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Urban Cyclocross Turkey Trot |
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Team Bikeman -
Race Reports
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Written by Matt Hersey
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Saturday, 18 November 2006 |
Turkey Trot
Urban Cyclocross Series #4
Palos Verdes Estates, CA
This was my first real cross race here in CA. I was eager to get out and race because it had been about a month. So I forced my sleep deprived self (I’m working graveyard shift at the hospital) to drive to the outskirts of LA to see how these folks like their cross.
It was a bit of a chore to get there. Five lanes of busy traffic on the San Diego freeway, lots of lefts and rights through an industrial park (thank God for mapquest!), and then a real feeling of relief when I saw the coast and started driving through a really rich, equestrian and golf-type neighborhood. I saw the baseball field, the course marking tape, and folks warming up on their bikes. I was excited that I hadn’t gotten lost or stuck in traffic, and also excited because it looked like I might get my cross fix with some real racers and a real course.
The B men were taking off, just as I arrived, so that category was out. Both the elite race and the masters 35+ race were starting at 12:30 - I couldn’t decide which I should do. I was feeling a little out of shape, but wasn’t sure if my east coast skills might give me an advantage. When the organizer told me that there were cash prizes and only a handful of racers in the elite race, my choice was easier.
So the gun went off and I went straight to the back of the pack. I told myself that it would be wise to sit back and observe for a bit before launching my “all out attack” - you know, being the new guy in town and all. The course was hot and dry and exposed. I later described it to my girlfriend as, “Imagine building a cross course on the side of a volcano and mixing a bunch of broken hay into the dirt”. The dust factor was huge. There was a sustained climb of almost 2 minutes, followed by a blistering stutter bump downhill. It felt more like a mt bike short track course, than a cross course. It was brutal and I was hurting. I wasn’t sure I would finish, but I just put it into survival mode as I sat and spun the climbs. I may have walked the super steep barrier/uphill a few times. When people cheered for me I could hear the enthusiasm fade from their voices. To me, it sounded like, “Yeah, just finish or something!” So I did. I came in 8th place out of 9 starters. The other guy DNF’d. But hey, I got a $25 cash prize that equaled my entry fee.
So, what have I decided about California cross? I don’t know. I’ll give it another shot and then I’ll tell ‘ya. There is a race in Irvine in 2 weeks. I’ll do the 35+ race there.
Despite my poor showing, I felt good as I drove home. It was the best workout I’d had in a month and there is just something about racing that makes me smile.
Check out photos at Backontrackproductions.com. There are a few shots of me towards the end of the slide show.
Matt
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