CCCX #3, Laguna Seca Lung-Fest

First CX race of the year, and I was completely shocked at how the intensity was so much more than what I'd been training at. Wow.

I mean, not that this course SHOULD be all that bad, but for me it was. For climbers and those who have good threshold, it's a quickish climb, and then a large recovery. It opens on an uphill, and cuts across a side slope, before going up a longish (for a cross race) climb up a paved path. This climb killed me 4 of the 5 times we went up it. Once up on top, the course really turned into a big recovery zone for the climb. Flattish, and pretty wide open, I was not ever passed on these sections of the course. When we went up, I would slow to a sub-crawl pace. Till the last lap, when I FINALLY felt pretty good going up the climb. (Reinforcing something we all know: Do a good warm up!!!) I guess I was finally warmed up by the last lap.....

I also managed to not get a hand up during the race. That is something I need to make sure I coordinate prior. It would have been good to rinse the dust out of my mouth a couple of times. I know from experience that a splash of water in the mouth is worth, like 15 seconds per lap? Just because of getting your palette whetted.

I came in 12th (that sounds like a better placing than it is...), a minute down from my team mate Sassan...the real factor is: 5'02" down from the winner. Placing to me doesn't matter, it's the gap to the winner. I'm 5 minutes off the pace. I think this was a good starter, because w/ next week's McLaren, and we all know that is a HR fest as well. (not human resources...). Then Surf city the next week (are we going to have "the run up"???), then finally some flatter races. Aaaahhhh, Candlestick.......hehe

Team Tent set up on the sweeper overlooking Laguna Seca: