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
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