Mixed Cross Feelings

Much like the first race back at the non-series Tweedcross, heading over to Callendar Park for the second round of the Scottish Cyclocross series was really about finding my feet back in racing. At Tweedcross I could hide in the B Race, but here it was into the maelstrom of the Vet40, the largest field, generally, in any of the rounds.

The recently busted knee (playing on a 15 year old surgery) ended up giving me no bother at all; the healed right arm (that kept me out of all last year's season) was no bother at all. I just need to engage the head into the whole operation. For some reason in the garage, with a set intervalled training session, I can go deep into my reserves. Out on the park I always seem to have something left at the end. 

At least a lot of the confidence in bike handling is there - taking the rough and technical descents in the saddle every lap, making up time in doing so. But I get to a certain level of fatigue, and ease off. The next race I'm signed up to is the Scottish Championships on 2nd December, so I've got time to work on that. Oh, and fix the bike.

Second last lap and the chain jumped between the cassette and wheel. In hauling it out it bent the rear mech, which started hitting the spokes. A bit of simple brute force bent it out enough not to hit the wheel, but I lost the easiest 4 or 5 gears, and the chain being twisted I was wondering if it would even last the lap and a bit that was left.

Fortunately it did, and I've still never DNF'd a cross race. But even without losing the two minutes or so fixing the chain and mech, all a bit of a disappointing outing in terms of result.

Back to training!

(nice to have Ken along to watch and chat to during the other races - and he was something of a celebrity given his recent world record handcycling effort)

Couple of extras of some much much faster riders (including Rab Wardell on his way to winning the Open race)