Highland Park Cross

Mom said she'd come over and watch the kids while I went to the race! Woo-Hoo!
I figure if I'm going to actually ride my bike, it might as well be a race, right?

Sophie was up but Jeb was still sleeping, changed and fed Sophie and out the door by 8:15. crap map quest says an hour and a half... crap need gas... crap I hit every light on 309... It wouldn't be race day without some stress.

I actually got to the race about 45 minutes before the start. Number, suit-up, sweet free red-bull, pee, almost didn't make it to the potty, yeah, I was doing the pee-pee dance. Ride the first section of the course. hmm this is going to be a little slick. lined up early, I learned that from the Granogue race, I got a second row start, right behind Fort James and Pauly. I got a really good start, one of the things I'm actually good at, I think because there is a lag between the effort and your body realizing what the frick is going on. So, I'm sitting there in about 6th position and notice Pauly is off the front by a bit. Heck, while I'm here I might as well try and help Pauly. So, I get to the front of the group and kind of ride next to a guy, not blocking but disrupting. It worked for a few seconds, until we hit the next hill and it was like the dam burst, people kept passing me... Usual cross race story for me, any uphill I get passed, any downhill or section I can carry momentum I pass them back. I was back and forth with a Kissena guy. He had a bit of a gap on me going into the barriers before the finish. I knew I was faster through the barriers, closed the gap through the barriers. Into the right hand 180 onto the paved finishing straight, he goes wide, I changed my apex and got inside of him and on the pedals before him... beat him to the line! Felt good to actually sprint someone at the end of a race!

Hung out and ate my "pork" bbq sandwich, the lady gave me chicken instead of pork. I ate the sandwich in front of Tom and Kelly warming up on the trainers for their race. They didn't want any of my sandwich?!? Tom remembered he needed his number pinned on, "Its in the truck". Nope, not there. Tom runs around looking for his number, after about five minutes he sees a crumpled piece of paper on the ground about 20 feet from his truck, yep his number!

Good to actually get out and race, good to see everyone, wished I could have hung out a little longer, but had to get back to releive mom from watching the kids.

Looks like Mom is going to watch the kids again this weekend! Sweet more racing!

Thanks Mom, it means a lot to me.