Charm City Cyclocross is my team's big cyclocross event in Baltimore. My team, Twenty 20 Cycling, does not mess around when it comes to putting on a top-notch, "A" game, PRO, kick arse CX event. This team lives for Cyclocross season and that is the reason many of us have wanted to join this squad....and IMO, the best squad in Balm-er.
The event runs both Sat and Sun from 9:00A to 5:00P. We were expecting 1,500 races from Oregon to the UK and many places in between.
Everyone on the team volunteers. One kick arse crew does course logistics (course design, coordination with the City, setup which includes a Zillion course stakes, tape, and the installation of stairs and barriers among many other things...) Another group handles host housing. Another volunteer coordination. Another registration. Add parking, medical, race officials, race timing, marketing and PR, prizes, announcers, food and hospitality and everything else I'm forgetting and you get an idea of what it takes to put on the event.
It's like a carnival. A Carnival of kick-arse CROSS. Yeah Twenty 20!
I'll take you through the week leading up to the big races and a few highlights. Thanks for reading!
Wednesday: race registration closed online. Crunched all the data w Matt. 1500 racers sorted by points with bib numbers assigned.
Thursday: "Dry run" of the registration process cause Matt and I both want to nail the real process this weekend!
- 2 laptops, check (+ more on Saturday)
- Printer drivers installed, check.
- Printer works, check.
- USB drives, check.
- Excel templates ready, check!
Now we were ready to register the racers on Saturday/Sunday and distribute all final data to Announcers, officials, and Results team. We aimed to have excellent data quality!!
Saturday:
- Woke around 5:30A
- Arrived registration area @ 7:00A and worked til 12p.
- Got a few pre-ride laps in
- Then warmed up
- Race started @ 2:30.
Here are a few race day pics:
The "planter" barriers. This is a park feature that our Twenty 20 boys make into a race feature every year!
Course area near the podiums/announcers/food restaurant row/beer garden and coffee area. Tons of spectators in this area. It was great to hear all the cheers!
Another picture of the "Planter" barriers
Sand! Two volley ball sand courts are turned into two sand pits separated by a short grassy section. After each race, they rake out all the lines so we can hit 'em fresh again and make our own new lines.
Hitting a u-turn
Overall
- Good day but def had some self-imposed stress with me
- Almost 40 women.
- I finished 22nd after two small crashes that cost me some precious seconds.
In hindsight, I needed more Zen to balance my Tillmanator on Saturday. The race hurt. 5 laps of suffering and 180+ heart rate averages. I pushed my body as far as it could go and more. I was trying too hard and made a few mistakes.
My best races are when I am relaxed while suffering beyond belief...
It was ok in the end as it always is....As I reflected that evening, I changed my perspective and that perspective is what I wanted to take forward into my Sunday race. I wanted to race hard and enjoy the painful race process. I wanted to take in more of the race and the overall experience of the day. I wanted to relax with the day. I wanted to appreciate more.
On to Sunday (after schlepping home, cleaning my "A" bike And recharging w food)
Panoramic of one half of the course
Sunday night weather
Course held up pretty well despite the rain we received all night.
Sunday
Registration was running smooth!
My Race at 2:30P
Rubbin is racing (-thx for pic Joe)
The finish!
Best part of my weekend - my Tillmanator support crew. I love them!!
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| Mom, Tracy, Amy, me and Ally |
The race actually was filled with all kinds of challenges today.
- I had an ok start, nothing great (I am not the best sprinter. Must. Work. On. That. in. Practice)
- I was riding hard and stayed with the lead pack
- After the first set of barriers, I felt my rear wheel rub. Had to stop and inspect to see if I could adjust the cantilever... I lost 5 seconds there before I remounted. I kept going, it didn't feel like it was rubbing anymore.
Two women passed me there though ... bah ... so I had to chase back. I had heat on my rear wheel. Going up the hill on the backside of the course after the stairs, she passed. Raced on.
- Into the sand the first time around, I had two women squirreling in front of me. I ate "course tape" right at the end of the pit and had to un-snaggle quickly before getting back to speed in time for the 2nd sand pit.
- I had my chase "on" again and I caught up to 3 women in front of me. Women I wanted to pass.
- This went on. The course was fast today. The rain had actually helped keep dust down and made turns stickier. I felt strong but had to keep digging deep to chase back on to the groups. This was racing. Sh!t happens. You deal. And you keep racing.
- Coming out of the stair section/back side of course, I felt my rear wheel rubbing again. No, I didnt want to race with my rear brake rubbing so I pitted. The 3 women that I was chasing gapped me as I took my pit "B" bike. My pit transition was pretty smooth though and totally worth it to have a good running bike for the rest of the race.
- I chased again but i never did close that gap.
- Despite the trials of the race unfolding to meet me, I raced really well. I caught two women in the last lap. I kept pushing into my suffer cave and gave it my all.
- I had fun.
- It was painfully hard but I did the best I could given what the race threw at me.
- I managed through the challenges with more ease. I just plain out accepted and moved on. I had to.
And best part, I had amazing loved ones, friends, and team mates cheering me on the whole time.
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| The other Tillmanator, my sister Amy. I am trying to get her to try CX... |
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| Yes, the crew was sporting the super hip Tillmanator shirts! LOVE. |
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| All the Race Stuff packed away until 2014 |
So as you can see, I am smiling pretty big.
C3 Twenty 20 Cycling IS the freaking best team ever. This crew is special. They put on what will probably be one of the best CX races of 2013. I am stoked to have been apart of making it happen.
