roadcx.net

Today, I raced the CX3 race up in Columbia, Tennessee. I decided to treat the race semi-seriously and taper back on the weight training mid-week. I think it made a difference.

I was really happy to see that the Columbia series is less single-tracky than the last year I came up to Columbia (2005). The course was a fast course starting down the asphalt road and then going off the road to the first of three sets of barriers (all twins). I had a good start position and decent start. I was reluctant to really push it on the wet pavement (see Glenview post), so I took it easy on the asphalt. I was still right with the leaders.

My first of a couple little mistakes was a bigger one. I hit the first barriers and totally flubbed getting to the pedals & clipped in (my biggest issue). Right after the barriers was a small little depression that was hard to ride through when not clipped in. I ended up stalling and dismounting, running, and remounting again. In the meantime, everyone (or nearly so) passed me. So I was forced to pass everyone again along the grass section to the 2nd barrier set. Once the race started to shake out, I was riding with a Vanderbilt rider (Edward Krei, a.k.a. Barrett) with Cal Hill and another rider about 10 seconds up ahead. The leader of the race (Michael Biegalski, a CX3) and another M35+ rider were up in front of Cal. We chased and chased and eventually the other rider dropped back from Cal, but we never could catch him. I lost Barrett when he made a mistake through the barrier on the 3rd(?) lap and I didn’t see him for 2 laps. He eventually caught me. By then I had overtaken the other rider and it was the three of us. The Vandy rider and I eventually put the other one behind and continued to chase Cal.

Cal must have found some energy from somewhere when the gap widened again and we forced to ride it out for 3rd/4th ourselves. On the section to the final set of barriers, I got a little behind the Vandy rider and was gapped up the run up. I put it to the big ring down the hill to the finish but I couldn’t chase him down. In the end I was behind Cal (50:55) and the Vandy rider (Edward Krei, 51:13) at 51:22. So I got a 4th place out of the 6 who raced. I feel good about tomorrow. I always do better on the 2nd day….

Today I also sold my 50 cm Redline frame to Emma from Outdoor Chattanooga (my old team). I am glad to see it get some use after I stripped the parts off of it. She rode her race on an old 30# steel rigid mtb. I can’t imagine. She took some photos of our race and she promised to email them. I will post them up when I get them.

I just checking something on the USA cycling site. It is amazing that the results are posted up already! [USA cycling results].

Also here is another Polar curve. Recorded 12 miles @ 14.1 mph average. I was able to get my heart rate up pretty well this race, so I am happy to see that. It will be a good season.