My First Double Race Weekend of 2016 (AACX and West Chester CX)

Dear Readers,

This last weekend I raced my first double of the year. Coming off my knee injury, I figured out pretty quickly, I need to be really careful monitoring my efforts, and the kinds of stress I throw at my knee. Along this path, I've had two big set backs, and one small one a few weeks back... As I planned my season, there was only one planned double race weekend.

In events stranger than fiction, I ended up with the 45+ 3/4 leaders jersey for the Sportif Cup Series. I didn't know I was even leading that class until Jon Hicks posted something on my FB page. I am a cat 3, have been for a few years, but I generally just enter the masters 1-2-3 race. All of this, and the weirdness of your favorite mid-pack master (who is also cuter than James Franco) leading a series is too weird for me to get my head around and is frankly blog-fodder for another day.

End of the day, I decided to do a double this weekend. I followed my original plan and do West Chester CX, but also venture out to the Sportif race in Annapolis. I used to do double weekends every weekend what could possibly go wrong.

AACX at South River Farm
So I digress. I am grateful for the opportunity to race in a leader's jersey. I've never lead a series before, and however things turn out, it will be one of the high marks for my season. I also feel like I have an obligation to defend the jersey.  "respect the jersey" is what Stephan Kincaid once said to me, when he landed in the MAC leader's jersey when perhaps he didn't expect.  I made the decision to to do the AACX race Saturday. I was looking forward to a race I haven't done before, and I was hopeful for a good day.

When I arrived at the venue, I was greeted by Doug Gray, who told me that it was a giant grass crit. This sentiment was echoed by everyone I greeted on the way to registration.

beautiful Venue. Beautiful view of fatmarc kryptonite- photo credit Raymond Wright Drone.

I am a cyclocross racer.
I have a particular set of skills. I'm good at punchy. I can run with my bike. I'm good at tight corners, off cambers make me happy, I consider myself a great bike driver. Tape to Tape is a religion for me. I like to get off my bike 2-3x a lap. I like to race and get to use all of my 20 years of deception and guile.

While I had high expectations for the race, the longer the race went the angrier I got. I never changed positions on the bike, just seated and pedaling. Literally pedaling around a field.  I felt myself getting more and more frustrated as things continued to develop and I continued to go backwards. Ugh...

Note: I get there are horses for courses, and have great respect for the different kinds of riders. I just made my mind up a few years ago that racing grass crits isn't really all that fun for me, and I was out of that game. I wish I was a wattage cottage and could throw down like that, but it's just not my game.

I gave my best at AACX but at the end of the day, I felt frustrated and disappointed. Perhaps I had lost my mojo. Doubt creeps in, this was the worst race I have had this season.

I packed up the car and headed home.

I called my brother, "fucking grass crits, man..."

I called my team director, "dude, I was horrible, so frustrating... "

I called my wife, " Ugh, this was awful. The course didn't have a single challenging feature. I was so bad..."

She said, " you know, this is why we stopped chasing series. It's so frustrating when you show up and the course is everything you aren't good at. You've worn the jersey twice now. You've been respectful, you don't have to chase this damn thing, you can follow your original plan..."

Monk had one of her best races of the year at WCCX...

Maybe she's right. Perhaps time to re-focus.

I got home, took a shower and drank a beer, putting a disappointing day behind me and started mentally prepping for West Chester Cross. I love West Chester Cross.

WEST CHESTER CROSS CLASSIC IV

West Chester CX is one of the best cross courses in the Mid-Atlantic. Fast, Flowing, a nice run up, huge bike driving sections, off camber and a weirdo rock pile.

See Weirdo Rock Pile- photo credit KELPIUS CYCLING!

Yup, it's a real live 2015 cyclocross course. I LOVE IT.

I didn't have a great legs Sunday. The start was really argy bargy, and after last week's wrestling match, I decided to be cool like fonzie and surf out the aggro.

At the end of lap one groups started to form. I killed myself to get to Luxy, and  DLowe. Johan came back and joined us. I battled to hang on the back of this group of fine racers the rest of the day.

I didn't feel great. I didn't have my best. I knew if I lost this group, I'd be out in no-man's land and likely lose another 3-4 spots. DLowe moved to the front a few times, and Luxy wasn't having it as he would surge to maintain the lead of the group. I'd get gaped a bit and rail the next corners to get back to the third wheel -either Johan or DLowe.

Just me dangling out there- photo credit Dennis Smith

Last lap and the group started to attack each other a bit more, I got gaped one last time around the pit, and couldn't get back this time.  I rolled in 4th out of our group of 4. Never been so happy to finish 4th in a four man group.

They are right there... photo credit Dennis Smith

Today was very hard, I had to use my full bag of deception and guile. While my game wasn't my best , I was really proud that mentally I was able to hang with the group. My legs were destroyed afterwards.  I was exhausted and ecstatic. So stoked to battle, when maybe I shouldn't have been.

I did apologize to Luxy because I couldn't do anything to help with the pace making today. I was not helping the home team today, although I did save him a sweet parking spot.

Such a good day, such a great course...

Mama Lux's Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter frosting was delicious.

hope springs eternal...

thanks for reading.

respect
fatmarc