Charm City Cyclocross 2012, day 1 and day 2

Ahhhhh a little cyclocross to sooth the soul.  My last race was epicly epic, THE Shenandoah 100.  So its nice to be coming to a race that involves less preparation, less stress, less travel, and less... rac'n.

Charm city is nostalgic.  It was my first real bike race.  I did Cat 4 in 2010, then won both Cat 4 races in 2011 to get my upgrade, and did both 2/3/4 races this year.

Day 1 was not all I had hoped.  I started 4th or 5th row which was decent.  I liken a start with that many racers of different skill levels to escaping a burning building.  The first lap or two is the burning building.  Some escape easily, others not as easily.  Point being, you can't start racing until you escape the building and get with a group of riders that aren't holding you back and aren't going to wreck wildly.

The start was sluggish.  I picked my way through pretty well on lap 1 to move into the top 20.  My body wasn't too happy though.  I was nervous that my lack of cyclocross training would hurt me.  I was hurt'n!  I hung in there.  It was hot hot hot.  I didn't enjoy this race immensely but it was fun.  I think I finished 15th.

Day 2 was a totally different.  I start 3rd row this time and from the "go!" felt like my old cyclocross self.  I put in efforts to pass and was in the top 15 after lap 1.  But this time I felt that there was plenty of gas in the tank.  I caught up to a group including Jameson Ribbens and Andrey Doroshenko.  I'm pretty sure I can ride with these guys and I know they did well on Day 1 so I'm happy.

After a while I hear that we're in the top 10 and there are tons of guys just ahead.  I decide to attack and try to make it to the next group.  This was foolish in hindsight.  I had worked hard to catch these guys who mostly started front row.  I should have spent more laps with them.  The attack hurts me and I drop back to the back of the group. And I'm hurt'n!  But I think I can rally and still take this group in a few laps.

Approaching the sandpit it takes a lot of effort to ride it because I'm sitting at the back of the pack and have to deal with the riders in front of me swerving and slowing.   This became a recurring theme for my race.  Bale or crash in the sand pit.  Spend a lap to catch back up to the group.  But bale or crash again because they are all sprawled out in front of me (that's right, i could do it easily if it wasn't for them, lol ;).

But I'm loving this race.  I'm riding hard but within myself.  I'm competing.  I'm pedaling AND thinking.  Usually it's all pedaling for me.  I'm making mistakes and learning.  I'm measuring up the guys in my group.  I'm looking for ways to beat them.  I've never really been able to enjoy the tactics of racing.  This is awesome!

I end up in a group of 3 riders with a lap to go.  The body has been giving it all she's got and i'm in the mix for a top 10 finish.  I start thinking how I'm going to handle our last sandpit pass.  This sand has been killing me.  I'm going to run through it and go for the sprint on the road.

We come to the sandpit, and once again i'm sitting at the back of the group.  I immediately go for the run but stupidly go inside.  There is room but not much.  There had been plenty of room on the outside line!  The rider in front starts swerving and ends up coming into me and the tape.  I'm running full speed and just tear through the tape and kinda through him (sorry dude!).  Its a mess and I'm not proud of it but I make it through.  The guy at the front of our group is clear and I'm not catching him but the second guy is still close enough.

I close down the gap in the final turns and sprint on the road.  The guy makes an effort but he can't match.  I come close to catching the leader of our group but it was too much space.  Soooo FUN!!!
Super exciting and I think this is one of my first really tactical races (it showed).  There is something to be said for not just pedaling ur guts out the whole race.  It was a blast and I believe I ended up 10th.