Sunday was the Boulevard Cup race and it was, once a again, the best CX race of the season! The weather was GORGEOUS, if not a little on the warm side (75-80). The course was mostly flat and fast but very twisty-turvy (I think I just made that term up) and had a couple of technical ... um, "ticks" ... as in you come screaming down a hill, left 90 turn up a 15% grade incline with a sharp right turn at the top. (Yes, I bit it there - but only once!), sand, tall barriers, etc.
This time I did the perfect amount of warm-up (only two loops or so) but I had feeling that this race was not going to be pretty on account that I was feeling sluggish still from the cold I have only 90% kicked. Whatever. I'm on the Boulevard Team and it's the Boulevard Cup so I'm here to represent no matter the outcome!
Line up was an awesome sight! Biggest womens field I have seen at a cross race! 9 in the open, probably 15 in masters, and 13 in Cat 4. It doesn't seem like a lot, but on the local level, this is huge - which speaks volumes about this race and the sport in general.
Pavement start/finish meant big gears going out. First lap I was in 3rd-4th and felt great! I was thinking to myself, "sheesh, if this is going to be the pace all day, this will be a piece of cake!" but then there was the sand pit and the false flats and my lungs filled with goo. Ultimately, I fell to 5th out of 13. You know how sometimes you have that "not so fresh feeling"? Yeah, that was me yesterday.
RDJr. raced right after me and was looking pretty good for the first lap and a half ... until his cleat lost a screw and he had to finish the race with one foot clipped in!!! Three laps with one foot!!! He still finished mid-pack with a HUGE field and that really says something!!! Way to go RDJr!! Rockstar!
So I've done three cross races this season. Two last year. Total of five. This year is WAY better than last year and I would say that it has a lot to do with my high confidence level lately. And I'm happy. Very, very happy.
After the race, I was hacking up a lung! RDJr. thought maybe I over did it and should not have raced. Awww, he's always looking out for me. :) But here's the deal, I've got two more weeks of unstructured "play time". I'll take a couple of days off to kick this cold 100% then start back with the easy stuff, and then one more cross race (Boss Cross 3).
Can you believe I'm actually counting down the days until November? I am so ready for 2011! Bring it!
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