ATTENTION TIMES HAVE CHANGED!!!

Going Backwards

I have so much on my mind with our race coming up that training hasn't been a top priority. Then again, I think I just suck no matter how much training I do. It's a little disheartening when you find people who are in their first cross races beating somebody who has been riding cx for 3 years now.
Enough of the pitty party onto the race. I got to the chute and placed myself on the front line. Then it was monkey see monkey do with everybody linning up behind me. I thought I was golden. I didn't have great postioning at JP and it hurt in the end. This Sunday was going to be different! So after the call ups the rest of us mopes moved to the line. I got in the second row right behind the guy in 8th on the call up. I was happy with this postion knowing that somebody with skill was in front of me. Too bad he wasn't paying attention for the whistle. So the whistle blowes and for a couple of seconds I'm not moving. So much for good starting position. Needless to say I gas myself to on top of the hill. I'm done at that point, knowing that what little I gain or loose is'nt going to make that much of a difference. Another disheartening thing is to find people who went down in front of you, when you didn't fall down, beat you. OUCH. The rear wheel got loose 2 times, but I was able to save a high side both times. I think it's a cool feeling to know you averted getting thrown off your bike by sheer luck rather than skill.
Well it's over with probaly my worst finish since my first race of cross coming in 40th. Onto Dan Ryan Woods. We'll see if there is any home field advantage. I doubt it with 74 other guys who are more fit than I am. Tony

ATTENTION TIMES HAVE CHANGED!!!

Please look at our flier. As of our race and all races thereafter, Chicrosscup has made time and category changes. This is to better accomodate the ammount of riders who are coming to these events.

CCC Jackson Park

Can you smell what the cook is cookin?

WHAT JUST HIT ME?

After finishing, that's how I felt. I was at my limit just after running through the sand on the first lap and did not come down until after the race was over. The limit you ask? How about an average of 190bpm. I have never run that high. I haven't been practicing cross and the first barrier I came to was the first barrier I came to of the year. I take that back the first barrier I came to I was already off my bike running, trying to advance places while people were still slowing down to dismount for the barrier. After that the field started to thin out. I have always liked spiral of death and it was a pleasent reminder of the course from last year. Again I ran over the timbers because of too many people on the first lap. The rest was elemental. More "mental" than anything. A couple of dumb mistakes that cost me spots. On the second lap I unclipped with the wrong foot attempting to dismount for a barrier. The other, on the first lap while I was running attempting to remount I threw my bike too far forward not landing on the saddle but catching my shorts on the back of it having to readjust to get back on. Not the worst mistakes but they hurt none the less. At least I didn't go down as is my penchant.
You could say there were too many people for the race. But what is the constructive sollution? Unfortunately at this time I cannot cat up because of family commitments earlier in the day or I probably would. Do I deserve to cat up is another story. I just hope nobody gets injured with so many riders out there.