CTL: 105
Teammates: none
Wanted to get a longer ride in after the race, and judging by the lap times of the last CCCX race (thanks Joe), I would be mid pack in the C's, so signed up for the first race of the day in the C's.
New course and venue, lots of narrow sections and a couple of tight corners on a three foot wide wooden walkway over a very fecund looking lake. One long run up with stairs with about thirty inches between steps and another equally long section that was rideable with my 34x26.
Used the Michelin Mud in the front and Jet in the rear with both at the lowest recommended pressure, 36 PSI. The grass was pretty slick from the morning dew and the fog still had not lifted when the race started.
The juniors started thirty seconds back of us and the starter Mike told us to play nice in case we were lapping or being lapped. :)
Since the field was only about twenty riders it was not too hard to stay with the fastest riders on the first lap until we hit the first technical section and the rider in front of me almost came to a stop at a hairpin and this is the last contact I had with the top four riders. It's amazing how that happens! I am just not aggressive enough...
Anyways once we have some separation, then I am in front of this next group I start having problems with the fog, can't see without my glasses and the glasses are too moist to see through so I have to slow on the long, fast sections out of self preservation and other riders make up ground on me quickly, or I am just fading after the first two laps, or a combination of the two. Finding myself close behind another rider I put my new found confidence in the low pressure of the tires in a slick corner and promptly wash out the front tire. I think I may have flatted here as well but since the tubes have sealant, the pressure goes down just a little due to lost air.
On the next to the last lap I can see one of the wee juniors giving a spirited chase in one of the loop back sections of the course so I can't give up yet! On the last lap we are separated by the same amount but now the fog has cleared up a bit more so I can use my huge weight advantage on the downhills to put a little distance on him by the finish. Mass before youth...
Ride a lap with the B racers and my low pressure front goes flat as soon as I hit a hard root on the first lap. Will have to go back to forty PSI for the next race.
I explore Watsonville for a few hours after the race, find mundane looking subdivision roads that become much more interesting and rural and rolling after a few twists and turns. I only see three other riders in three hours, one recommends Hazel Dell which I go up for ten minutes and save the rest for later. By chance I find Mt Madonna Road which I have only heard about beforehand, only have time to go to the top and back today but next time I am coming back straight here to fully enjoy all of it.
Results show only got tenth in the C's! Just nine more top tens to get an upgrade from 4 to 3.
I think this puts me first in the Low Key Hill Climb/Cyclocross omnium this week, though. Next week I am going for the Low Key Hill Climb/Track Points Race/Cyclocross omnium...
Pavg:173
Pnorm: 221
H: 177
C: 80
S: 19.9 kph
T: 33:28
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