US Cup/SERC @ Tsali, NC "knobscorcher"

when i laid out my schedule, i wasn't not real sure what my fitness would be like...racing all winter really had put some uncertainties in my mind as to how i would bounce back after a full cx season vs doing my normal transition/base/build up. which is why i scheduled my first xc race to be in April, not March like normal. good thing i did!! i also wasn't aware that i was going to be off the bike for 9 days because of work and family vaca in the 2 weeks leading up the race. i had a few days on the bike before the race but i guess it wasn't enough.

Saturday i drove up early and had plenty of time to take our time on the way up and when we got to tsali. I drove up with David and we were both planning on doing the 4mile TT but also wanted to get a full loop in as the warm up. we turned the lap at a moderate pace with a few openers. the course was great. fast and fun! after the loop, we refueled and went to the start line for the TT. it was fast and painful. i felt slow and finished slow. way off pace in my opinion. all in all, i was glad it was over and ready to clean up, eat, and hit the sack.

Sunday was an early wake up call...6a...5a my time...and eat fast, drink coffee, drop the kids off, twice, and head out the door by 7a to make it to the venue by 7:30..for once, because David was with me, we were on time. we had plenty of time!! i used the TT course for my warm up which was great, but i could just tell i wasn't moving fast and didn't feel fresh. before long it was that time....

in bullets...
* GO....ok start and slotted in about 8th place going into the woods.
* FAST pace line through woods. made it over the first climb with group
* 2nd climb to overlook, the pace picked up, and the group blew apart
* i got dropped...then crashed on the downhill trying to catch up
* struggled on the small climbs all day
* 2nd lap went better...caught a few guys who also blew up
* battled with 2 fella for position until the last mile...
* started to cramp on last punch in the nuts climb with water bars
* I crashed on the last creek crossing and they attacked me
* the harder i pushed to bridge up, the more i cramped
* finished 12th...worse xc finish in 3 years...OUCH!

overall the weekend was great and I'm glad i got the first race over with. now time to train and try and get these legs strong and the cardio pumping.