Bubba CX #5 - Queeny Park
Queeny Park always dishes out healthy dose of pain to me. Sunday was no different. Adding to the pain were the return of a couple Columbia guys riding for Walt's and one or two kids from Purdue who had done the collegiate race in Columbia the day before. This old man has a hard time handling the young bucks.
Not helping matters was another back of the pack starting spot. When I hit the start of the pavement, the leaders were already a couple hundred feet ahead. While the poor position didn't help, I cannot use it as an excuse. Others around me managed to finish better. Ultimately, the legs were okay but not good enough. I pushed a little too hard in a few places on the first lap. I passed some guys early only to have them go by me again later in the lap.
I can't decide if this was a tough course or not. There was a small uphill, a longer uphill and the rest was relatively flat. If there was anything that really made the course tough it was a mean runup. If that wasn't enough, three barriers were thrown in to make the hill that much tougher. People are always clamoring for a runup and they got one this week. I wonder if they regretted those statements afterward.
Two laps into the race I darn near quit. I felt like garbage and the prospects for the rest of the race were bleak. Luckily, a few guys began to slip backward and I'd pick a rider off here and there. Moving through a field, even if you are not gaining on the leaders, will always boost the morale and give you reason to keep racing. I was happy to catch a few of the guys who had been pretty strong this year so I apparently did okay.
I was shocked to look at the results afterward and see 21st place. Say what? I got the placing changed to 14th which I agreed with. Looking at the results tonight though, they had Lynch placed 7th. Maybe my brain wasn't working clearly or I don't know who John Lynch is but I thought I had passed him during the race. Whatever, it's not like it makes a big difference.
Queeny Park always dishes out healthy dose of pain to me. Sunday was no different. Adding to the pain were the return of a couple Columbia guys riding for Walt's and one or two kids from Purdue who had done the collegiate race in Columbia the day before. This old man has a hard time handling the young bucks.
Not helping matters was another back of the pack starting spot. When I hit the start of the pavement, the leaders were already a couple hundred feet ahead. While the poor position didn't help, I cannot use it as an excuse. Others around me managed to finish better. Ultimately, the legs were okay but not good enough. I pushed a little too hard in a few places on the first lap. I passed some guys early only to have them go by me again later in the lap.
I can't decide if this was a tough course or not. There was a small uphill, a longer uphill and the rest was relatively flat. If there was anything that really made the course tough it was a mean runup. If that wasn't enough, three barriers were thrown in to make the hill that much tougher. People are always clamoring for a runup and they got one this week. I wonder if they regretted those statements afterward.
Two laps into the race I darn near quit. I felt like garbage and the prospects for the rest of the race were bleak. Luckily, a few guys began to slip backward and I'd pick a rider off here and there. Moving through a field, even if you are not gaining on the leaders, will always boost the morale and give you reason to keep racing. I was happy to catch a few of the guys who had been pretty strong this year so I apparently did okay.
I was shocked to look at the results afterward and see 21st place. Say what? I got the placing changed to 14th which I agreed with. Looking at the results tonight though, they had Lynch placed 7th. Maybe my brain wasn't working clearly or I don't know who John Lynch is but I thought I had passed him during the race. Whatever, it's not like it makes a big difference.
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