This past weekend ended my cycling season. I decided to go out with a bang and I had the weekend. So I decided to fill full a promise I made to Spencer Hackett and attend a Cap City Cross race. It just seemed to work that I had the weekend off and Cap City on Saturday and NEOCX on Sunday.
Luckily, my teammate Bill joined me on the drive down and we both did the cat 3/4. I have to say the course was a great classic course. It was set on the side of a Soapbox derby hill. The start was at the bottom and the finish was at the top. In between there was a ton of off camber turns and technical descents. On the back side there was a large run up with a technical rutted descent. Overall, I would rate it a good course. It kept everyone on their toes.
The race started at the bottom of the hill, and everyone bolted out of the start. I was really surprised. I just didn't expect a full on sprint up the hill the first time. I immediately went straight to the back of the pack. I got the last persons wheel and decided to conserve some energy, hoping some of the riders had blown up after the hill. I picked my way up to fourth and then my body got apathetic. I didn't blow up and I wasn't tired my legs just wouldn't push. Didn't really bother me as I was just trying to have fun on the course and open my legs for the next day. I ended up finishing 8th by half a wheel over 9th. He passed me at the bottom of the hill, and I stayed behind him up the hill and timed my sprint perfectly. 
Sunday was the return of the Broadview Heights course to the NEOCX. I was never able to race this race so it was interesting for me to see how it was. I know it was going to be an epic course cause John Proppe was designing it. I was right! The course was your traditional Ohio style cross race but this course had 2 huge technical downhills and a run up to end all run ups. These were difficult as is but what made them stand out was the cheering section that formed at the top of the run up. I've never had an experience like that before. It's hard to explain the feeling of getting up a run up and having to go through a barrier of sound.
Coming into the race that my third place position was in serious threat as a rider could make up enough points by just finishing the race and there would be nothing I could do. He was also the first person I saw when I pulled in. Heading over to the start and he was still in jeans and a coat. I went over and asked why he wasn't racing and if he knew he how close he was. Apparently, he had no clue he was that close.
Well anyway, at the point no one could take my third place and I couldn't pick up any more positions so I was just going to see how well I could do. After a botched started, I was midpack. I ended up next to Ian Broadhead and we stayed close together. He would pull away on the front side of the course and I was faster on the backside. So we were riding around together. On the run up, well it turned into a walk up for us we were talking and having fun. Joking about how this was the most non epic looking thing if anyone actually saw us walking up this hill chatting. We had no clue where we were in the placings. I figured 7th or 8th and I had no clue until two to go that I was in fourth and only 30 seconds from third and pulling them back. I tried pushing at that point but it was too late. Still more than happy to finish the final race close to the points.
Now I get to enjoy the offseason and eating cookies. I'll take a couple days off and then start base training again, trying to curb all I'll lost in January on my vacation.
