USGP Cyclocross 2009

Once again, we are fortunate to have had the USGP roll through town for another weekend of racing.  Normally, this is the big finale of my racing season.  However, since the national championships are in Bend this year, I'm ending with an even bigger race instead.

It's been a while since I've raced, and I certainly felt it out there.  Training has been pretty sparse, too.  It's awfully hard for me to keep riding during the Holiday season with so much family stuff going on.  The first half of the race was hard for me to just get going fast.  That's been a big problem of mine this year.  The last half of the race always goes better for me than the first.  And since the USGP and National races are only 45 minutes instead of an hour, my second half is not so long.  I'll just have to keep that in mind all week leading up to Bend.

The USGP race was held at PIR, same venue we used a month earlier.  The course used a completely different part of the grounds, incorporating the motocross track and the infield area used for short track racing in the summer.  The course was awesome, with lots of twists and turns, sharp off camber corners followed by an immediate steep slippery climbs, and tons of wide open roadway to tie everything together.  Fantastic course. 

It's been cold and dry for the past week, so I assumed we wouldn't have any mud out there.  I was wrong.  When I arrived and pre-rode the course, the ground was either rock hard frozen, or super snot slippery.  I'm telling you, the mud at PIR is the best cyclocross mud around.  That doesn't mean it's easy to ride in, but it's just so...so...gooey.  And it changes characteristics with the weather, always different.  I love it.  Nothing like the soul crushing mud at Krugers.

Anyway, midway through the race, the course got a lot more tacky and I could ride more of the short steep climbs that we all ran at first.  Each lap of the race was better, and probably faster for me.  I would love to review the lap times, but I doubt that's possible because I forgot to wear my timing chip.  Doh. 

That was Saturday.  I skipped Sunday's race in favor of some nice family time.  I'll be in Bend for the weekend, and I'll sure miss them.  I'll be racing on Saturday in the 35-39 Elite race.  I know several people I'll be racing with, all much faster than I am.  It should be really fun.  I might also partake in a rumored clydesdale race (200 pounds or more), which is apparently going to be the entertainment for a party on Saturday night.  

So that's what I'm up to.  I'm hoping to ride a respectable race in Bend on Saturday.  I just want to ride a clean race and come out happy with how hard I pushed myself.   Oh, and if you are also going to Bend, and you happen to see me on Saturday wondering around, do me a favor and ask "aren't you supposed to be warming up right now?"    Warmups are so easy to procrastinate and so hard to do quickly.

One more race to go, and then it's time to reflect on the season and hang up the 'cross bikes for a while.  I've already broke out the fixie and looking forward to riding it all winter.  One more race to go.

One more thing - thanks for the cheers on Saturday.  I heard a lot of them, and I really appreciate it.  I have not figured out how to acknowledge them while racing, but that doesn't mean I don't hear them.  I'm usually focused 30 feet up the course and have no idea what's going on right next to me.   So thank you very much.  Have you heard Heidi Swift yell?  Holy crap.  Cracks me up every time.  Thank you.

See you in Bend?