Battle of Barlow - My First Cx Race of the Year!

Photo Credit: Jose Sandoval

Coming into this past weekend I wasn't sure if I'd be able to race or not. I'd sold my San Jose a few weeks earlier so I'd have cash to put down on a new Cx bike, and as of Thursday I still didn't have it! Friday I got the call that the bike was built and I could swing by and pick it up - perfect! I already had plans to mountain bike on Saturday, so Sunday pre-race was my first time on the bike - which caused a few problems during the day (slightly different frame geometry - which meant I kept sticking my hand into my spokes instead of through the frame when I tried to pick it up) - but overall it was a lot of fun to ride!

The course was perfect on Sunday. Muddy, muddy, muddy - and tough handling - which made for an exciting, fun race. I managed to line up in the front for the start - and was in about 5th place heading into the first off-camber section. I was creeping up into third headed into the first set of barriers - which was the first time I stuck my hand into my wheel and almost dropped my bike. so pro! I dropped a couple spots in that fumble, but had caught back up to everyone by the time we were at the railroad tie run up. I passed two or three girls going up the rail ties....and then never saw anyone from my race again. I didn't like it! It was very strange to be out riding by myself - and by the end of the first lap I was panicking a bit, so I slowed down until two of the master's A riders caught up to me mid-way through my second lap. They would have caught me eventually anyways (they're both spectacular mtn.bikers) - but I felt much better once there were people ahead of me that I could 'chase' again.

The race was over before I knew it - It went by really quickly, and I had a great time. It was the perfect course for a single speed bike - because I think with all the sticky mud it would have been tough to shift cleanly anyways. Sooo - end result was I ended up winning my category - which was really exciting - BUT not everyone was there, so it will be interesting to see how things go at this weekend's race at Alpenrose Dairy - which is the first race in the Cross Crusade series!