Northbrook

I placed 18th this weekend in the beginner class. I didn't feel too hot. My back was killing me about half way through and my stomach was bugging me too. I had to use the bathroom all day and I wasn't about to use the port-o. I'm happy to be top 20 though. The course had a lot of long straight ways which gave me a run for my money with my bike. Some slippery technical sections near the end of the loop. A lot of peanut-buttery mud and grass too. I had people slipping and falling in front of me on the off camber sections. There was another sand pit that snagged a lot of racers, old and young. But the secret was to get a lot of speed and just fly through it.

This week I tried to keep it cool as long as I could and keep my heart rate and effort manageable. I only lasted about a lap before I really started to push, I think. I felt like I was farther back in the group, in the 30's. The start of the race had a long out-and-back that led into a technical slow section, followed by another long out/back into yet more flat grass racing, then into a little technical and slippery section, that dried out and straightened out to the sand pit at the start finish. I knew people would be taking the sand pit really slow and would be fatigued by the end of the lap, so I attacked it as hard as I could. I think I raced 4 laps, but I thought we were told 5. I actually remember this race better than any previous. But it still goes by so fast theres hardly any time to think about anything other than the moment.

As of this morning I'm a part of team Rhythm Racing. I've been hanging around these guys at the races and their training ground long enough that they just assumed I was part of the team, but last night they voted and I'm official. They are #5 over all for the Chicago Cyclocross Cup 09 season.

I've managed to keep my weight down to just under 160lbs since RAGBRAI. I think I gained 5lbs during the ride across Iowa and was up around 165~, lately I've been around 156lbs. Which is about where I want to be. If I gain weight, I want it to be muscle. With training on Tuesdays and Thursdays, along with riding on the trainer, we'll see. It's going to be a hard winter in more ways than one.