Why not have a race report thread like the Road Bike Racing Fourm has?
OK, here is mine:
Saturday at NEOCX's first race at Camp Manatoc. Raced in the Sport 45+ race. We were combined with the Sport Open, Sport 35+ and Women's Sport races making a 60+ rider field. The start was on a single lane gravel road. I raced fast and hard at the start to get to the bottle neck leading into the first of three wooded sections. Went into the wooded section around 15-20th place and just followed the guys in front of me over the single track consisting of trees with huge root systems and a couple small hills. Once in a small clearing I was able to pass two riders before we went back into the woods and onto single track. Once back out of the single track and on a short gravel road I attempted to make a pass on the gravel road when a spectator and his son stepped onto the road into my line. I touched the brake and went down hard onto the same knee and leg that I crashed on in last week's State Master's RR Champ. I hit so hard that my shoe stayed with the pedal. I needed to move the bike off the driveway, put my shoe back on, straighten the shifters and put the chain back on. I'm now about last place of the 60+ riders.
My knee and leg were really burning and bleeding while I got back up to speed. I started to pick off riders in the grassy area before we crossed the sand volleyball courts and barriers. Luck would have it that the 2nd time we crossed the sand pit a women racer would stop and fall over in the sand right onto my line. I fell over while still clipped in right onto the freshly open wounds giving them a good coating of sand.
The rest of the race was uneventful, other than the usual self inflicted pain needed to overcome the next rider ahead. I continued to pick off guys as I got my rhythm back. The course was not cross bike friendly as the first two racers overall were on 29'ers. The thick tree roots, dry loose soil and bumpy grass favored the big tires and suspension. I got lapped right before the start/finish line and had my race cut short by one lap. Cleaning up after the race was hard to do.
I can't wait for next week.