Boston Road Club CX at Shedd Park
Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2018 1:40 pm
Let's kick things off...I've missed the last 2 weekends due to a variety of reasons so was looking forward to Shedd Park.
Couple of inspection laps at around 7:30am and course was pretty much identical to last year (except for the snow!). Probably a good 2-3" of snow on 50% of the course but this wasn't too slick, more of a sugary texture with a thin crispy layer on the untouched areas. Nice mud pit out in the wooded section and some leaf pile turns up above the pit area.
I was in the 4/5 (open, no masters field) and had number 900 so front row. Saw 100 were registered but think the conditions whittled this down some.
Lap 1, got a great start and lead around the field then a whipper snapper passed me as we completed the loop. Another guy passes me as we head off in to the woods to the mud pit and for some reason these 2 get jittery about the hazard and start to pick a line around the edges...I blast through the middle and take the lead (feet now drenched but I can't complain because I wasn't shin deep in icebergs like Busick!). I hold position until the barriers then the young fella takes me. Lap time showed 10 mins so we'll likely be out for 3 more.
Lap 2, swapping positions for 2nd and 3rd throughout this lap. Pretty uneventful other than the mud out beyond the bark mulch is starting to get heavier (last year the bark was flicking up and playing tunes on my spokes...this year it's held in place with snow!). We pass the line and 2 laps remaining...I'm sitting 3rd but 2nd place is within reach so feeling pretty good about a decent result.
Lap 3, as we head up the first climb the guy in front washes out and I have to dismount to get around him...guy sitting in 4th has more time to navigate and takes 2nd while I hop back on and chase. I catch back on as we climb up into the mulch and then loop back around into the leaf piles. Then a mishap...I'm pushing to remain with the front 2 but get something wrong on the switchback leading down to the pits and SPLAT! I slam my face into the dirt and loose 5 places while I try to straighten the bars back up. Face feels like I left a mark but I don't see any blood pouring out so remount. Took me 1/4 lap to get the left foot clipped back in...think I buried the pedal into the dirt and so I'm trying to force my cleat through this.
Lap 4, uneventful. Held position...wondered if I looked like a halloween mask and crossed the line to take 8th.
Face looks like I sneezed gravel out of my left nostril at 300 mph and I'm pretty certain my neck will stiffen up more and more as the day goes on!
Couple of inspection laps at around 7:30am and course was pretty much identical to last year (except for the snow!). Probably a good 2-3" of snow on 50% of the course but this wasn't too slick, more of a sugary texture with a thin crispy layer on the untouched areas. Nice mud pit out in the wooded section and some leaf pile turns up above the pit area.
I was in the 4/5 (open, no masters field) and had number 900 so front row. Saw 100 were registered but think the conditions whittled this down some.
Lap 1, got a great start and lead around the field then a whipper snapper passed me as we completed the loop. Another guy passes me as we head off in to the woods to the mud pit and for some reason these 2 get jittery about the hazard and start to pick a line around the edges...I blast through the middle and take the lead (feet now drenched but I can't complain because I wasn't shin deep in icebergs like Busick!). I hold position until the barriers then the young fella takes me. Lap time showed 10 mins so we'll likely be out for 3 more.
Lap 2, swapping positions for 2nd and 3rd throughout this lap. Pretty uneventful other than the mud out beyond the bark mulch is starting to get heavier (last year the bark was flicking up and playing tunes on my spokes...this year it's held in place with snow!). We pass the line and 2 laps remaining...I'm sitting 3rd but 2nd place is within reach so feeling pretty good about a decent result.
Lap 3, as we head up the first climb the guy in front washes out and I have to dismount to get around him...guy sitting in 4th has more time to navigate and takes 2nd while I hop back on and chase. I catch back on as we climb up into the mulch and then loop back around into the leaf piles. Then a mishap...I'm pushing to remain with the front 2 but get something wrong on the switchback leading down to the pits and SPLAT! I slam my face into the dirt and loose 5 places while I try to straighten the bars back up. Face feels like I left a mark but I don't see any blood pouring out so remount. Took me 1/4 lap to get the left foot clipped back in...think I buried the pedal into the dirt and so I'm trying to force my cleat through this.
Lap 4, uneventful. Held position...wondered if I looked like a halloween mask and crossed the line to take 8th.
Face looks like I sneezed gravel out of my left nostril at 300 mph and I'm pretty certain my neck will stiffen up more and more as the day goes on!