Who wears the Spandex in this house?

Clearly it is Bridget.

Sunday we both raced Biowheel's UCI Cyclocross Race at Harbin Park. All of the luck that I had in my first race was not there from the instant the starter pistol went off (where I was fumbling to shove my water back into my jersey). I registered late and in UCI races this means you are gridded farther back on the starting line. I sat in patiently for a bit too long and attempted to re-tap the Little Fiery Bernard Hinault in my heart. My legs began to churn. I gained places. This was a race for me. I've lost the weight. I've climbed the hills. I love grass. Oh wait, I also hate sand. So my first ride through the sand wasn't so great. But I kept pushing. I begin to corner aggressively. And on an off-camber corner my pedal clips the ground and I fall over. Racers pass. Tony from Biowheels passes from the 35+ race that started behind me. I'm back up. Maybe he can be the white rabbit and I can be a greyhound? I climb. I push through the grass.

I come upon a downhill section through some trees that is followed by a blind sharp right hand turn. It was here I went a bit too fast. I came to the blind turn to find another rider who had wrecked. To avoid him I turned too sharply. I began to slide. I collided with the fallen rider as he was trying to get back up. More riders pass. I quickly get up. My chain is off. More riders pass. The chain is fixed and I am back up. I ride up through single track and begin riding downhill towards a dismount where I will shoulder my bike uphill. But my cleat gets stuck in the pedal and I go down again. I get and begin pushing my bike. I hear CLINK CLINK CLINK. I think I have a broken spoke so I stop and inspect the back wheel. I walk the bike a bit. Inspect it again. Time is passing. I realize that my chain had dropped again but perhaps my spokes are okay. On I race again.

The rest of the race I rode okay. I never made it uphill through the sand — one lap I was only a pedal stroke away. One lap my cleat come out too late before the barriers and my bike hits the barrier. At times I was strong. At times I thought I would puke. There is always another race...

Road Rash Billiter lap times
Prologue: 2:02.4
Lap 1: 11:45.1
Lap 2: 9:37.0
Lap 3: 9:39.7
Lap 4: 9:37.6
Total: 42:42.03
I finished 27th out of 46 riders. I think even if I rode more consistently and did not lose the two minutes in the first lap I still would have only placed 20th or so.

Bjet lap times
Prologue: 2:07.7
Lap 1: 9:04.1
Lap 2: 9:08.0
Lap 3: 9:01.6
Total: 29:21.58


Two fast Trekkies...