championship. Several of the team riders had good performances like Larry, Dave, Mat, and Joe. I completely faded, after a nice start in the 1/2/3 race. The course was pretty fun, had more climbing than it looked, and a cool cobbled section. The University of Saint Mary was a new venue for cross and sits up on a hill littered with older brick buildings.

Now its rest and recovery time to get ready for Jingle cross next weekend. Jingle cross has been a tradition for the last few years, so planning to head up there after turkey day. Timmy Johnson and the Wells brothers will both be on the scene, so should be a sick weekend.

2008 Cross Nationals Course with a Halloween Hangover

Uggg... as if cross wasn't hard enough, racing with a hangover on a hot day is pure torture. Not to mention most of the local contenders were out to get their feet wet on the course. Boss Cross #1 at Tiffany Springs Park in the North Metro drew some new faces and new kits to the new Nationals course for 2008. Usually drinking more than 3 or 4 the night before a race is not in the cards, but Halloween got the best of me and Saturday I was paying for it.

Walking around the course and watching the earlier races, it was clear there would be lots of climbing. Hot too, mid 70's again and I'm so ready for some cold adverse conditions, real cross weather. I questioned whether I'd even race or not and held out until 3o before the whistle to register cuz I had nothing in the legs and felt like hell. The course is situated on a big hill and it more or less traverses across and up the hill, then down, up, down, do it again. Lined up with 22 of my friends and away we went. I'd breakdown the course like this First 25% is a paved start into some flowy turns and some tight S-turns and a cool whoops section, Next 25% is pure climbing with one double barrier, Next 25% fast descent with some off camber turns and a few sweepers, Last 25% several 180s, stair run-up and some off-camber turns and back to the pavement.

My race was lack-luster at best, the front group rolled away like a freight train and I was struggling to stay in contact with a group, any group. People came back as the usually do, so I climbed my way back into the race, well not in contention for anything just my pride. I did ride half the race with Jesse from Monkey Wrench Cycles and he was wearing a helmet cam capturing the course and he told me I'd be famous. I thought he said cyclocross tv would have it, but not sure. Maybe the mag, who knows, but I'll be looking for it. By the end of the race I'd worked out my demons and was feeling halfway normal again. I never even checked the results just rolled on home, but think I probably finished top half.

Elite Start (Jensen, Schmalz, Tilford, and the rest)

If the weather turns snowy and icy like last year, this will be one hard course with lots of hill running, nasty off-cambers, and a harrowing descent. There's lots of real estate in the park to make some mods which could flatten out some of the climbing add some longer straights.

Joe got the holeshot in the Cat4 race