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-   -   First cyclocross race! (https://www.bikeforums.net/cyclocross-gravelbiking-recreational/152463-first-cyclocross-race.html)

multisport 11-08-05 08:59 PM

First cyclocross race!
 
Wow! is all I can say to start with. It looked fun and fast, but I didn't know how fun (and tiring) it really was. It was a very low key race with limited participants, but the most experienced person said it was right up there with the most difficult courses he had done. The run-ups were wood-chip (think course mulch) piles. Some were just up and over, but some were long enough that we ran along the top of them like running over the roof line of a ranch style house.

I did it on my bike that I am converting to a cross bike with some conversions yet to be done. The bike has a triple and I am thinking of making the smallest ring a 32t since I could have used something less than a 38 but larger than a 28.

Will post how future races go and maybe a pic of the bike when it is done.

wheezer46 11-12-05 10:19 PM


Originally Posted by multisport
Wow! is all I can say to start with. It looked fun and fast, but I didn't know how fun (and tiring) it really was. It was a very low key race with limited participants, but the most experienced person said it was right up there with the most difficult courses he had done. The run-ups were wood-chip (think course mulch) piles. Some were just up and over, but some were long enough that we ran along the top of them like running over the roof line of a ranch style house.

....snip..

Just did my first cross race (and first bike race) today at Ida Lee Park in Leesburg, VA, 45+ masters. Beautiful fall day, tough but fun course (no mud). I thought these guys were supposed to be old and slow? Apparently they never got the word! I totally got my ass kicked!

Technically, everything went well - no crashes or bike problems. The first half of the course was all steep up and downhills and sharp turns, very tiring. Second half was relatively easy open grass field riding (but very bumpy). Unfortunately I was so rigged from the first half I couldn't open it up on the "easy" part. I handled the hills and turns well, even did the barriers surprisingly smoothly, but just coudn't recover from all the steep hills. By the third lap I was suffering like a dog, but somehow held on to finish (but did get lapped). To sum it up in a few words: fun, tough, painful, humbling. Would I do it again? Sure. I have another race next week in Richmond.

Until this morning I THOUGHT I was in pretty good shape and a pretty good climber. WRONG!

Iffacus 11-13-05 06:59 AM

glad you guy's are enjoy the sport.

stick at it, and you'll soon improve

PedalMasher 11-14-05 02:33 AM

I did my first race today in 4 inches of mud in Portland, Oregon. An amazing and fun time. How do I explain to the misses I need a 4th bike now? ha


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