Race Report: NCCX Statesville

After opting not to race on Saturday due to a heavy workload (OK, actually because it was 35 degrees and sleeting), I headed to Statesville on Sunday to get my first real ride in after 7 days of working my tail off! The morning greeted me with my annoying phone alarm, a hot pot of coffee, grey skies, and snow flurries. Fortunately my heated leather seats, tights, wool socks, Mad Alchemy embrocation and a little Beastie Boys helped to warm the body, mind, and soul!

After greeting some friends I kitted up, warmed up on the trainer, then hit the course. It was grassy, soft, windy, and pretty smooth, but "torquey". I put on my extra tights, thermal jacket, and fleece-lined gloves to warm up in the sunny 35 degree weather. After about 45 minutes I was ready to go and actually starting to sweat - perfect! We lined up and abruptly started, which saw me in the second row and about 10 back in the field. As we looped through the first turns, one of the local Raleigh riders went down hard and a few riders plowed into him as I veered off course to narrowly miss poor Lucas' head! Little did I know this would foreshadow my own fate on the day. I bided my time and smoothly worked my way up to 5th position by halfway through the 10-lap, 60 minute race.

I was feeling good, but on the limit when I caught a stake through a turn, broke it off on my knee, and promptly proceeded to endo onto my head! I lay on the ground stunned and admiring the Carolina-blue sky for what seemed to by about 5 minutes (really 30s), before I finally got up. I straightened my handlebars, spun my wheels and slowly got back on the bike. Amazingly after a full minute, no one had passed me. After walking over the barriers due to the pain in my left knee I was caught by a Cannondale Factory rider (Alex) and decided to try to proceed, cautiously, on his wheel. After a lap I settled back into a rythym, and maintained my 7th place until the finish.

While I probably could've been top 5 without the crash, this is a reality of 'cross racing, especially when you're pushing your own physical limits. Fortunately, I didn't break anything and even got a few bucks for my placing - just enough to cover my entry and a coffee for the trip home.

I'll probably do one more cyclocross race in 2010, and then call it a season. And what a great one it's been! A few wins for me, a lot more for the team (including overall in our local biweekly series, another National Championship jersey, and not only on the road, but mountain bike, cyclocross, and track as well!

Thanks for reading, and a special thanks to our sponsors this year : Highland Brewing, Trek & Bontrager, Liberty Bikes, Rudy Project, PML Pathology, Mosaic Realty, Honey Stinger, Swiftwick, Carmichael Training Systems, Dr. Steve Miller DDS, Crossfit Brevard, Joe Lilly Photography, and Affordable Home Inspections.