Cross Catch-up

Two weekends ago Craig and I jumped into the car to head out to Frisco for some cross racin'. The Frisco races are always fun, the courses are well-done and a bit unique, the altitude is a dizzying 9,500ft and you never know what the weather is going to do. Plus, I like going up "into the mountains" to race; I love the atmosphere up there, and think it's only right that we should go up there a few times a year, after we make them drive every weekend to do the same (mostly boring) courses the rest of the weekends.

Check out the Gates Blog for a race report that I threw together on the race. More specifically, for me, the race started BLAZING fast. I was just off the lead group going into the single track, and felt horrible after the start - taking a full lap to recover. But then I started feeling better, and with about 3.5 laps to go, I was able to go nice and hard again. Thanks to the awesome announcing, I knew I was getting closer, but I had let the gap get to big in the early part of the race, to be able to close things back down. That's okay though, I was stoked to see the team take 1st and 2nd, and being able to ride that fast and hard at the end of the race is a good thing. with any luck I'll start to have the form coming back around, as I still work to blow the 30+ road races out of the legs from this long season.

This past weekend I was feeling lazy on Saturday, I think the colder weather rolling in, was working to kill all motivation. So no racing for me, though I got out for a great ride on some "top secret" trails near the house, on the geared cross bike. I had to wear way too much clothing, but at least the weather scared people away, so it was a nice quiet ride. A little brain-flossing.

Sunday was going to be a long day as Carlos and I were heading out to Beuna Vista for the cyclocross race out there. Quite a long drive, but it's a new (last year) course that I haven't done, so I figured what the heck. There was a decent chance of rain and/or snow, especially at that altitude, but it held off for us. Though there was an evil, steady, hard wind to make the course that bit harder. We had a smaller field, but with some real quality there. I was riding pretty well, minus two bobbles that I had, forcing me to run the sand once, and stepping off the bike on this steep decent another time. But I (mostly) chased back on both times. And while I ended up racing just for second, I was able to do a ton of work for Carlos, to make sure he would secure 2nd place, while I could hold on for 3rd, after managing to drop the other guy that was making up our group. Not great, but the legs were better.

I wasn't able to grab a picture at CrossVegas, that really captured the course and the atmosphere, but leave it to my man Elgee! Check it out! ...you were expecting strippers, weren't you!?