Supporting Local Racing (BTW - The End is Near)...

It must be as SW MO actually had a 'cross race and honestly, it was a great layout and fun challenging course.  Now, the reason I make such a big deal is historically 'cross just never caught on here and too many 'heros of the road' shrug it off as something to avoid and thus their 'minions' do the same.  Too many times in the past a 'cross' race was put on but in reality it was designed and intended for mtb'ers, which is fine to have a short track race, but don't call it a 'cross race.  I put on a little four week 'cross practice/mini race deal in August but attendance was low and not much interest was expressed.

Luckily that all changed this past weekend as Robert Ellis and his Cox Health crew put in a ton of work and effort and put on Hanna's Hope CX race Sunday.  Based on a cancer foundation the event was trying to raise money for it's cause.  I was on the fence about doing the event as KC had Sat/Sun events, but you know what I am a 'cross racer in the SW MO area and if there is an event then I should support it (and so I did).

The day after Cincy3 a massive head cold attacked me (cat1 style) and kept me off the bike until a light spin on Thursday.  That makes to bouts of sickness in three weeks (arg), but maybe that was not such a bad thing as I am feeling really physically recovered and ready for a good push of racing this month and early next. 

Friday got the HR elevated for a decent set of intervals on the rollers, Saturday pre-rode the Hanna's course several times before heading over to Two Rivers MTB Park and knocking out a couple hours of 'cross bike riding the trails and getting in a handful of solid climbing repeats (Jingle is coming), and so that brought me to Sunday morning toeing the line at a local event (only a 55 minute drive one way). 

Let me back up to the pre-ride:  Good course layout with three barrier sections (each unique in number and height) a short single track drop to a gravel road, fast open field sections, and then the sketchy parts where it went into the wood on some freshly brushhogged 'paths'.  These were rough, and rough, and then mostly rough.  Enough so I was on the fence about using a 'cross bike, but after four laps I found a little line that would work each time.  Aluminum tubies for sure as the carbons were staying at home.  Robert told me he and crew would work on the wooded sections to make them better. 

So back to race morning; pre-rode and sure enough they had killed it in the wooded sections and a great ridable wide path was there and this was going to be legit and fun.  Not a big field as I figured it would be small, with maybe seven starters.  UP ON A SOAPBOX HERE:  great to see OCC riders out in mass even though they primarily are a road team.  Tons of noticeable folks missing which is total BS and...  Never mind, I will walk away from that.

53 minutes of racing and by the end finished with a sizable gap on 2nd.  Pretty cool that all the podium guys kicked the winnings back to the race's cancer foundation.  It was a great event and lots of hard work and time resulted in SGF's best day of 'cross racing in many MANY years. 

Small field, but hey it is a start to hopefully more

 

 

Right after the race I headed toward the SGF trailhead of the Frisco Highline Trail to do a little ride support for Jake and his SBU Cycling club.  He and his girlfriend started this a handful of months back and Sunday was the club's big ride; 35 miles Bolivar to SGF on the trail.  They (a group of maybe 9) left at 1pm and I hit the trail at 3pm riding toward them.  Rode a good pace and after an hour I met the crew, feed them a bunch of energy food along with reloaded on water, and sagged them back.  That was a long slow ride as it was apparent several were in over their heads (which is normal).  Jake was herding them along like a good shepard tending a flock and as the last bits of light disappeared we got everyone to the finish.  Way cool to see the satisfaction and triumph the same as I do at races.  So that got me an extra 2:45 hrs on the bike spinning.  Good day.

 

Now a couple days of lighting the torch in the legs and off to Jingle Cross Friday morning.  Jingle is always a great weekend.