As I explained to Cathy Rowell, half seriously, half jokingly...I am beginning to come to terms with why I suck at cx. My level of aggression, on a 10 point scale, is like a 2..."would you like to go ahead? Oh, by all means, please do"...to me, this weekend more closely resembled chinese downhill rather than a cx race...apparently you need to be prepared to ride around, over, and sometimes through your opponents....and etiquette?...there is no etiquette...it's a smash and grab...bull in a china shop...type of affair....I guess I was just a little dismayed by the level of aggression and amount of full-contact...I guess surfing the pavement a few too many times this year has taken it's toll...I am just a little more cautious...a little more hesitant...and you just can't race cross like that. It has to be, as my teammates would say, "racks to the max." Ok, so preface aside...here's the Saturday race report:
With a grand total of exactly (drum roll please)...zero UCI points, I lined up in the third row. Got a decent start as we sprinted up the hill. As we transitioned to the first winding grass section little did I know the chinese downhill was about to begin - complete with full contact. Apparently I have been taking this cross stuff entirely too lightly. The thought had occurred to me "maybe a pre-race meal of raw meat would be better than a gu?" In any case, 3/4th of the way through the first lap a certain rider in a plaid kit would go down in front of me. I basically rode over her (unintentionally). That is, until our bikes became entangled (which I am sure amused the many spectators sitting high above on the big rock.) I then watched (perhaps too calmly) as she helter skelter gasping for breath tried to literally rip our bikes apart! As she hastily remounted (at this point, practically hyperventilating) she nearly took us out AGAIN!
Concerned with my bike and annoyed with the unnecessary roughness I was of the mindset "you wanna go...by all means, please GO!...just get away from me!" Mentally that was pretty much the end of my race as I eventually DNF'd. The highlight of my day was riding the sand pit...which I later realized would have been smarter (and faster) to run (doh)!Sunday I enjoyed spectating from the beer tent! (Special thanks to Sal and the fine service of Tami!) But not nearly in as much style as Cathy Rowell!!! Check out the Lederhosen!
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Hey - those Lederhosen got me free beer! MMM, beer ;).
Cross is pretty brutal. I watched some very obvious geurilla tactics in the 3/4 race as they took out Libby - and she's only 14! I do understand, however, after your encounters with the pavement this year, that some self-preservation needs to kick in. You did fine, and should definitely not yet give up on 'cross.
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