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CX Nationals Master's 35-39 |
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Team Bikeman -
Race Reports
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Written by Alan Starrett
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Sunday, 17 December 2006 |
2006 CALIFORNIA GIANT BERRY FARMS USA CYCLING
NATIONAL CYCLO-CROSS CHAMPIONSHIPS
Roger Williams Park, Providence, RI
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Well, that's it for me this year. It is all over. The cross season just wrapped up in a neat little pre Christmas gift with cyclocross nationals. I am left with sort of a cross hangover. Not from hanging out in the beer tent but from the inevitable let down after being pumped up to race and watch the best cross racers in the nation. Now I am just left with some great memories and dreaming about next cross season. I hate to wish away time, especially at my age because it seems to disappear faster and faster, but I can't wait for next year.
First off I have to say that this year's cyclocross nationals in Providence was probablly the best organized and run event I have ever had the pleasure to particpate in. Kansas City is going to have a HIGH mark to hit next year. From my perspective as a racer and spectator everything went smoothly from top to bottom.
The course was fantastic. Wide, fast, challenging and fun. Not to mention able to handle record size fields and allow everyone a good racing experience. I think probablly the best part was a WIDE start/finish section with a very organized staging procedure allowing everyone a clean start whether you were on the front row or dead last.
My focus for racing this year has been all about cross. With nationals being right here in New England they of course would be the pinnacle of my season. I had to temper my expectations however becuase after taking myself out of last year's nationals in the middle of a blizzard I knew anything could happen. My goals would be to finish the race, go as hard as I can and enjoy the experience. Announcer Richard Fries derailed my positive thinking for about 10 minutes when he mistakenly called my race to staging one full hour before it was scheduled. Of course I was just starting my warm up so the ensuing panic burnt a few mental matches I didn't want to spare.
After I got my head straight from that scare I went about my warm up then headed to the start. As I mentioned before the staging was very organized. Start lanes grouped by 12 in order of registration after the top 10 from the previous year. Very safe and no stress of fighting for a start spot. I ended up the 45th starter which put me in the 4th row. Not great but really not that bad either considering there were 146 starters in my field.
The whistle blew and we were off. I am blessed to live in a hot bed of cross racing so I am used to pretty large (and fast) fields. I feel fairly comfortable in a group of 100 guys charging off the line. Well, it is a little different story with 150 guys charging off the start, all jacked to hit the first turn because "Hey, it is nationals." It is like being a piece of buckshot blasted out of a shotgun. Everyone is at warp speed fighting for every inch of space trying catch a wheel or find a fast line. At least once on the first lap I remember going full speed fighting for position shoulder on shoulder with another guy to stay upright. Not for the faint of heart for sure, but it was clean and neither of us made a stupid move. Rubbing is racing right?
After I made my way out of the scrum on the first lap I really don't remember many specifics about the rest of my race. I just put my head down and kept on the gas. No strategy, no recovery sections. Just go as hard as I could until the end. Near the finish on the last lap I caught fellow New Englander Keith Gauvin and decided I would ride right through and keep the pressure on. It proved to be a poor decision not to draft for awhile because he was able to stay on my wheel and outsprint me at the finish. No worries though I was satisfied with my finish, 33rd out of 146 starters.
Upon reflection I think I was hoping for a little higher finish but after looking at my HR data I saw that I was pinned the whole race. For those of you like me that follow such things my average HR was the highest it has been all season and I was below my threshhold zone for only 16 seconds the entire race. So, I would say I gave it my all and I can't ask for more than that.
Big Al
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