Monday, October 13th, 2008
How to NOT Race Cyclocross!
Yesterday, October 12, 2008, was the first race of the Southern California, Urban Cyclocross Series. We are at a beginning point in the cyclocross season but after a few races this year in the Southern California Prestige Series, SCPS and a lot of practice one would think I would not be trying to kill myself on the first lap…
The group started fast and I was in the top 5 coming out of the first climb and into a tight barrier section. The group was 30 deep and the small area was creating a lot of pile ups. No big deal. I ran, hopped the barrier, and jogged with the group down and up the revine which followed the single barrier. It was here my race went to $hi*.
Once at the top of the revine the course took a hard right turn onto an open fire road. It was in this change from the tight single track to the open road where riders where trying to jump past eachother to push another spot forward in the pack. Unfortunate for me, as I went to remount my bike an overly eager freak decided to try to take an inside line through some bush’s which were almost on the trail, but his goal was to get a few strides ahead to slow others down as they remounted and gain another position.
I was on the outside of his attempt and as I was in mid air during my remount, he clipped my back wheel pushing my bike back towards my body as my right leg was flying to land on the saddle with my inner right thigh muscle… Instead, the bike pushed under me, made me land on my left testicle… THE PAIN!
I went from 5th to 15th in a matter of seconds, which felt like minutes. I bounced forward off the saddle and tip toed to the side of the trail, trying not to throw-up, gather my breath, and make sure everything was still intact.
In the end it was still a fun race but painful lesson in Cyclocross Racing.
-DSheek
If I would have lost it, I could be like Lance!
on Wednesday, October 15th, 2008 at 4:13 pm:
oohhhh… dood…. feeling your pain.
man — i HATE it when im reading along, then i realize that something bad is gonna happen, then the bad thing happens to someones NUTS!