The 2 Championship races were the men's and women's single speed races.
For those of you who don't know what a single speed bike is... it's a bike with only 1 gear.
Yup... you don't have a choice, you are stuck with that one gear.... UP the hills, DOwn the hills... and on the flats. So.... what ever freaking gear you put on your bike (and from what I understand... you pick your poison... aka you install the 1 gear/size on your bike before the race) and hope you are happy with it or better put... can live with it.
Personally... I think these guys and gals need their tiny little pin heads examined!!!! Because Cyclocross is hard enough!!!
During half of my race... out of the 18 gears I have, I'm looking for extra gears that I don't have!!!
And these gluttons for punishment, intentionally take all their gears off their bike, except 1!!!! My guess is, this group also saves a ton of money on dental care by opting out of Novocaine... they just tell their Dentist...
"Hey... don't need that crap, just drill without it... I race single speed... can't hurt worse than that!".
So... huge kudos to these folks. Especially on this super slick, hilly course.
Here's the leader of the womens race.. out in front and climbing the hill... with her one tiny gear!
Leaders of the men's single speed race in lap 1
Most of the field had to run the hill... it was just too slippery to ride
After a bunch of looking around, kicking at the snow... sniffing the mud and sticking our fingers in the wind we've arrived at the following conclusions regarding tomorrow's course conditions based on the time each of us race...
We have no freaking clue what it's going to be like!
Just kidding... Here's what we think
Tom Doucett - His race is at 9:30... we think it will be frozen mud and ruts and a little snow on the big climb.
Peanut (aka yours truly) - I race at 10:30... It will still be frozen but the ground will begin to thaw and it will start to get greasy... with a firm base underneath, lots of sliding.
Michele Satrowsky (our newest Blue Steel teammate) - races at 11:30... will have the same conditions but the course may begin to get a little wetter.
Tom and Paul - race at 2:00... we expect a mud track on top of frozen ground... so lots of slipping and sliding and splattering, with cold puddles forming all over the course.
There is a prediction for rain... but the current forecast says it will hold off until later in the day... so we may all dodge the rain drops for the most part.
So... that's our best guess... don't hold me to it... I don't get paid for this crap!
Here are Tom and Paul praying to the cycling Gods for a good race... I prefer to pray in the privacy of my room.
So.... we are about as ready as we can be...
We will head out early and do a few easy laps at around 8:30 am to look over the course one last time and then the course will be closed for racing.
Then we will be off in our own little worlds, getting ready for our races and once we're finished... doing pit support for those racing afterwards.
Keep your fingers crossed! You will know how we do before I have a chance to tell all of you... but I'll fill you in on all the details as soon as I can.
I would like to thank all of you for reading the blogs, sending your likes on facebook and your nice notes. I am passing them along to Tom and Paul.. they appreciate your support as much as I do.
Until later,
Peanut out!
