MFG #4 Magnuson Park

A cool but dry Fall day was the perfect backdrop for this year's race at Magnuson. This is a long course that was introduced last year and features 1/3 fast grass switchbacks, 1/3 tighter muddy sections, and 1/3 gravel/asphalt sections. It is a FAST course although the mud last year bogged it up a good amount and the gravel climb is ready to sap strength lap after lap.
Due to my good season so far I received a front-row start and with the longer starting chute I managed to hit the grass in a great position about of about 5th place (I really need to work on my starts!) and hung with this lead group through the initial sections of grass. As we moved into the brief road section connecting the grass with the muddy/dirt section I moved into the lead. I had pre-ridden the course, so I knew that the rain had made the course lightly muddy but not the thick goop from 2011. Still I took the fast route and rode the paved lip of the tennis court rather than the muddy rut that most chose. As we hit the stairs I saw that our lead group had a decent gap on the rest of the field (we were cutting through the single-speed men since before the barriers, so they were already getting caught up a bit).

Pressing on, I hit the hill HARD (I knew from last year that this would be a deciding feature of the course) and started lap two still leading the field - only 6 more to go! Lap 2 and 3 were pretty similar affairs - learning the quirks of the course to find where I could go faster/harder and finding the best places to take a little breather. On lap 4 as we rounded the corner by the tennis fields I unclipped a little and the 2nd place rider came around me. He said we had a big gap and to keep pushing and I got back in front (I didn't know if he gave me the lead again or if I actually powered into it - Talking to him afterward he said he was gassed and just hanging onto my wheel) but now I continued to punch out the course (i figure he just wanted to ride in my shadow with the hope of taking me in the sprint). Knowing it was just us two I tried shaking him by squeezing past riders who were taking up the middle of the course and laying on the power when I found a good place to do so. With 2 laps to go, my added pressure worked; as we went through a slicker corner he washed out a bit and upon hearing the slide I laid on the gas. I didn't look back to see if it worked, I just kept up my pace and tried to increase my lead on the field to defend the position.
Finally we entered the last lap. Now I was watching as we cut back and forth along the grass to see how much gap I still had. It looked like I led the field by about 15 seconds or so, so I had to keep it up otherwise they could potentially catch me. I continued my well-working route through the course, hitting the gas in key areas to increase my lead and working past the now very busy field as I could. As I topped the stairs for the last time I saw they were getting close - just entering the corner that leads into the stairway! I hammered down the gravel road and pushed over the hill for the last time passing some more of the now very tired singlespeeders. Entering the asphalt finish drag I tucked in and mashed up the slight grade. I knew I had a lead and sat up to shake my fist as I passed the line - finally after just missing the podium all season I snagged my first win of the CX season!
Next weekend is a double-header of both MFG and SCX, and hopefully I can pad my lead in the MFG series and work up from my 3rd place in SCX.

Congrats to our large group of competitors this weekend!

David Matthews - 61st - Men's Singlespeed (of 86 racers - huge field!)
Jenny Dallas - 5th - Women's Singlespeed
Melissa Desimone - 14th - Women's Singlespeed