Initially, I didn't plan on doing this race in favor of a race on Saturday, Olathe Lake CX which never materialized for one reason or another. With that race out, Cross out Cancer was in. I had not done this race before mostly because I had never heard anything good about it...I have to say those people were wrong! The course was laid out well and wasn't crazy bumpy, although it did have it's moments in that regard, but not bad overall.
On to the race...I woke up Saturday with my head feeling like it was in a vice and Sunday was no different...I decided to give the race a go anyway. I had a decent ride despite feeling like my head was in a vice! I finished 6th outta 18. This particular race had the masters categories 35, 45, 55...so I had to line up with some not so old racers...
I've been getting these great starts as of late and this race was no different. I drove the front of my race for about 3/4 of a lap and started my slide back where I eventually stopped in 4th. A lap or 2 passes and I slip back to 5th...I got into a good battle with what would end up being 5th and 7th which went back and forth between the 3 of us a several times.
While in 4th I had to slow a bit to recover a which allowed 5th, Josh Taylor, to come by. I needed a break out of the wind anyway to get recovered. 6th, Scott Stevens, was lurking about 15 seconds back and slowly but surely gaining. I finally got recovered and say to Josh we gotta go! So I take up the pace making to try and stay away from Scott but he was riding well and finally passed both Josh and myself. Once by he put in a good dig and gapped us...I think he may have gotten about 12 seconds up.
It took me about a half a lap to bring him back and once there I sat on him to recover until we hit the 2nd set of barriers which is where I decided to go again. I passed Scott and drilled it, quickly openening a good gap of about 10 seconds. The course eventually climbed a small hill and turned into the headwind for about 1/4 mile, the gap was still about 10seconds after a lap, but another rider(InaTub) had caught Scott and they started to close.
About one lap later the gap I created had dwindled to about 5 seconds when I hit the small climb again...once at the top and pointed into the wind they both jumped and went by me...I gave it a go but it was more than I had at that point. The guy that pulled Scott to me dropped him shortly after. He was once again about 10 seconds up. I started to reel him in again on the last lap but a pedal to the ground trying to go faster kinda sealed it for me....little mistakes...they will kill you!!
There you go, now you know. Up next is the Oakley Night Cap Cross in Des Moines Iowa. It sounds like a great race and a good time on top of that...YOU should go!!!
E
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