Challenger XC
by Jessica Buch • July 06, 2022
Mid Atlantic Super Series
Challenger XC
Camden County College, Blackwood, NJ
June 18th, 2022
We’ve had less than a week to clean all the Neshaminy mud from our gear, and we’re back outside Philly for another race. We’ve graduated from Neshaminy High School this week and are headed to Camden County College!
The trails of Camden County Campus twist and turn all over the place. Sometimes you almost feel a little dizzy. This course offers a 7.5 miles loop through mostly wooded trails with around 430 ft elevations per lap. A typical south jersey course; sandy, flat, and fast, an actual test of agility that keeps you on your toes.
This year, a few tweaks to the course loaded the climbs mainly on the first half of the lap and cut out almost all of the pavement riding. You head from the grass pro log, through team tent row, and right into the woods. Get ready to test your cornering skills as you weave around the trees like a spider making a web, all while you can see your competition getting closer before suddenly diving out of sight again. Despite the lack of significant elevation changes, there are still a few punchy climbs and tricky rock descents. Overall a fun course that provides an exciting break from the usual techy rock trails.
I finished up this race 11th out of 12 with a time of 2:04:56. I’m pleased to see the hard work I’ve been putting in on and off the bike starting to pay off. I held consistent lap times and felt like I paced myself enough that I could still push hard at the end. I started this season, finishing just shy of an hour behind 1st place. I finished The Challenger only 27 mins. Behind 1st. I knew jumping to Pro/Elite Cat 1 would be big, but I was ready to keep pushing myself. The women I line up with each race are super fast and inspire and encourage me to work harder. I have significantly improved my fitness and riding skills this spring and look forward to continuing this tread as we head into summer racing.
Oh yeah, I almost forgot! I’m currently 2nd in the series in points!
Consistency isn’t just paying off in the gym!
Next up, we’ll be racing the mystical forbidden trails of Granogue.