NYE Chicago cx

photo by Rockwell

I hemmed and hawed about trying to make this race. It was going to be a surgical strike if I went; just enough time to race and then head home for other responsibilities. My results don't show how well the race went for me, but I am glad I went.

For the past month, at least, I have had a little cold. Nothing that would stop me from doing anything, but just annoying and hanging around. That is until last week, when for Christmas my niece and nephew gave me something nasty. It was bad enough to make me slow down and take some time off on Thursday and Friday. It feels the same as the cold I had at the costume cx race, I just can't take a deep breath. But I was already signed up for the race, the season is almost over, and my last race lasted 3 minutes, so I was a bit determined to make it.

I made good time to Chicago and for the most part I felt okay, other than the deep dry coughing and inability to take a deep breath. I wasn't going to let it take me out of the race mentally. The venue itself was awesome: heated bathrooms, locker rooms, and showers. And the course was cool too, I didn't get a chance to see most of it before the race though. It had numerous 50 foot long 4-5inch deep mud sections, a super muddy hill, and somewhat hard packed sand traps that had huge lips on the exit that if you didn't almost bunny hop out of, you were going over your bars.

I started in the second row and had a good start. I was 5th or 6th wheel going into the 3rd turn when a guy (and I am still not sure how he did it) pushed me off the line in a gravel corner so I had to soft pedal. A train of guys blew by and I went from 5th or 6th to 15th. It seems as though some guys are actually peaking now for Nationals and Masters Worlds, so it was a fast first lap as I went to work to try and move up.

After 2 laps I was battling it out with one guy. I knew I was riding the course smoother than he was because I could hear him braking everywhere. In the long mud pits I had more power too and would get little gaps on him. But here is where the cold got frustrating. My legs felt great, in fact they never really never got tired (or even sore the rest of the day) but I was breathing like was I being chased by a bear. I couldn't access the actual power in my legs.

With 2 to go the other guy rode the backside of the hill, when I ran it, and got a good gap on me. By the end of that lap another guy had caught me. When he did, I let him lead thinking I would let him take me around the course. We got to the backside of the hill, he ran it and I rode it. I got a good gap, but I couldn't keep the speed up. My front shifter was too jammed up to get into the big ring so I was left to spin like crazy, tough to do when you can't breathe. We hit the final straight and he eased by me doing half the rpm's I was. I rolled in 12th.

Disappointing placement, but fun course and good times. Plus, even though I didn't feel good I was able to mix it up in the top third of the field. Next Saturday is Nationals for me. Right now it looks like I line up 41st out 71. I know I can move up from there, the question is just how far?