Race Report: Hermann CX

Saturday night's race went much better for me than the results show. Jeff, once again, put together a great, challenging course.  It incorporated the warning track of the baseball field, those stairs we all love, two sand pits, a couple of railroad ties before a little off camber spot, and barriers.  The turns were nice and open, which is a plus for me.

I jumped on course and did a warm up lap between some earlier races.  At that point, the conditions were good and the lines were already visible.  I felt like I could ride the first sand pit, but decided to run the second because I knew with the ties being uphill, I wouldn't be confident in trying to hop them.  I finished my warm up on the road, trying to agitate my heart rate so I would be ready to go off the line.  The weather was overcast, low 60s and humid.  It rained all day Wednesday and we had spot showers on Saturday.  There were 13 women in our race.

The whistle blew and I thought I went off hot, but I was sitting in 12th immediately.  By the time we hit the second chicane on the field, Cory had passed me.  I pushed myself and stayed on Carol's wheel and passed her on the way to the stairs.  I stayed in front of her through the first two laps, but she passed me through the start/finish on lap three.  Cory was in site though and I went after her.  I overtook her right after we circled back on the baseball field.  Alison was in sight, so I kept trying to catch her.  That lap I fumbled with my bike over the first barrier and grazed the top of the second barrier with my wheel.  I almost went down, but recovered and remounted.  Lap five I was closing in on Alison.  I caught and passed up running up the stairs.  I would put distance on her in the open areas, but she'd catch me through the turns.  In the last lap, I put what felt like a good gap on her after the stairs and sand, but I think I slowed down through the winding to the finish because right before we went out on the finishing straight, Jim yelled at me that she was right on me.  I didn't look back but added gear and got out of the saddle for the sprint, crossing the line in front of her for 11th.

The thing about cx is that no matter how much I struggle, I usually am able to smile my way through.

This is a BIG deal for me.  It's the first time I've ever been able to shoulder my bike.

Sunday’s course was the same as Saturday’s except that the conditions had deteriorated. There was lots of mud and little grass. Temps were low 70s at race time, and we had a field of eight.

I was on the back off the start and lost contact with the group after the second chicane. I knew I wasn't well suited for the mud, so I looked at it as an opportunity to practice my handling skills. I held it upright through everything and began to gain ground on the two ladies in front of me. I struggled with my remounts on lap five because I was just simply exhausted by that point. I got lapped by the three leaders just prior to the stairs, making lap six my final lap.  The other big point of this race was that I took my first beer hand up!

Here's what I noticed about my racing:

• ·         I'm much more comfortable on this smaller frame.  My bike handling was much, much better than it's ever been.  I now need to focus on adding speed through the turns.  
• ·         I didn't get skittish through the sand, mud, or when I couldn't get back into my pedals following the run through the sand. That’s a HUGE improvement for me.
• ·         I was conscience about what my strengths were in this race.  I knew my area to make up time was where I could use power versus the girls who are better handlers.
• ·         I need to work on not getting complacent.  In a crit, this isn't an issue because of the pack.  I find myself losing a little focus when the field gets strung out.  
• ·         I know I need to work on going harder off the start so I do not constantly have to regain ground.