Cyclocross - just did my first race!

lainabaina

Cathlete
Some of you may be familiar with cyclocross, but I would bet most of you are not. I mtn biked for a few yrs before I ever even heard of it and then my cycling team sponsored a cyclocross race for a few yrs so got to spectate quite a bit. today i did my first cyclocross (CX) race and it was great! i was all worried about the dismounts, barriers & remounts, but I was not as concerned about the intensity and I bet you can guess why...Cathe! i did at least 2 HIIT workouts these past few weeks knowing that CX racing would be pretty much one giant HIIT sans the recovery. and it was just that. i didn't wear my HRM (on purpose) but I know my HR was way up there the entire 30 mins. probably even higher than a HIIT interval, but you know I kept thinking to myself that i can do anything for 30 minutes!!

i loved trying this new discipline of cycling. it was WAY different than the endurance races that I'm used to but I really enjoyed it and will be back for more. this morning i said to myself that i would be okay finishing last...just wanted to have a good time & stay upright. i did all that and got 5th place out of abt 12 so i am very happy about that!

this is going to be the perfect day to try Yoga Relax.
 
Someday we're gonna ride together!

This is awesome Laina, congratulations on competing at this level! Tough, tough sport...I've attended several but never raced and would always come away with huge respect to the riders. Its the dismounting and running over the obstacles that held me back, even though I used to run track and field with my specialty of hurdles in high school, so go figure.

So for everyone else, this link is a little peek into what its like to have bad timing on a dismount. Starcrossed 2011 - Joey's Ok - YouTube

Also, Joey was not injured, he came out of it just fine.
 
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YOU GO GIRL!

I've done some 24hr mnt bike races where I've had to dismount and carry my bike over obsticles. I've done difficult centuries. But I wouldn't want ride off road on basically a road bike!

Congrats!

KP
 
thanks! i don't own a CX bike so I had to use my mtn bike. which of course weighs a bit more than a cross bike, but that's okay. there was only that one run up and the one set of barriers. i was able to ride the other section that some of the other racers had to dismount and walk/run up (hee, hee! that is one of my strengths, technical climbs)

DirtDiva - it would be a pleasure to ride together someday! you & your hubby have an open invitation to come ride w/ us in the North GA mtns. you would love it!
 
hope this link works. it is a pic of me going over the barriers. i did fine, but i know i can work on this & look more graceful!
2011 GIHP CX Women B/Juniors - Trish Albert (Sadlebred)'s Photos

on a side note, the women's B group races with the junior boys & junior girls. just so happens that we have some pretty awesome junior girls in our area & they choose to race in the women's B instead of juniors. had we been scored separately i would have had a podium spot. had no idea about that but thought that was pretty cool!
 

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