There is one thing I really like and really dislike about racing in Wisconsin now. The "A" race start time. I don't like it so much because everyone but us is winding down their day. The "B" race really gets all the croud gusto and generally it seems to work out better with things like BBQ and technical support afterward.  I really enjoy the start time because it makes for a pretty stress free race day. Living in Chicago, a race day in Milwaukee could really be a pain in the ass. With a 2:15 start time, it could not be any less pressured. After a day of doing very little on Saturday we awoke refreshed on Sunday at 8:15. I had not packed yet, so I got up and got my things together. Julie threw some muffins in the oven and went with Molly on a run. She got back, we loaded up the cart and we made our way to the car, in one trip. Ready to roll before ten the only hickup was stepping in dog shit forcing me to go back up to the unit and change shoes. Molly takes some pretty big dumps and we pick them up every time, what is so hard about picking up the little squats your piddly little dog makes? Anyway, a quick hour and a half and about sixty pee breaks later we rolled into Washington Park. This race marked a full calander year since my first cyclocross race ever and it felt really good to be racing here again. The course is rad, there were costumes everywhere (word has it there were only two at the entire day of racing in Illinois, Ted being one), and the friends and super fans were all out in full effect. We got there just in time to catch the 3's race and so Julie and I sat on the hill and took some pictures and yelled alot at Casey and Lyle pushing the front of the pack hard.  Talked with Cody, who is just as excited about next season as I am.  After the 1/2 women started I decided it was about time I start getting dressed and warmed up. I rode around the park for a while with Jeremy and the Riddler and ended up on the start line way early.  I can not seem to stay motivated long enough to warm up properly.  It is so important, yet I can't seem to stay focused and do it.  Reguardless it allowed for one last pre-ride lap before the race.

 

It was a decently long, wide, soft grass leadout before the first right turn and then up the what was probably the steepest hill in the park. Atop the hill there was a tree to 180 around and go directly back down into a sweeping right turn. Fifty feet of flat and straight before 180ing again leading up to the first barrier section. A triple set that was fast. I have been practicing carrying speed into and through the barriers and it is starting to show. After the barriers, there was very little time before a quick hard right though a washed out corner. Followed by an easy left and an easy right into a really tight left turn that was super dry, loose and washed out. It seemed that even going into this turn at a crawl was too fast and I'd be pushing at the tape to keep myself from falling over. Out of the turn and through a straight section that transitioned from grass to concrete. Into a sweeping right turn and then another immediatly after that could be taken really fast. Rounding a bush lead into another bumpy straight section. Up a short steep incline around a tree riddled with roots. Weave around another washed out corner, through a half dozen scare crows and up and around another short hill tree 180 combonation brought you to the bunnyhop of death. Confronting riders after shooting out between an opening in some hedges there were two coffins and a pair of 2x4's that each rider had to get over. Totally bunnyhopable it was one of the best parts of the course, every lap I wanted to try to pedal in the air over it, but could never bring myself to try. Up and around the pavillion was almost entirely on pavement.  Down and back onto the grass toward the parking lot with a ton of speed straight into another loose hairpin turn.  It was slightly uphill and off camber to make it even tougher, definalty a highlight of the course.  It kept us on our toes.  A quick up and down before a run up with three barriers.  The ground leading into the first barrier was super soft and scrubbed speed like a sponge sucking me into the ground.  The run up was fun, not insanely long, but definatly longer than most, yet I felt strong every lap.  Atop the hill a quick twist around some trees and through a swooping left turn that was just ever so slightly washed out and off camber.  A long, stright super bumpy grass section, across the bike path and through a quick right and a left.  A downhill left turn to an uphill right turn and a slow swoop to the left.  A hard packed dirt climb let out onto the dragstrip of a final straight before a hard, grassy downhill right turn to the finish line.

 

Perfect timing to line up with everyone else and realize I was the only person in my race to be in costume.  Avoiding the pressure of a hack Duff Man trying to intice me with cold cans of Coors Light and trying hard not to make the Riddler feel bad about his rhyming that a third grader could decipher I joked with my start line asking when "everyone got so seroius?"  I was awarded with a chuckle as Casey came to the front of the group and said a few a words and the official finished it up.  Riders ready and the whistle.

