For the most part my plan for this season was just to get back into the swing of racing. Over the course of the season I just happened to learn quite a bit about myself in the process. Some of the biggest surprises had to do with training. Mainly things that I thought would work and things that actually did work. The following is my race by race breakdown of the season and some quick thoughts on the race.
Providence Cross Fest Day 1 (77/89) 10/8/2011
Time Back: 0:09:20
Wow! I completely forgot how fast cross races were. Completely not ready for this. I was the first or second to last person not lapped.
Providence Cross Fest Day 2 (62/67) 10/9/2011
Time Back: lap
This was very much a continued learning experience. Was not ready for back to back days racing, and was so happy when the leader caught me. It felt like the whole race was up hill in a wet spongy field.
Mansfield Hollow Cross (42/56) 10/15/2011
Time Back: lap
I had a pretty good start here, but again found my fitness lacking. Felt pretty quick on the lower part of the course that was fairly hard, but I had nothing on the upper part of the course that was mostly open field. Just watched people ride away from me there. Started to see some of the areas that I needed to work on.
Cycle-Smart International Day 2 (110/135) 11/6/2011
Time Back: 0:07:03
This was the first race where I was happy with how my day went. Started at the back, and was able to move forward for a change. Crashed on the last lap and bend the derailleur hanger, but still finished strong.
Baystate Cyclocross Day 1 (38/57) 11/26/2011
Time Back: 0:05:29
Started in the last row and got tangled in a crash at the start. It was lap two before I was finally able to start moving forward. Hooked up with John Young on lap three and worked with him for the last couple of laps. By far the best race of the season.
Baystate Cyclocross Day 2 (30/34) 11/27/2011
Time Back: 0:06:55
I was the last row at the start. My legs never really came around. Guess I still was not ready for the back to back race days. Still a good day for the most part.
NBX GP of Cross Day 1 (82/111) 12/3/2011
Time Back: 0:07:26
Started near the back and moved up really good on the start. Had a great ride going for the first two and a half laps until a pointless crash the tweaked my front wheel. Had to ride to the pits with the front breaks released so that the wheel would turn. During the wheel change we found that my skewers had been stolen from my pit wheels. Quit counting at 25 places lost during the wheel change. Had a monster lap after the wheel change. Adrenalin can be a wonderful thing, but I popped on the last lap. All in all a good race.
NBX GP of Cross Day 2 (64/106) 12/4/2011
Time Back: 0:05:24
Had a good start and was rode pretty good. This was a rather uneventful race. Faded a little at the end. The only negative was that Bunny Boy got me at the line. This was probably my best race of the year.
Expo Wheelmen SalvageCross (26/51) 12/10/2011
Time Back:
FRONT ROW START! Had a good start, unfortunately I felt awful. I pretty much just tried to not give up spots two fast for the first couple of laps. Felt really good for the last lap and a half, where I picked a couple spots back up.
DAS Cross 12/11/2011
Time Back:
I was still a little tired from the day before, and it was very cold. More or less had a good day. I was riding much better at the end that early in the race.
New England Regional Championships Day 2 (37/61) 12/18/2011
Time Back: 0:04:58
This was the first race of the year were I started far enough forward to be called up. It was the last row to get called up, but it was a call up! It was VERY cold at the start, and I had not had time to pre ride the whole course, so I started easy for the first lap. Turned it up on lap two and started moving forward. Felt GREAT. Crashed pretty hard on the third lap and that took a lot of the wind out of me. Didn’t start feeling good again until the last lap. This was the first race that I actually wanted to go another couple of laps. Great way to end the season.