9/23/2008

Week #2

Sunday was a mess, no warm up, parking cluster-fuk, poor timing, all getting me to the line not quite ready, my mistakes, I made them and paid for it. Using the first few laps to learn the course is not the way to go. Poor start, having to come off the bike and run around stopped riders on a riding stretch, made the first lap hectic, not real panic as much as never really getting the lungs open made the first half of the race hurt. Finally almost settling in with a bit of separation and rolling around with one pilot fish, pulling through when I thought it was my turn, and I spill on a slick little bumpy lefthander, straighten my levers and he's gone, full on attack. Is that what we're supposed to do? I'm torn. Attack a rider after he falls? Either way, I recovered and did all I could to limit losses and roll in 2nd. Better timing next week.

4 comments:

jeff said...

to beat Tim Faia in a 35+ Open race, I would also have attacked when you fell. Call it poor sportsmanship, call it what you want....but some people have very very few chances to beat you in a cross race. Most people would prob have done the same thing. I am just wanting to finish a race one day with you in sight, let alone being in front of you!

Ryan Hughes said...

I definitely would have attacked. Racing is a combination of skills and fitness. If I had caused the crash, then no, I would have waited.

jasper9 said...

call me a total cross newb (which i am, that race in golden wsa my first and it showed) but a crash in a cross race is a little different than a crash or mechanical in a race on the road, no?

Kris Thompson said...

The debate continues and was hijacked a little but still related...
http://303racing.com/ethics_of_cross_racing