CCCX #3, Manzanita Park

[Jim Hewett]

A few days of rain last week followed by nice weather had created ideal conditions for offroad riding in Northern California.  I was tempted to stay at home and ride the trails, but also eager to get in more training for racing 'cross.  I travelled to Prunedale to race the CCCX race at Manzanita Park, a new course for me.

It was fun to race the 35+A and then the Open A at the last CCCX race, but it had left me less than fresh for the latter.  This week I figured I would focus on the Open A Elite class.  I arrived with plenty of time and rode a lap for course recon.

The lap started with a paved climb, not too steep but sustained, that turned into a sandy fire road climb.   Next, it went through a few sharp turns and into some singletrack to an off camber sandy turn and then down a sandy fireroad to another off camber turn and many twisty sections of flat dirt, grass and gravel around a few ballfields.  Another section of chicane led to a fast flat section and a 180 degree turn just before two low barriers and two more 180 degree turns that put us at the start of the paved climb.  Keeping speed through the many corners would be important, but the 'paved to sandy fireroad' climb would be where the useful suffering would happen each lap.

There were some fast guys at the start.  Scott Chapin and Aaron Bradford would be the two to beat.  I recognized Jermiah Root, Abe Rothstein and Tobin Ortinblad, 3 guys who had beaten me at the last CCCX race.  Since I missed the first race of the series, I didn't have the points to be called up in the top ten.  I ended up 3 or 4 rows back. 

The first 15 seconds would have a big effect on my race:  I botched my clip-in repeatedly and ended up in the bottom 5 of forty or so racers!  Once I finally got connected to both pedals, I punched it up the hill.  The thickness of the field ahead of me made it very hard to move up, but I made up 15-20 places and before long I was in the top ten.  It took a lot more energy for me to move up than it would have taken for me to ride with the front three from the beginning.  Rather than sitting in, I was still chasing hard!

The two barriers were close together, but low (12.5"?) and jumpable.  In my haste on the first lap, I went over the handlebars at the second barrier.  I heard the photographer curse to himself that he had missed the shot, but he would get his chance to catch me eating it on every lap, as I didn't intend to get off of the bike on this course.  Luckilly, I didn't have any more accidents. 

After a few laps and a couple more gained positions, I was told 6 laps to go.  Most guys were slowing down, but I could tell that Scott and Aaron were pulling away at the front.  I found myself in 6th place, behind a few of the guys that had beaten me at the last CCCX race.  I would not be happy with 6th place this week, and I kept applying the pressure.

I tried to keep the speed up for the entire lap, but I really turned it on up the climb.  I was able to make up distance every lap, and seeing this encouraged me to stand and hammer!  I caught Abe, and then Jeremiah, and on the next to the last lap I caught and passed Tobin.  I could see that Scott and Aron were not too far ahead.

I tried to keep it smooth and fast for the last lap, I still hoped to catch the leaders but I didn't want to screw up and lose third to Tobin.  I hopped the barriers just before the paved climb to the finish with Aaron a few seconds ahead and Tobin right behind me.  I kicked her in the guts and so did Tobin.  I beat him to the line by a few feet for third place and Aron got there safely ahead of us for second.  I'm not the best at sprint finishes, but at least this one was uphill, which I prefer.

Though the unacceptable screw-ups on the first lap had cost me dearly, I had a lot of fun chasing and got a great workout.  I averaged a 168 heartrate over the hour long race, just where it should be.

I'll be back to Manzanita Park next Sunday for another shot at the win.