 

 

 

I got off the line fast as usual, not quite the whole shot, at the top of the first hill I was sitting in third with quite a bit of pressure from behind.  I held that position across the barriers and through the first few twisty turns.  Everyone was off the line and riding hot.  I was able to hold the pace, but with Jesse in front of me I was getting pressure from behind to not let the yo-yo go so far, so I was pushing my bikes handling to the limits.  I had not planned to be third, it was just sort of the way it worked out.  I need to make it an effort to come off the line a little further back and just ride the tail end of the train until people simmer down a little and ride less aggrsively.  So going into the last loose turn before the short straight I came in a little too hot and washed out, droping nearly to the back of the pack.  After getting back up and going again I was not that far off the lead group, but getting stuck behind a slower rider and the solo effort was enough to keep me from getting back on.  I did however manage to make up some placing and recovered to sixth place.

 

I rode alone for a lap or so trying to hold off Mike all the while gaining on Tom.  It was probably on the thrid or forth lap I caught Tom on the run up barrier section with Mike close behind.  I sat on Tom's wheel through the grass straight in an effort to recover a little bit and once we hit the dragstrip I tried to break away from the two of them to no avail.  Tom had my wheel and Mike was right there for the ride.  I could already see that Cole had falled off the group with Jesse, Marko and Kyle so we just pushed foward.  Being half way through the race the superfan, triple barrier run up party was in full effect and the course was becoming more and more narrow.  It was awesome!  By the time Tom, Mike and I would get to the top of the hill there was probably only about ten feet of running room left for us as the crowd pushed closer and closer to us.  I got a nice pat on the head from Jay on one of those laps.  And it was on one of those, midway through the race laps, that the three of us were riding toward the lap line on the drag strip and we had made up enough time on Cole that he was only seconds ahead of us.  I sat up, looked over my shoulder, pointed and told Mike that I wanted to catch Cole.  He said something to the effect of "then make it happen" and we were off.  We were able to catch him before the bunnyhop of death and the four of us had our own race for forth place going on.  Tom seemed to be fading a little and Cole was obviously slowing as well, while Mike wasn't showing any signs of letting up.  We held a strong pace for a couple laps and Cole was the first to fall off the back after a short sprint and shortly after Tom let off as well.  Mike and I pushed hard through two to go and sat up to take a breather at the end of the lap on the dragstrip.  On the dragstrip once again.  We were both quietly assesing eachother.  He had an effort in him left and I didn't.  We had made good time on 6th and 7th, so were were comfortably sitting 4th and 5th.  I could have pushed it for one more lap and he probably would have edged me out and pulled away anyway.  So I appologized for my lack of pulling on the last couple laps and said something to the effect of that he just had more in him than I did.  He took that cue and was gone.  We rode across the lap line together, but with every corner and every hill he just pulled farther and farther away.  I made the point I wanted to make and I was happy with that.  I had remembered my last lap at Gibbs Lake and had requested a reminder on my last lap to take a beer on the run up.  So, there I was running up the hill, tired, sweaty, dehydrated and I reached for the ice cold can of Pabst.  I instantly remembered why I do not drink during races and one swig was all it took.  I had not recovered from it even at the finish line.

 

 It was such a good race.  I am really enjoying getting to know the guys I am racing with a little better too.  After the race Julie and I headed west a little and had dinner with her parents.  Why is Spotted Cow so much beter on draught?  Four days and I will be landing in Hartfort, CT trying to lug a bike box to the car rental pick-up.  I learned today that there is actually seperate UCI Elite and Mens 1/2/3 races at these events.  I am really excited to race.  Looking at the results from this weekends USGP race, Brian was solidly in 30th and I regularly finish about 2 minutes back on him will put me in the mid forties.  So lets make the goal to beat half the guys that register.  Julie, who can't possibly be any better of a supporter, has found a way to one up herself.  She found out that the only way to get into the pit at the UCI races is to either be a licensed mechanic or paramedic.  She is planning on going to the USAC mechanics classes in Colorado in January so she can support me in the pit next year.  Julie took pictures of me.  There are also pictures in there by Jeff and Tyrine03.