BayState Cyclcross Days 1&2 Race Report

Here's how not to do well at a Cross race: Eat and drink lots for three days leading up to the race; do a hard stair and plyo workout on Thrusday; Get 5.5 hours of sleep the night before the race; wake up early and drive 3.5 hours to said race.
I just felt crappy on Saturday. In that "can't chase the pit from my stomache" kind of way.

But I lined up any way, and was sad to see Austin Pferd(Horse) pull up to the line. (Despite having already seen and chatted with him) And of course, once the gun(whistle) went off he was gone as if there was a $100 first lap preem. The sad thing was that there wasn't, but that Austin stayed out front for the rest of the day. I yelled at the juniors to not let him go, and then tried to bridge up to his wheel. Which I did for a half lap until it was clear that I didn't have the legs to crank out the watts to stay with him for five more laps. So I tosseled around aimlessly by myself until the juniors caught back up to me/I felt sorry for myself for starting to hard.

Oh then Donny Green came blasting through us like a bat out of hell. He was putting down some serious power output and took the juniors with him. So I dangled in no man's land keeping an eye over my should and settling into a rhythm(finally). And like Buser says,"Any thing can happen."

Sure enough on the last lap I blasted by Nate Morse who had seen Land Aho! Plus I almost made it up to Synjen, if only there was another lap! Gods you toy with me! Footnote: Don't give Synjen a push to get him back in the race after he falls no mater how ill/gentelmanly you feel.
A surprising fourth for feeling so damn crappy.


Okay Day 2
I was feeling MUCH! better after some sleep and some awesome Nu Thanksgiving that Sarah, Bear and I put together. AKA a roast chicken (who likes Turkey any way) plus all the fixens for less than thirty bucks and 90 minutes of cooking! Boo yah. Oh yeah, we had gravy....and really dry stuffing, but isn't that de rigeuer?

Again, the morning races were not on time which allowed only a lap or two of pre-riding on a very slippery and technical course. Am I the only one who has a hard time on day two figuring out where the course goes/making a mental map of it? Even on the last lap I wasn't completely sure where I was going next.

Oh hey, Ryan White...sweet, oh hey, Matt Mitchell...sweet, oh hey Chandler Delinks...sweet, plus the juniors, and Austin Pferd again. (even though yesterday Austin said he was gonna take it easier after winning and not go crazy at the start) Looks like Day 2 is gonna be a little more stacked.

Burning through the muddy start I worked to the outside to the chagrin of an Embro rider. But hey, rubbing is racing. And as promised Austin didn't play cannonball from the get go. Now with the hairpin/stairs at the end of the track it was crucial to avoid the bottleneck. After that things settled in quickly into a decent train out front. The juniors and a couple of suspects from yesterday were in the mix.

Nate Morse was feeling like a champ again and decided to pull for a while. I tried to get in front and take a turn as I thought the chase group was closing in on us. But he wouldn't let me through.

After that here are the highlights:
I saw Mitchell and Pferd(Horse) standing outside the tape on the hairpin after the slippery tech back section. I guess they crashed out. Giving me a mixed feeling of relief and regret that two good competitors dropped out.

Morse made a bobble/fall and I passed him never to see him again.
Synjen stayed on my butt and I was worried he was going to hang there and then put down major watts on the flats.

A guy in black and red (Glen Gollrad?)seemed to be gaining and made me nervous.

But what happened was that Synjen couldn't hang with my unprecedented show of power out of the corners and Gollrad was flummoxed by my speed.
No...but seriously. I just put my head down and tried to keep it coming and I ended up out front with a comfortable lead.

Thanks go out to Pip, Buser, Baker <--Double time in the corner! Matt, and Nick for cheering me on. Thanks guys!
Cary and Colin you don't get props for the cheer/heckle combo.