Tuesday, December 5, 2006

Take your toughguy attitude and DNF

So I decided to roll up to Reston for the Capital Cross Classic. I know, what was i thinking, 5 hours of driving for a 45 minute race...but its cyclocross...Hell yes it's worth the drive!!!! The course was a lot of fun, some fast flat stuff, nice run up and a couple of good climbs. The ground was a little soft so as the race progressed, the corners got slicker. Mark actually went down on one of the first laps. I caught up to Mark on the second lap, told him to hop on and i would try to pull the train for a while. We passed quite a few people, Mark passed me with 2 to go, i passed him back at the start of the last lap, he came around me on the steep off camber downhill, but i passed him again on the steep grass climb. I knew after i passed him i had to try and get some distance. I tried, but shortly after hitting the home stretch on the pavement, Mark flew around me for 24th place. (note: this was a very fast group racing since anyone that didn't have an UCI license couldn't race in the elite men's field)
The funny part of the race was our new friend Bernie, mr. toughguy hardass bike racer. As i was coming up behind Mark on the second lap, i saw a guy jumping back on his bike on the left side of the course. He was heading out on to the course right in front of Mark. Mark yelled to him that he was on his right. The guy started yelling at mark something sarcastic and not very nice. He came back around Mark, but on the short steep mud hill, he slipped, Mark passed on the right and i was stuck behind him. I followed Bernie on to the grass portion of the course and started to pass him on the outside of one of the turns.
***Remember, this is B, mid pack***
Being the nice guy that i am, i let him know i was on his outside so we wouldn't collide. I got up even with him after the left turn, but on the right turn he totally cut me off. Almost clipping my wheel. I yelled to him "Nice Cut!" I caught up to him on the tight uphill right hander before the hurdles. I was on the inside of the turn and i had to push a little wide to keep my momentum. That is when my new freind started banging his bars into mine. Granted...this is racing and does happen, but we were way back in the field, and B is usually a friendly bunch. I yelled at Bernie "what the F are you doing???" he passed Mark and me after the hurdle and we followed him across the bridge. Mark looked over his shoulder at me with a look that said "what the heck is up with this guy" We passed him after the run-up and didn't see him again. It looks like he DNF'd. Couldn't happen to a nicer guy. The moral of the story: it's just a race and it is supposed to be fun. Be considerate of your fellow racers, we are all weekend warriors and need to be healthy to work the next day. Don't be like those morons when you are driving that are completely oblivious to everyone else.

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