SeaTac Cyclocross

Weekly practices out at the farm has left me antsy to race, so I hopped in Justin's car (our lovely Allegro Cyclery mechanic) to Seattle and raced the "mountain biker's course" at South SeaTac on Sunday. I got a great taste of cyclocross that left me ready for another lick.

Things I expected:

• I started slow and timid, but gained confidence throughout the race.
• I didn't have the guts or experience to pass on singletrack, so I tried to take all the chances I could get to blow around riders.
• 30 minutes was too short for my taste.
  

Things I did not expect:

• I felt comfortable at the barriers.
• Despite not having practiced it, my run up was pretty good. A spectator even shouted, "hey, we've got a runner!" in response to my performance.
  
• One of the run-ups is called the "thigh master." I didn't think it was so bad.
  
• While I took a longer, 'safer' route, the sand pit was no problem.
• Not being able to clip while my cleats were clogged with sand cost me a lot of time.
  
• The announcer called me the "Lightening Bolt from Whitman" which I enjoyed.

Other conclusions:

• I wish I had started racing cyclocross in September.
  

Will I be racing A women or B women in the Inland Cyclocross Series? (includes our home races)

• A women.