Tech Cross - Day 1

I haven't been riding...well at all really for the last three weeks. So I knew the Saturdays race wasn't going to go well, for that I have only myself to blame; I decided to race anyways. I drove up to Blacksburg, VA Friday evening arriving late and getting to bed as soon as I got there. Saturday morning I awoke early for for my 11AM race. Breakfast included cereal and an apple before I began loading up my gear. I headed out to Kentland Farms, a historic site near Blacksburg that was hosting the races for the weekend.

I arrived around 10 with an hour before my first race, so I quickly registered and started getting ready so I could get in a decent warm-up. My parents made the trip down for the weekend which was awesome because even though I saw them in August at the beach it felt like June since I saw them.

After pinning my number on I went for a quick warm-up before heading to the line. The course was going to be hellacious, so I was glad that I had a couple hour break before the SS race. I got to the line and waited around a few minutes before the official, Ben Warren, a Tech student asked me if "I was racing Masters?" With a confused look I took a quick scope of the field and realized I had in face lined up with the masters, but how did I make this mistake?

The culprit...Mr. Andy Reagan! He decided to post the Tech cross race on the VT Cycling page, but didn't change the file when the race schedule was changed, so those of us NOT using BikeReg.com didn't know. Grrr to you Mr. Andy Reagan, GRRRR. It may be changed now, but somehow or other I got the times confused and it's just fun blaming him.

So with 3 hours to kill we went and grabbed a quick lunch at Quiznos before heading back out to Kentland Farms. Some more waiting and it was time to get ready...again! This time I had the right start and after another warm-up I headed to line...again! So the race got off at a little after 2PM and the collegiate C field right after, missing those days! I looked good for about the first half of a lap, then it was over. Not riding, racing for the previous 4 weekends had done its toll. About two laps in I considered stopping knowing I had 2 or possibly three more times up the massive hill. I finished. Miserably but not DFL.

My dad was kind enough to take some photos of my suckness...Thanks DAD!

Stressed and rushing getting ready for my first race...that well wasn't really "MY" race.

Line up at the line for the first time that day.

Okay...got it...this time I had it right.

Gorgeous place for a race.

Again...not a better setting for cross anywhere.

I decided not to include any of my suck face photos but then just couldn't resist, how can I look this bad when I'm only racing 4's?


So needless to say when I finished my race which was 45 minutes, my longest cross race to date. I decided not to race the SS race 15 minutes later. I got some grief for it from Justin, but I just didn't have it in me physically or mentally.

The one positive of the race however was that I used my TriCross for the whole race, which meant I had an entire race worth of data, I can't really determine much from it but...its dater (pun intended). Somehow it got split during the race though and I forgot to merge it as I brought it in, anyways:





Sunday...well I did get up early but there was no way I was racing, instead Michelle and I just hung out for most of the day after a phenomenal breakfast at Gillies with the Rents!