It's been a really fantastic month, though. All my races from the second half of the season, and in particular November, were getting progressively better. Fitness, starts, smarts. And also just a lot of fun, too, which is pretty important.
I had a podium finish at Northeast Velo Cross, then a great ride to 4th place the next day at Shedd Park in Lowell. Last weekend I had two very good rides at the final Verge series races in Sterling, and then on Saturday I had a great ride at NBX in Warwick. Really, I've been feeling great about everything concerning cyclocross lately. But I guess sometimes being happy doesn't drive you to be your best, sometimes angry can work a lot better. Which is why I'm going to call my race yesterday, Sunday at NBX, one of the best things that can have happened to me. Fuel to power me through the next month of training before nationals.
I had a good start, awesome power, and was riding with a group of very strong, fast girls. For a lap and a half. Then I crashed. I was going for it and overcooked a corner. It wasn't bad, but I landed on my right knee and lost a little skin. Okay, that's OK. Get up, get going. I might have lost one place to that. Then I was rolling into the smaller of the two sand pits. I got off my bike to run and got sort of stuck and fell onto my bike, hitting my right knee again. That one actually hurt. Okay, no problem, get up, get going. I was caught by a couple people here, and went to go with them, and realized my right shoe had come loose. When I'd fallen in the sand I'd hit the little quick-release button on the buckle and it loosened way off. Rats. If you've never tried it, I recommend against trying to buckle a shoe while pedaling. It just makes you look like an idiot. Anyway, I rode around with it loose for a lap and a half, which was super problematic in the long sand run, and finally stopped and tightened it. Also I think I'd jammed some dirt in my shifter or something, so I made a couple trips through the pit. We'd practiced our bike exchanges prior to the race, and we executed one really nice one and one that left a little something to be desired. Anyway, I rolled through somewhere in the 20's and super, super pissed off about the whole thing. It was the last UCI race of my season, and I was in a perfect position, with good legs, to prove to myself what I can do, and all I proved is that I can fall apart after a couple minor crashes. Meh.
But I'm going to let myself be angry, because it will motivate me for good races at nationals. Ice Weasels is next weekend, but I don't want to be angry at Ice Weasels, I want to have fun and get in some fun times with my NECX crew.
Anyway, unfortunate day 2 race aside, it was a truly fantastic weekend, following a stellar month, with my super teammates, and our super duper support crew and cheering squad. Why does CX season have to go by so fast?!
