The MSG series held it's latest series event at Winged Deer Park today in Johnson City, Tn. Also the collegiate CX racing series piggybacked this event via King College of Bristol. MSG was kind enough to host it for them. Myself being a collegiate "B" rider was put in the CX3 category. I knew nothing good could come from this! I have been racing the 45+ masters now and it's a 45 minute race too but I'm not conditioned for this at all. My new found college life has me not getting in the riding that I was accustomed to this summer and I can feel it, boy can I feel it. I registered for the collegiate B and SS classes today. It's nice not having to get ready at 10am to ride the first CX4 class. Our time came around and the starter checked off all the riders and then wanted to know how many collegiate riders she had. I raised my old non-traditional student hand high! What? No one else? Just me? Jeeeezzzzz! My strategy was to TRY to beat only the college guys and not worry about all those fast CX3's. NEW PLAN- just ride the best I can. (which wasn't very good).......although. I didn't get dropped out of sight as fast as I thought I would though. After 2 laps EVERYONE had went to the front desk of the hotel and...CHECKED OUT! I just tried to push and nothing, I mean NOTHING was in my legs. I haven't been that sluggish in a very long time, it sucked royally. That's what happens when ya study instead of riding. Anywho after two laps the announcer started heckling the riders to see if they could climb the wall ( a huge 25ft run-up that was pretty steep) and offering a free years subscription to CX magazine for the first one that could do it in CX3. I thought "well I really suck today so maybe I can give the crowd something to cheer about". I hit it not knowing how it would turn out and got half way, damn! Ok get off the bike stupid without flipping backward and giving the crowd something to LAUGH about. I managed and the lap before I asked one of my buds to get me an allen wrench to lower the seat from where I let a buddy borrow my bike for CX4, we forgot to drop the post back to original setting. I hit the pits, fixed it (thanks
Mike!) and continued toward the wall for another attempt. I sat up a little better and got what momentum I could salvage after the hard 180 before the sharp left 90 at the bottom of it, the promoter didn't want anyone climbing this I think. I got withing 3 feet of getting it, my front Maxxis Locust yearned to put its rubber upon the tarmac that it could see so close in front of it. Failure #2. Dammit, that took alot out of this slug of a racer also. Ok rest and try this again as I motivate back around for another try.
I didn't give it my all to say the least coming around this next lap trying to conserve energy to feed the beast wall. I sat up rolling into the chicane, selected the proper gear, rounded the 180, rolled out wide, cutback inside with a nice 100+ cadence and let my momentum drift me to the top right. Ugh ugh, don't stand up yet, get it, just a bit more, ugh ugh, bike stalls in a divot right at the top, STAND! lunge weight forward, yes it's moving from the slight track stand, YES CONQUERED!!!!!! BEAT DOWN! It was very sweet to hear the crowd erupt with "Sparks" and "Scooby" cheers, it made me feel good, thanks guys! That was it though, I used up everything I had battling this big ole steep berm. I came by for the one lap to go and just puttered through the last lap. I was done man, done. SS was next but after
Newman went to the local brew store and brought me back this nice
Samuel Smith nut brown ale pint (correct me if I'm wrong Aaron) for my accomplishment I wasn't going back out for squat! I just hung out and watched my buds battle and enjoyed the brew. I'm a new subscriber to CX Magazine now, thanks MSG! It was a good day but I totally sucked royally!
Tomorrow holds Dupont State Forest in Brevard, N.C. with a group from the local NTMBA. The plan is to hit the IMBA Dupont Epic 35 mile ride through the forest. This weather is 70 degrees & sunny in the middle of November, can't pass this up! I had to get this off my mind while it was fresh is the reason I'm blogging the race now.
LAter G..........................
I didn't give it my all to say the least coming around this next lap trying to conserve energy to feed the beast wall. I sat up rolling into the chicane, selected the proper gear, rounded the 180, rolled out wide, cutback inside with a nice 100+ cadence and let my momentum drift me to the top right. Ugh ugh, don't stand up yet, get it, just a bit more, ugh ugh, bike stalls in a divot right at the top, STAND! lunge weight forward, yes it's moving from the slight track stand, YES CONQUERED!!!!!! BEAT DOWN! It was very sweet to hear the crowd erupt with "Sparks" and "Scooby" cheers, it made me feel good, thanks guys! That was it though, I used up everything I had battling this big ole steep berm. I came by for the one lap to go and just puttered through the last lap. I was done man, done. SS was next but after Newman went to the local brew store and brought me back this nice Samuel Smith nut brown ale pint (correct me if I'm wrong Aaron) for my accomplishment I wasn't going back out for squat! I just hung out and watched my buds battle and enjoyed the brew. I'm a new subscriber to CX Magazine now, thanks MSG! It was a good day but I totally sucked royally!
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