It's not fall, its not winter. It's the season of CX! Well for my mind
CX just kept creeping into my dreams, my desires, my focus in training.
My first races in September didn't go so well. I would have a decent
start and then something would fall apart, being me or my gear. I rolled
tires in the first three races, I found my fitness not quite up to par
with the gents that had been training specifically for CX since June or
those coming off of a strong road season. I figured this was alright
though. I really wanted to be "driving" the bike come November and
December anyway.
When I last raced CX in 2009 I was
still living out at the gateway to the Pacific Northwest in Idaho. I
would find myself heading over to Boise, down to Salt Lake City or
Ogden, over to Bend, OR or to Portland, OR. All long road trips, all
really good scenes for CX. With all the CX hoopla going on around
the U.S. over the past decade, New England still has the history and
the depth that other regions will always be chasing to catch. I've really been fortunate to find myself in New England CX scene this fall. Heck
I am fortunate that my road season took a break in August/September due
to some back issues and I found myself rested and hungry to race in
October and November. Original intentions focused on fall road racing
suddenly became mired wandering down to Massachusetts or Rhode Island to
race CX. However, after one race and I wasn't mired at all. I simply
had lost focus on how much I enjoyed CX. How much I enjoyed the scene
and the people that race CX, the difficulty and skillset required for
CX. These folks are true Hedonist of the sport. I have a dear
friend that resides in Belgium and races CX. Don't be misled, I don't
have direct experience with Belgium CX racing or culture, but listening
to his experiences I see similar CX fanatics here in New England. It is
truly amazing to see so many different folks having fun and making a
party out of chasing one another around in the woods, the mud, over
barriers, through sand and up steep hills in tights.
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| Running through the Pawty! - Ice Weasels |
So,
as with so many other New Englander's the right direction to go this
time of year is CX racing. Now, I am perpetually driving to RI and MA as
we head into its final month CX here in New England. As folks turn
their final build focus to CX Nationals the first week of January in
Asheville.
Myself, well I
hadn't really put Nationals as a real expectation this year. While it
was always in the back of my mind it seemed just out of reach with the
other life balances I look to keep in check every day. As I write, I
have found myself in a final build and headed to Asheville. A dress
rehearsal for Nationals in CT? Yes but definitively No. The details are
coming together, I am going through my gear with a fine tooth comb, my
training is on tract and fitness is still rising. And most importantly
my hunger is at an all time high. I am looking forward to what Asheville
has to throw at us in January. I am looking forward to a road trip with
our "director sportif". The stories and dialogue that only a road trip
produces when couped up with a friend for hours. After all, its the
journey that actually carries the most value. The destination? Well,
I've done the homework and I just have to go do what I do, drive the
bike. Let the moment take its course.
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| Through Woods - Ice Weasels |
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| Driving the bike through the Kitty Litter |
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| Sand Cornering - Ice Weasels |
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| Punching it through Kitty Litter - Ice Weasels |
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| Podium - Ice Weasels |
