Race: Southampton C Race
Location: South Hampton, NY
Date: Sunday, Oct. 2, 2005
Our C race was scheduled for 9 am, but delayed until 11. I had a good extended warmup with Karl Dittebrandt. In retrospect, it would make sense to bring a trainer for extended warmups when the weather is not so cooperative, since field consolidations can result in long delays.
In our field of five riders (four "C" men and one woman), two riders ("C" male leader and female leader) got away pretty quickly, and I soon found myself slightly behind the third place rider.
I found myself unable to ride up the first hill, and on the first lap tried to do so for a bit too long before dismounting. I also noticed a tendency to lean on the handlebars while pushing the bike uphill, and I tried to prevent that on the later laps.
I overtook the rider in front of me near the end of the first lap, and he declined my offer to work together on the long straightaway (are you supposed to do that in cyclocross?). I was feeling great for the second lap and the first half of the third, trying to apply the skills I had learned in my recent training session with Ian and Eric.
On the switchbacks coming out of the woods, I did well on the first two laps. I barely used the front brake and feathered the rear brake. I felt like I was in good control of the bike. On the third lap, however, I fell on the next to last turn and the rider behind me passed me. I got back on the bike and did my best to make up some of the distance. My dismount and jumps were good, but I fell again when remounting and that ended that.
Karl put in a good day of riding too, but unfortunately he suffered a flat.
I look forward to resuming racing on Sunday, October 16!
Gary
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