2010 Blogs
Day 2 of the Euro 'cross stage race was much better and less
discombobulated which was probably what made the difference. I dunno
bout you but I know after time away from racing it is a cluster the
first day back. Yes it was only 3 weeks off but coming to Europe is a
different beast in itself. It's different and intimidating... But i
love it.
What I'm trying to say is that I had my shit a bit more together
today. The course was essentially a hill climb, some paved, some thick
mud, some country path. And at the top of the climb we went down, down
a single track slick luge track with a couple tricky corners. Then we
entered the woods into a sticky single track before the pit and a
couple s-turns before shooting back onto the hill climb. It was like
doing intervals up the climb then trying to recover on the descent
while holding on for dear life with muddified mitts on greasy bars.
Still off to a slow start but by the end of the long drag climb was
able to work my way toward the front end of the bike race. World
Champ Vos took off with a vengeance and I was surprised to find myself
with former World Champ Hanka as we entered the first single track
section. I kept her within grasp for 2 laps, sitting in 4th position.
A tricky section on the 2nd part of course, with a narrow wheel
grabbing line up a sharp incline got the best of me and that's when my
forward movement turned into damage control.
I wheeled back and forth with 2 girls on APB but they had more in
their tanks. Unfortunately on the final lap I entirely lost my head
and flailed along the descent like a drunk driving a bumper boat. I
faded to 8th, but was happy with the first few laps. It is important
to find the positives of every race you start and finish and I am
happy with the improvement and I plan to improve on that improvement
tomorrow as we drive back to Westmeerbeek tonight and prepare for the
3rd day of racing in cyclocross' motherland- Tervuren, Belgium.
discombobulated which was probably what made the difference. I dunno
bout you but I know after time away from racing it is a cluster the
first day back. Yes it was only 3 weeks off but coming to Europe is a
different beast in itself. It's different and intimidating... But i
love it.
What I'm trying to say is that I had my shit a bit more together
today. The course was essentially a hill climb, some paved, some thick
mud, some country path. And at the top of the climb we went down, down
a single track slick luge track with a couple tricky corners. Then we
entered the woods into a sticky single track before the pit and a
couple s-turns before shooting back onto the hill climb. It was like
doing intervals up the climb then trying to recover on the descent
while holding on for dear life with muddified mitts on greasy bars.
Still off to a slow start but by the end of the long drag climb was
able to work my way toward the front end of the bike race. World
Champ Vos took off with a vengeance and I was surprised to find myself
with former World Champ Hanka as we entered the first single track
section. I kept her within grasp for 2 laps, sitting in 4th position.
A tricky section on the 2nd part of course, with a narrow wheel
grabbing line up a sharp incline got the best of me and that's when my
forward movement turned into damage control.
I wheeled back and forth with 2 girls on APB but they had more in
their tanks. Unfortunately on the final lap I entirely lost my head
and flailed along the descent like a drunk driving a bumper boat. I
faded to 8th, but was happy with the first few laps. It is important
to find the positives of every race you start and finish and I am
happy with the improvement and I plan to improve on that improvement
tomorrow as we drive back to Westmeerbeek tonight and prepare for the
3rd day of racing in cyclocross' motherland- Tervuren, Belgium.