Charm City Cyclocross Weekend

Saturday and Sunday, Baltimore City (Druid Hill Park) hosted the largest Cyclocross race weekend in our Mid-Atlantic region.   The C3/Twenty20 team puts this race on every year and it attracts many from the Midatlantic area, New England, and even a dozen or so pro races from across the pond.   This was my first weekend racing with my new team colors as I decided to join C3 after about a year long “courting” period.

This weekend I’d be racing about 35 women, including the UK cyclocross Champion Helen W and a Belgian pro Joyce V.   Throw in the mix some wicked fast, aggressive tough ladies from up and down the East Coast --- and well as we say it:  the field was “stacked.”   No racing with the boys this weekend, I was saving all my energy for my Elite race at 2:30P each day.

I was early to the event both days to help volunteer as well as “study” the course.   2 sets of barriers, a crazy U-turn downhill “chute” into a stairs section,  sand pits, and tons of turns as well as punchy climbs were some highlights of the course terrain.  It was fast.  It was super hard.  There was no place to really rest.  No rest.   

 I had butterflies all morning Saturday – a welcome sign.  Kind of like preparing for a date.   You are so excited yet your nerves are a tad shot and eager.  Yeah, I heart you Cyclocross!   I rolled to the starting grid about 15 minutes and lined up.   I was in the 3^rd row and thinking “start” smooth Jen, start fast.

Before I knew it the whistle was blowing and I was off.  Needless to say, my start pretty much s*cked but that is OK.   I raced from 32^nd position (or so) up to 11^th by the end of the race.   There were 34 elite women in the field.   They don’t give up.  They don’t rest.  They know how to suffer.  They are like “me” but at various skill and fitness levels.     I was riding clean and smooth and making serious gaps up working from the back up to 11^th position.   That is where I found my teammate, “Bad Kat”.   She was riding solid and I held her wheel for awhile.  She put the hammer down in the field up a false flat hill lap before last and I was thinking, man, she has some gas left in her tank.   I held.    Last lap, I was still holding and she made that very same move.  Unfortunately,  my gas wasn’t quite the same octane and she gapped me.   Great racing out there Kat, you rocked it.  

I also have to say kudos to my cheering section fan club:   Tracy, Dad, Vickie, Allyson, Mark, Bev and hubby, Ian, and many others.  You made the pain seem less painful or something like that.  

Oh and the support i received from C3 was amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!   Tillman-ator!!!!!!!!!!  (Thanks Shawn Downey, you freaking rock with the Mic)

 

Day 2 was more/less the same.  This time 36 women, faster women.  Seemed Sunday drew more of the fast ladies out.   Better start.   Freaking harder.  Much faster.   Serious pain.   But 10 degrees cooler.   There were a few “races within the race” and I had a pack of ladies that I was chasing down and many behind me “ready to take me down.”   It was tit for tat and a lot of back N forths.  

 

Man, these women are tough.

And then I think,  I am freaking tough too.

11^th day 1

15^th day 2

This is Elite UCI racing Jen,  you are out there.  These are the best riders.  You’re giving it everything.  You’re fighting.   And you’re progressing.

I freaking love this sport, did I mention that?

 

And thanks Tracy – for letting me have this “love affair” with CX.  

Until next weekend it's time to rest.   Next weekend is another epic race, Gloucester Massachusetts.   I'm leaving Friday, 10 hour drive.  2 more UCI races, racing both Sat and Sun.   More pros.   More Stacked fields.  Insane community.    More cyclocross, yes please!