2013 WSBA Cyclocross State Championships

The WSBA Cyclocross state championship races were held up in Arlington again this year on a course situated on the airport grounds. Last year the rain turned the field into a soupy quagmire, and the course design featured multiple tight spirals through the energy-sapping mud. This year's race was a much different story however. The ground had frozen from the week of cold temperature, so the course designers were forced to resort to different strategies to whittle the field.
From the gun, the course shot into a right angle turn and then doubled back on itself toward the center of the course. Popping over a log, we then navigated a few corners before quickly jumping over the barriers and then into the only section of mud on the course. Shooting through the mud allowed for easy passage before navigating back into another series of tight turns.
Exiting onto a small chunk of pavement, we then shot up a short embankment and into a steep and rutted descent. A quick turn at the bottom and we then raced into the slick run-up. At this point, racers worked through some rutted corners before a long drag along the back of the course and toward the starting line.
I managed to get a decent start and work forward for the first half lap before a small bump caused my chain to stick. I was moving again almost immediately, but was now fighting from further back. Fueled by the frustration of the mechanical I flew back up the course, passing riders as I carved through the corners. Within a lap I found myself behind the same group of riders I had initially been combating. I put on the pressure as we entered a tighter corner and two of the riders wiped out. I snaked through the inside line and then turned up the throttle to gain some distance.
I was maintaining a good pace, and even passed a few more riders as we quickly approached the half-way point of the race. I could see my new targets ahead, and was slowly reeling them in. With 3 laps to go, one of the racers behind me had managed to latch on, and I could feel him breathing down my back. I held my lines and kept him contained for half the lap, but he managed to squeeze by on a wider section. I was on his wheel immediately, and we both raced ahead. As we hit a section of straight, I increased the pace and was back in the lead. I managed to hold this position until shortly after the barriers when he overtook me again.
As we entered the final lap, my opponent was just ahead and we were still gaining on the leading racers. I started increasing the pressure, hoping that he would make a mistake and I could capitalize on the situation. Unfortunately he was able to hold strong, and as we made the final corners I knew the positions weren't changing. We rolled through the line with a few seconds between us and started to cool off.
I was very happy to learn that I claimed 10th in the open Elite race - my best finish this year! We only have two SCX races left this year, so I only have a few left before the season wraps up. If I can continue to score some great finishes like this, I will be very pleased. Time to do a little work in preparation for Steilacoom next weekend and make sure I do well. See you out there, and keep on racing.

Seattle CX #4 - Sprinkler Park

Here we are, hitting the latter half of the WA state CX season. Temperatures have dropped, the weather is generally getting more 'Cross style (with mud), and the diehards are out in full force. Since the MFG season has ended, most of the casual racers (even in the Elite field) have hung up their boots and packed it in for next year. The remaining racers tend to come in at the end, covered in mud and with a smile on their faces.
Sprinkler Park tends to be a course I do well at - areas where the Road fitness can play a part coupled with some corners to slow it up. Temperatures were on the cooler side, and to make things even better the clouds opened up during the earlier races, sprinkling a chilling rain for the rest of the afternoon. As a culmination of my increasing performances, as well as the dwindling field, I received a call-up and was in the second line for the start. As the whistle was blown, we shot off the line and attacked the course in full-force. The field moved through the first sweeping corner without much slowing. However, in the sharp 180-degree turn before the barriers, the pinching point occurred. Some riders got caught up in the loose turn, and I managed to sneak by on the outside, making for a top 10 position. I hung on to the tail of the lead group as we hit the first hill and swung back into the woods.
By this point, the leaders had broken the elastic and I was now hanging on the back of the chasing group as we worked through the tight BMX-style inner section of the course. We then flew through the sand-mud and into the second run-up. A few corners later, and I was onto the longest section of the course: a narrow and high-speed path back to the start line. As we started the second lap, I was still hanging with the chase group. We continued to push the pace to try to get to the leaders, but after about half a lap I was now in the no-man's-land behind the chase group.
I was caught by a few other riders and we worked together, gaining on the chase group ahead. After a lap on the tail, I made my move and was now leading the pack. We continued to hustle through the course at our pace and working toward the leaders. I definitely started to feel the work and with the other riders breathing down my neck, I soon found myself making small errors. These caught up with me a lap later and now I was off the back of this group
I managed to get my second wind and start peeling in the pack, and was shortly joined by another racer who had fallen back from the racers ahead. We traded off pulling, and worked our way toward the racers ahead. At this point we only had 2 laps to go. We continued racing along and I could see the racers ahead of us - we were nearly there! I now really put on the pressure, and my companion went too wide in a corner and I jumped past. This was the final lap, and I now had less than half a lap to cement my position and see if I could catch the others. I laid down all the power I had left and raced along the back section of the course and into the final stretch. Topping out my gearing, I raced toward the finish and ended up a solid 13th, just seconds off the tail of the group I was trying to catch.
There were only 22 starters, but I am definitely happy with my 13th place finish, especially when I was only about 3:30 behind local super-star Russell Stevenson.
Next weekend is the WA State championships, so lets see what I can achieve there.
See you out there and keep on racing!