Saturday, September 12, 2009

Here we go

Today begins anew what is quickly becoming my favorite season of the year... CYCLOCROSS!!!

Yesterday started with a bit of skills work and a couple of practice starts. With the first race closing in fast, every bobble and hesitation brought with it a tinge of panic. Are the skills there? Am I ready to hit the barriers at speed in the middle of dozens of other oxygen deprived maniacs?

The morning is starting with some espresso and a look at the paper before I get ready to head down to Colorado Springs. Haven't ever raced down south before, so not sure on the course, but I'll probably go with my Zipp 404's with Challenge Grifo tubular 34's. They seem to be a superb all-around tire. Sunday we're back in the People's Republic, racing an indoor/outdoor course at the Boulder Indoor Cycling Velodrome. Word is the course has lots of goatheads. Might go with the Mavic Ksyrium's set up with Challenge Fango clinchers, my daily training setup.

It's funny how Cyclocross started as a completely fun endeavour. Triathlon was the focus of my athletic effort, cross only a way to get some fitness through the Fall. Results did not matter. How things change...

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