Cyclocross Racing - Iron Cross & Charm City

Anybody else doing Iron Cross? This will be my first time. Looking for nothing more than a good experience and some hard training miles to jump start the season.

Also, if you are planning to race Charm City, I'd sign up soon. The C race is already at 68 entrants and the 'B's are at 41. Both will hit the 100 racer cap well before the 21st.

I love this time of year.

You had me worried that Iron Cross was happening early or something :) 6 weeks away, yet.

I'll be at Charm City racing for Page Valley Cycling this year. Are you w/ bike rack?

im already signed up for charm city's c and b race.

I am most likely skipping iron cross this year as I want to be more competitive for regular cross races this season.

^^^ did you do iron cross single speed last year, Lith? if so, what gearing did you run?

I'm doing the B race for Charm City. Having that group 2/3/4 should make it a challenge but I am done with the chaos that is the C race. Threw Iron Cross into the mix for the training. Hope that turns out to be the right call.

I am riding unattached this year. Possibly in an Unattached Rider kit.

nice. it's a sharp kit and i haven't (yet) seen anyone local wearing it.

yeah i did iron cross on a 42x17. it was too big for sure.

Id really like to do that race again and shoot for sub 4 hours but I am really looking forward to the following weekend of racing and am not sure I would be recovered in time. Iron Cross was no joke for me last year.

im racing for my sweet handlebar mustache this year.

i think i'm going to do it 42x19. didn't the winner of SS last year do something like 4h:20?

No a couple guys including the 3rd place finisher who did it fixed finished in like 3:30. I think they were all riding 2:1 ratios aswell. Keep in mind there are long steep fireroad climbs that have people on geared bikes walking.

actually i just looked it up. you are right. everyone was over 4 hours. I must have been over 5 with the hope of going under 4 the next time. jeez

i'm moving to dc in early october, is there somewhere i can find all the local races and maybe some folks to share rides/gas $ with?

http://midatlanticcross.info/home.htm

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=441438

bikereg.com

I'm in for Charm City's C race. Either racing in the old University of Rochester kit or the new Bike Rack kit.

I'm in for my second year of Charm City. I'll be in the C mens/Cat. 4 race. I'll be rocking the Bike Rack DC kit and a blue & silver C'dale. Looking forward to seeing the whole DC-region 'cross scene come back together for another year!

Wow, 2 dudes in the same forum racing for the Bike Rack--glad to see my employer getting some love!

haha, hey vaughn! it's john. hope school's good, see you at charm city?

Yeah, schools great! Will definitely see you at Charm City!!

shieck - you lovely bast@rd! hit me with an email someday soon. the season's gates are opened!!! holy crap am I ready.

How sweet. Missed you, too.

Officially, this weekend is Race #1 for me. Of course, unofficially, I did an hour race sim at Northeast DC's Landgdon Park during the remnants of Hurricane Hanna. Me against the elements. I think I came in fourth.

I'll drop you a line soon Mr. Deathlap/Pitboss/165.

Weather looks pretty bad for Charm City; sunny skies and warm temps in the 80s. Forget mud and cowbells - it's gonna be dust and coughing.

Please, please, please let MABRA/MAC get muddy this year!!!

^^^just like last year.

guys,

keep an eye out for my new and improved aero mustache

guys,

keep an eye out for my new and improved aero mustache

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3180/2869791153_73a175535f.jpg?????????!!!!

thats pretty close!

So how'd it go out there? I got stuck in the pack in the B race and wasted a beautiful racing day to post a lowly 53rd. At least I didn't get pulled. Gotta fight for the front next week.

And you, fellow competitors, what's the story? ...

I raced the B masters. Started a bit further back than I would have liked and had to flinstone that off camber bit where there was a first lap crash. I really worked hard after that and passed a large number of guys. I had a pretty solid ride but can tell that having not raced much road this year has hurt me a bit. Finished 26th out of around 100. My teammate really killed it and got 3rd in the same race. Great race... they really do an awesome job every year and this was no exception. can't wait til next weekend.

i had a horrible day racing at charm in both the b and c races which resulted in mechanicals ending my day short in both. It wouldnt have mattered anyway becaue I was pretty blown from my race the day before.

I had a great time watching everyone else race in the glorious weather.

had a pretty disappointing race actually. had to race on my commuter bike, started out in the back, passed a whole bunch of people in the first lap only to drop my chain and get passed back. by the time i was back in it i was pretty spent and did quite a bit worse than last season.

oh well, some days you eat the bear, some days the bear eats you. i'll be at hains doing intervals on tuesday for sure.