Dust, blood, hay: Pain on the Peak cx

My number of bodily injuries have exponentially increased over the past two weeks.  That can mean only one thing, it's cyclocross season.  I won't go through all the injuries but let's just say I look like either a victim of the Cheese-grater Killer or a 5-year-old who just got done with a summer of climbing (and falling out of) trees.  Suffice to say, I'm getting a little better at cornering.

rawr, hills.
(photo courtesy of Mattew Haughey)

On today's warmup I crashed hard on the first real corner on the course.  Blood running down my knee, shifters all crooked and a busted open gel running down my leg.  Then I had a flashback to last year.  I did the exact same thing, blood, shifters, hay and I wound up winning off the front.  Hey, let's see if it works this year.  Oh, and on top of this my gear cable pulled out 10 minutes before the start leading to a rather rushed pre-race ritual.  Heck, this all this I'm probably going to lap the entire field.  Twice.

Hey look, I'm passing people!
(photo courtesy of Richard Rosko)

grinding up yet another hill
(photo courtesy of Richard Rosko)

I didn't.  I don't know what happened but I just didn't have it at the start.  The race took off and there I was trying to get up to speed.  I don't know if it was legs or mind but something wasn't quite there today.  I butchered the first few corners and found myself second from last.  Well, at least I can only go up from here.  I did the work and got the workout in but I wasn't impressed with my performance.  I wound up 11th out of 18 but really should have been in the top 10.  I could blame it on the injuries from the pre-race crash, crappy shifting due to my rushed fix or the fact that this course was like riding through a giant bowl of powdered sugar which was better suited for a mountain bike, rather than a cross bike.  Ok, enough excuses and complaining, I didn't get the job done and I let this one go.  I've got it out of my system.  Oh, yesterday I had the song "If I Die Young" by The Band Perry stuck in my head during the race; today it was S.E.X. by Nickelback, definitely an improvement but next time I'd rather be rocking out to something like this.

Heading out for one last lap
(photo courtesy of Richard Rosko)

Up next:  Starcrossed.  I am by no means prepared for it but I'm excited to line up against the like of Bart Wellens, Jeremy Powers and Todd Wells.  My goal:  have the race of my life and finish on the leaders' lap.  Hey, I can dream can't I?

On a very related note, I have to say a huge thank you to this lady below.  She puts up with all this racing, listens to me whine about how I stink about handling a bike and bandages all the road rash that seems to appear far too often.  Miss Derf, thank you.

the unseen, and often unthanked
other half of the team