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RACE REPORT: Capitol Cross Classic 2006

Race Report: Capitol Cross Classic 2006
by Joel Gwadz
It amazes me how Joe Foley can remember each moment of each lap with such clarity. So much of the races becomes one big blur. There are often moments that stand out in my mind, but I can not always recall the sequence of events, heck I can not tell you how many laps I completed much less what happened during each event. Yet, I will try to put together a bit of a race report with as much detail as I can just the same.

In many ways the race season had ended for me months prior. Mountain biking is clearly more my focus than cyclocross, but I like to dabble in cross just the same. The frequency and the intensity of my rides had dropped off significantly. It is always important for me to work a balance between life and family, so during the fall family definitely takes priority over cycling. That said… cycling is not entirely removed from the equation as cycling is part of who I am.
Sunday’s race was on my mental calendar since the beginning of the fall. I had not pre-registered, I knew that I wanted to race this event if my life’s schedule allowed. The folks at PVC throw a great event. The course at Lake Fairfax is challenging and pleasurable at the same time. There may be a little too much time on gravel for my tastes… but I take the good with the bad. The notion of sneaking in one last race for 2006 was exciting to me. The mild temperatures only added to the energy. As the race day approached I was torn with what class to compete in on this day. The UCI events have enough Masters that they split their group into two, creating Masters A and Masters B. But, after some thought I realized that Saturday night I would be out late celebrating a friend’s 40th birthday party. So, as much as I may belong in the Masters B Category, the late start of the Elite Masters made more sense.

I drove up to the event with my brother. The Honda Element was loaded up all sorts of expensive cycling stuff and we headed out of the city towards Reston Virginia. The energy of the race really kicked in when a Red Eurovan with West Virginia tags made a pass on the left right before the exit for the race. As the van passed the passengers waved their fists raising the challenge. I accepted the challenge. But rather than seeking speed, I selected efficiency. As my race opponent struggled to find change for the toll between his seat cushions I used my wife’s FAST PASS and rolled through the toll. Taking the lead and a complete stop at the stop sign. I held the lead all the way into Lake Fairfax Park only to be passed at the gravel parking lot (did I say too much gravel?)… again being passed and heckled with that same waving of the fists with that “I’ll get you lancelot…. I’ll get you lancelot” swing to it. That would be the first and the last time I would lead out against Gunnar Shogren on that day. Yes, we would line up at the same start line… but that would be the end of the contest from my end. When registering for the event I asked Gunnar to give me a shout when he approached to lap me during the race.
The temperatures were mild. It was a classic east coast late fall/early winter day. The skies were clear and the earth was soft. The parking lot had a vibrant energy. The announcer gave an exciting play by play as the racers circled the course. After registering there was some socializing then I suited up for a little warm up. A short spin up and down the road and two laps around the course at a slow pace felt like all that I had in me. The body and mind did not feel much like racing. In my social loops around the parking lot I had run into a number of Masters racers who I had had clustered along with in the pack with in the three other cross races I had attended earlier this season. Only to learn that they had all raced earlier. It was just as I suspected. I was about to take the line with the wrong class.

The Masters A men bunched at the line. A number of racers got their call ups and the rest of the pack elbowed their way in behind them. I did not wrestle for any position. I accepted my back of the pack situation as I knew where I belonged. The gun went off and the racers took off. I tried to focus in on a rider to set pace with. Mistakenly I chose fellow DCMTB/City Bikes racer Chris Clarke. I had not realized that he was significantly faster than me, what was I thinking? I know that Chris is faster than me. It was not long into the race where I had to let him go and settle into my own pace. A few laps into it I found myself in the back of the pack scrapping with some other back of the pack scrubs, who in a larger field may be middle of the pack scrubs. There was another larger than normal racer with the words Tennessee on his butt, he may have been 180… maybe even 200…. he complained about the course not being well suited for a big guy… he was no where near my 230 pounds. I held him off for a bit as his riding in my shadow inspired me. But on one lap I spun out on a short rooted climb and he pulled ahead… our cat and mouse game ended. He gained some ground that I could not regain. Then shortly later I was reeled in by another larger than normal cross racer… we rode a lap or two together…. again inspired by a racer in my shadow. He inspired me a bit… we pushed it up a notch, until he eventually moved ahead of me as well. I found myself riding the final laps alone. Those two racers still in sight, but out of reach. I accelerated on the paved sections in the big ring… but so did they. My head pounded and my body ached. Just as in most cross races there were times when I wondered how much longer and wished it were over. At one point I hoped for a flat. I often wish for a flat although dodge them. The course brought me that classic cross mixture of pleasure and pain. Finishing would be a victory for me.

On the second to last lap with 1/8th of the course to go I got lapped by the leaders. Which freed me from having to finish my last lap. This was fine as my rear tire was flat before I got my bike on top of my car.
After my less than stellar cyclocross performance I slipped out of my cold and wet lycra gear which I have come to know as “a kit” and got back into civilian gear. With warm and dry regular people clothes on I mixed and mingled around the race course cheering on the other racers. Cross can be such an exciting sport to watch. MORE COWBELL PLEASE! There are often races within the race. Within the women’s elite the fight for 3rd and 4th was a fight for the series championship that drew much attention from the spectators. Then within the Elite men’s it was impressive to watch the speed the racers cornered as well as the fluidity that they cleared the barriers. The speed of the Elite men’s race was made more visible by the position of Chris Scott of Shenadoah Mountain Touring. Chris had raced in the Masters A earlier that day finishing top half in a very fast very strong group of racers. Only to find himself fighting to hang onto the back of the pack in the Men’s Elite. Chris cornered like he was on rails and sprinted fast on the straights… yet his speed was no match for the cyborgs within the elite class.

It was a great day to be on the bike. An amazing day for racing. A perfect close to the season. No regrets. Pleased with my efforts and satisfied with my results. Cross is no walk in the park.

some images of me by kevin dillard

Peter of CROSSTALK was filming
I am looking forward to his documentation of the season

and Mrs December

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