Race Report #6. From bad to worse.

This race started off w/ bad karma nearly from the minute I pulled into the parking lot. All the main lots were full as my race was the 2nd to last of the evening and given the carnival atmosphere that is nighttime cross, no one was going anywhere. I pulled into a nearby office building, parked and started to get my gear ready. I pulled my bike of the car and w/o really thinking, leaned the rear tire against the bumper of the car next to me. I pulled out my B-day gift (thanks Zank!) and began to inflate the tires. Mr and Mrs C&C D roll up and Mr C yells (not politely mind you) "Hey, That's My CAR!" as if I'm about to boost his stereo. I reply in kind w/ a not so polite. "Relax" and moved my bike away. He then demands an apology. I'm a little dumb struck by this but manage a "Sorry dude, it's only a tire". "Exactly!" he says, which dumbfounds me still further. What kind of life does one live if someones tire on your bumper at a bike race stresses you out like that. Now over the past 4 or 5 years, despite racing in probably 30 or 40 of the same races, those words are the sum total of our interactions. I'm not hopeful for a budding friendship. Such a strange exchange from such a strange little man. And in case you were wondering, it was a Mazda MPV. Oh yeah, the race itself. Well if that little interlude didnt' leave a bad taste in my mouth, the dust cloud that enveloped our race certainly did. I was still caughing up bits of Brisbace at 11:00p.m. I didn't feel great all day and it foreshadowed the race. The course was short, dusty, and bumpy w/ zero recovery. 4:30-5:00 minute lap times were going to be the norm. Not really my cup of tea, but c'est la cross. I actually had a really good start, passing people easily and running as high as 8th before the lights went out. I suddenly had no answer for any of the surges that soon followed. I was suffering pretty bad when I saw 5 to go, and really thought of heading for the car. I still have know idea how I managed a mid-pack finish. I'm sure I owe it all to mechanicals or bad lap scoring. In retrospect, I was sick and didnt' know it. The whole family was feeling it on Sunday with one kid even throwing up. It's Tuesday as I write this and I still feel like I was thrown under a bus. It could be worse...my initials could be C.D.

thanks photoblake