TIAA-CREF Foothills CX Race #2

We missed race #1 but we had the biggest team (all 4 of us) for race #2. Forty three guys toed the line including mountain bike legends Peter Webber and Travis Brown. 43 is cool and almost as good as 42 but when the race goes to a chicane , barriers and then single track after 75 meters, the start can be nasty.

Team Voodoo/Drunkcyclist kept together (safety in numbers) for gun to go off. It's not like any other race I've been to with this official. He sees everyone ready then walks up says, "Race is 60 minutes on my whistle." Then he waits like 5 seconds and blows. I like the short wait and "to the point" attitude. Doug likes the blowing part.

Well, we were safe at the start but did not start so fast. I counted 3 of us in mid pack with Doug in the teens. Keep calm, pass when you can. I wasn't too worried when I saw T Brown beside me. After two laps passed, T Brown and myself made our way to the front group of 10. The next lap the group was 7. The next lap the group was 5. Brown was on his pink single speed pedaling at 100mph when his chain came off---broke a link but not the chain so he limped it back to the pits for a bike change. Now, we were 4.

I took my time and just hung on. A few attacks came and the group was 3 for a few minutes but it came back to 4. The next group back was at 30 seconds and included Brown and Webber.

With 3 to go, I went to the front and after the single track section I had a little gap so I punched it. I suffered for the next 15 minutes with only a small gap but I came away with our first win of the season.

Doug, Jim, and Steve had their own battles at the race, too, with flats, crashes, and a broken derailleur. However, Doug was the first to bring out the new Scandium Limba Cross bike and I can't wait to do the same next weekend.

PS. Beer in the pits is a good idea.