biking race 44:17 [5]
Cyclo X: Cross on the Rocks Series: Port Alberni. Gotta admit, this was the best race ehvah! It was wet and oh so muddy on a great course.
This the the third cyclo X race I've done and maybe the 6th time I've been on the bike and my learning curve has been steep. Things to keep in the back of my mind:
- Hammer to get position at the start, otherwise you get stuck behind slower riders in the twisty bits and as the top field gets away, you can only watch;
- Look way ahead in your turns. I was dropping my gaze down to a couple feet ahead of my wheel when going thru switchbacks and that doesn't work. From my first race on, Fluffy has been yelling at me to look up at where you want to go. I should know this with mtn biking, but I wasn't applying it until this race where it was such a factor in riding thru the mud.
- Tire pressue: what presure will get your through the race/mud/rock gardens without pinch flatting. There were so many folks flatting during the race - I bumped my up from 32-ish to 38 psi and I was still in danger when going thru the rocks. It did help try to stay afloat in the mud though.
- Dont' give up and finish the race. DNF's don't look good in this spectator friendly forum as you walk the walk of shame;
- bring serious wet weather gear to keep dry during the event. Frick it rained a lot yesterday.
Highlight of the day: getting hosed down to remove all the mud and grime by the awesome host at the McLean Mill while she was giving me a history lesson of the mill.
8th in the masters. 2:52 off the winning time.
One more race in the series Nov 21/10.