The Chair

Cross of the Corn


I looked at this years version, as pre-season, to shake it out, get into the flow of prep, raceday ritual, cool down and recovery.  The race,  Hot as always,  bumps loose dirt corn field,  it has its flow, and this course, despite it's un-appreciated early August race date,  is starting to earn its spot on my calendar .  The sizes of each field is smaller, but there is very good talent at the race, no cheery picking here.

I came back to my car after my race, all red faces drippy sweat,  and sat in its shade.

   
and there, it was, The Chair.


I like the chair,  I know who's it is, and happy to know it means they are racing.


This year I've truly become a cyclocross racer,  I mean, I did two crits, and the Monkey Hill TT,  that is it.   I've become focused on cross.    Last year,  was, unexpected, and during the season,  I was not confident that I could keep up.  I was leaving it all out there, sometimes getting the better, but often getting my fair share of getting slapped around.   Last year, I went to my first Nationals,  I did not ride great, but, I got it under my belt, took it all in, tried to remember, and feel, to learn everything I could.
I don't know what drives me to race, I don't know.
and when I am down, hurt, beat, I learn something.
When I am on, I need to learn how to temper it, just right.
Today I got to do something that I have not done in a long time.  I road at the front of the race,  I came around, turned the screws a bit,  I wanted to show the men following me, what I've got, just a flash.


Cheers to the Chair!
dlowe

Make it hard

\

Got out for a good ride.   Lots of tough features, challenges, climbs.  Rocks, Roots, Ruts.
Anne Rock set it up, and off we went,.... up Nature Boy,  a fine Philly climb, down into Wiss.
Cross the river,  a bit of road, and to the "natural style" trails of Gladwyne.

These trails have nice rustic unrefined feelings.  Old school hiking feel to 'em.   You have to pedal hard to carry momentum over big roots, careful on the off cambers, pick a good line though the rocks,creeks to ride, lips to pop up over.   Tough features, all ride-able, hard and challenging. 

 Nationals was my last CX race, and it was a fine course, very hard in places, challenging to the confidence, but all ride-able.   According to my opinion, that's what makes cross, taking what you are given, and often we are given the left-overs, shunned away parks, urban wastelands,  cow fields, and that, that is the land we race.   Stonewalls to hop, dumb long beer can trails, around the lips of ponds, F'n keep awake and don't fall in.  

Today, was a fine day, as a cross racer it was made up of all  the right components, friendship, laughs, and at times skills/physically challenging.

Make it hard,
thanks!  dlowe
 

burn it in

dopey in love with grass track, and so happy to have it close to home,  Philly Grass!

Cheers!