Living Above the Geoid: Driving Home Into the Sunset

I think I had some profound wisdom to lay down regarding this picture, but I can't remember now. Something about how this picture is like my 2009 racing season; coming to an end. That was probably it. It just struck me that I'm always driving into the sunset when I come home from 'cross races.

Anyways... went home last Tuesday for Turkey Day break. I ate a bit of turkey and a lot of everything else. I indulged my irrational love of pie. Then I did some racing...

First up was the PA state cross champs. I was gunning for this race, and I didn't get quite the result I wanted, but I think it was a good race regardless. I got the holeshot. Then what felt like the entire field blew by me once we got onto the grass. Oops. Too much. Took me a lap to recover. I guess I picked off a few guys, but it was a pretty fast race. I never regained contact with the group of ten that was off the front (ten?) for the whole race, but I won a tight sprint for 12th. I pulled the guy around the course on the last lap, then won the spring by the the depth of his deep section carbon wheels. That makes two (or is it three?) sprints that I have won this year, but this one was by far the hardest. I almost threw up when I crossed the finish line. That makes me very happy (not the almost throwing up part, sort of). After my race, I chilled around and got to watch Bad Andy's commanding win of the elite race, for the fourth time in a row. Good on him, that was a pretty fast field. LVG's performance in the women's race was pretty spectacular as well, as was Erica's. LVG is becoming quite a crosser, and Erica shows skill only learned through years of practice. Very impressive. PA is such an awesome place for cycling...

Bang... but too hard

This is the race where I learned to remount my bike properly

Not the sprint, but close

Sunday kept me close to home. The race was Phelps School Cross. Total travel time to the race: 10 min, and I took the back way. Total travel time from the race: 30 min, I rode back home the longish way. This race looked, at first glance, to be a grassy time trial. Sucks for me. I am many things, but time trialist I am not. The start was a wide downhill straight dropping you into a sharp off camber left hander after about 500 m. No holeshot was planned for today. I tucked into the pack as quickly as I could. But, Gunnar decided it was a good idea to crash into, and subsequently break in half, the stake at the first corner, bringing me to a complete stop. Bah humbug. Gunnar went on to win the race. Go kid.

So I was still somewhat attached to the group. On one of the steep off camber uphill 180s, I think someone rubbed my rear tire. From then on it felt like it was about to roll off. I changed it the next time I saw the pit. Exited the pit in second to last place. Goody. Chase time. So I chased. Eventually, by the last lap I caught onto a groupetto which contained Kyle. I latched on. There were three. I overtook them at the barriers, shot right up the middle of the two of them. We caught one more. I led into the back straightaway and pushed the pace as hard as I could. I couldn't shake anybody. I decided to play it smart and I dropped back to second wheel in the corners after the flat section. The plan: suck wheel for the short road climb to recover, then drop the hammer hard on the steep dirt climb that brings you back up to the same elevation as the finish. The plan worked very well. I dropped the groupetto and made the run into the finish alone. The finish was the whole reason for my plan. I was sure of my ability to sprint on an uphill, but a long flat sprint on grass? Don't know about that. Especially with two roadie looking guys in the group. The plan worked well enough that I got to sit up before the finish. Finished in time to watch Kyle grab the second spot in the sprint. He looked solid, and was only about a bike length off of the guy who won the sprint. He is becoming quite the rider and it makes me happy. So 10th on the day. I suppose not that bad.