Metal CX - St. Cloud

The first CX race of the Minnesota Cyclocross Rider of the Year (CRY) in the newly created Singlespeed category was held this weekend in St Cloud. The singlespeed category races with the Master 35+ (cat 3/4), Master 45+, Master 55+ and Women 123 who start 2 minutes before the rest of us. I've been wondering if I should try to compete in it and deal with some of the scheduling conflicts it creates with family time. I wanted to do well and was looking forward to the race but I knew there were others who wanted it more than me.

The day started with an awesome weather report of upper 70's and sunny...not so awesome for CX racing but perfect for just about everything else. The hour drive went fast and I was happy to be a passenger for it. I hadn't done the race before so time was spent talking about the course description. The race is held in a park next to the Mississippi river which is filled with oak trees and a few pines. Really nice place to have a race or BBQ or whatever. The start/finish was held on the higher ground of the park and the course weaved it's way through trees and around some tennis courts. It then descended off camber down to river level and onto an asphalt path. The asphalt hammered to a small incline and to a set of double barriers. From there, you ended up going downhill over a woodchip filled low point of a parabola and up to a quick turn. Downhill the hill again to a wide hairpin turn taken with speed on an ascent and back through the low point and up to the top of the park again. A short recovery section weaving through the trees and then a straight descent to another fun, high speed, wide hairpin turn on an ascent. Speed could be maintained and a quick approach to a single barrier at the bottom of an ascent lead to a run up. A quick hop on the bike, an off-camber descent shot you to a sketchy turn and to another barrier at the bottom of an ascent. Another run up and then a quick turn to the start/finish line. Whew!

Based on the previous race times, it was figured that 8 laps would be covered in the 45 minute race. At staging, there looked to be only 6 other singles...not a big turnout but maybe because we were an hour away from MPLS/St Paul. At go time, I got to beating cheeks and ended up on 6th wheel or so for the first tight turn. The ground was dry and firm so the energy was not being drained excessively. There wasn't too much position change in front of me until right before the descent. A couple geared heads and a single passed me and got to hammering on that asphalt path. I got passed by a few more gears and then it was up and over the first set of barriers. I was still in the lead group but I was acting as the caboose. Up and down the little valley we rode and the first run up went well. At the second one, most chose to hop on their bikes and grunt up a steep, little incline shortly after the barrier. I elected to run up and save the grunt work on the single. It pretty much ended in a wash timewise with those that rode it but I like to think my legs appreciated the cross training. As the second lap went on, I watched the lead group ride away and I was caught in between them and the chase. I rode like that for a lap and while upping and downing through the parabola on then next lap, I was caught and passed by the chase made up of a couple gears and another single. Not long after the next lap began, I got passed by another single...I was going in the wrong direction!

I was riding solo and started to lap a few people but it was the middle of the race and I was feeling the hurt and fighting deamons in the head that always ask, "Why and WTF are you doing?" I pulled out my only defense and that was to get in my own pace and ride my own race. I did that for a bit and I was feeling better for the last few laps. I ended up catching and passing the single, who passed me a couple laps back, at the start of the last lap. I upped the pace and rode away. Passed a few more heads and ended up 3rd place single and 13th overall...room for improvement.

At the end, my mouth was drier than the Sahara and I resolved to carry water in any race with the temp over 60. The course was fun and hills were more than challenging. While I don't believe I am in the running for winning the CRY, I do believe i can podium more throughout the season. One thing I need to work on is to not start the race so heated. Pace the start and give it more toward the end. Closing the race well will likely lead to greater dividends in the end. I guess it really depends on the course and the field. Stay tuned race fans...