Going Local

First local race of the season happened for me in Sacramento.   I have done a few of the Sac races in the past, but not a ton.  Since I haven't done many races this year in any discipline I have decided to do more of the Sac races.  This one I probably should have skipped.  It took place at a farm that is owned by a local bike shop.  There is a really cool pump track and various jumps for the kids. They put the pump track into the cross race.  This was fun, but I don't really consider pump tracks legitimate course material for cyclocross courses.  Yes, there are some courses in Europe that have rollers, but not a whole track.  Believe me though, the pump track was the best part of the course.

The rest of the course consisted of a bombed out tractor path filled with goat heads.  I was more worried about a flat than competing in the race.  Throw a 20 mph headwind on the way out and that is misery.  That did mean it was a tailwind on the way back though.  I guess there is always a silver lining.

We were off at the gun and I actually got the hole shot.  I poured it on for a quarter of a lap into a headwind, then I zigged when I should have zagged and I was off course.  Four guys passed me and  had trouble getting going again.  I pretty much was all alone the rest of the race.  A 59 minute time trail. Great for training - little else.  No flats though....until  I was walking both my bikes back from the pits.  I got two rear wheel flats, one clincher and one tubular, on the way back to the car!  This race just got expensive.

BMX racing - without the bike

Bump, bump, bump, bump - you get the point