The Rockburn Cross

When the wheelsucker told his coach he wanted to try cyclocross, he meant in general, perhaps hypothetically, not NOW! But Coach Mike apparently misunderstood and scheduled a Sunday workout that was the Rockburn Cyclocross race. The wheelsucker's coach is VERY enthusiastic about cyclocross. The wheelsucker even tried to beg off by pointing out that the team had a great hill ride planned for the same day, but Coach Mike was adamant.

Did we mention that the wheelsucker does not have a cross bike?

So after some last minute advice from Mike Heffernan and Peter Jensen, the wheelsucker started near the back of the 3/4 35+/45+/55+ pack, riding his mountain bike, with the new wider-and-much-more-aggressive tires (the stock tires were not up to Patapsco riding as per an earlier wheelsucker report). The pack sprinted over the parking lot to the first turn and then jammed on the brakes and unclipped and waited, 'cause there was no way 80-plus riders were going to fit around the turn into the narrow grass lane at the same time. The rest of the race is a daze. The wheelsucker believes the race was supposed to be 45 minutes long; it seemed rather longer. The wheelsucker's HR monitor (when the wheelsucker was even able to take a look) was showing a heat rate 3-8 beats below the wheelsucker's maximum. The wheelsucker was slowing a lot going into corners, and slow through the corners, slow at the obstacles, and was losing distance/time, but could gain on the climbs. Early in the race as the course wound back and forth, the wheelsucker could see his team mates Mike Heffernan and Peter Jensen near the front of the race. But the field spread out, with the wheelsucker close to the back. Peter ended up 6th, Mike was 29th, and the wheelsucker was rather further back, actually near the back. In fact the wheelsucker was in such a daze he did not realize it was the last lap, and did not accelerate/sprint for the finish (rather he was setting up for the right turn to start the next lap) and an opportunist sprinted by him just before the line. But the wheelsucker took some solace from passing rather more riders than passed him, despite some early losses at the sandpit (the wheelsucker hopes that he did not get sand inside the bottom bracket) and the obstacles.

The wheelsucker's takeaways:
1. Use the faster tires
2. Do NOT try to pedal through the sand trap unless you know how to pedal in sand
3. Work on the dismount and mount technique so one loses less distance at the two "carry bike over" obstacles.
4. Carefully consider if he wants to do cyclocross again
5. Wear as little team kit as possible when you suspect you are not going to do well

Chris Adair rode an earlier race, but the wheelsucker neglected to ask him how he did.

Peter and the wheelsucker had a nice ride in Patapsco afterwards, which left the wheelsucker believing he was a little better at MTB riding than the first time he was in Patapsco. And the forecast rain will probably wash the blood off the rocks and trees.