Kirtland Park CX

I look forward to the Kirtland Park race every season. It's cool to be racing so close to downtown Cleveland right by the lake, and the course is great with lots of technical turns, including some off camber stuff in the amphitheater, and multiple ascents and rapid descents between the baseball field at the top of the bluff and the lake plain.

I had a pretty good start. The large "B" field flew down the long straightaway to the first turn, a 180 left hander. Everyone got through the turn safely, and we were onto the first climb. There actually wasn't much of a traffic jam, but I had to dismount near the bottom to run around one guy who crashed. At the top, I got a Chuck Norris roundhouse kick from another rider trying to get back on his bike, but my kung-fu was stronger than his and I managed to get around him.

As usual, after a few minutes, the head of the race was stretching out way ahead of me, and I could see the leaders on the first downhill, but I was still planted firmly in the field and buzzed downhill to the first flight of steps. Some people were riding it, but I didn't get enough traction to make it up there, so I shouldered the bike and ran and passed a couple people.

I made my way around to the amphitheater and the second major challenge of the course. In previous seasons, the amphitheater section descended the hill in steep steps. This year, it went uphill in one big steep step. On the first lap, there was a traffic jam, so I had to run it. On the second lap, I tried to ride it, but lost traction and momentum, then almost went head over heels backward, so after that, I just ran it.

Eventually the field stretched out and I was racing with a small group, Seth, and I think the other guy's name is Josh. I had my usual second lap slump, and Seth got ahead of me, Josh tried to pass me in the amphitheater but missed a turn and went down hard. Eventually I passed Seth on the stairs and made the pass stick.

We fought tooth and nail for the rest of the race. I think I hit my max heart rate at least twice a lap. On the last lap, Seth caught me as we turned onto the finishing straight and we drag raced to the line. I actually threw my bike. I don't know which of us took 43rd place (or whatever it was).

One more race to go in the series. I'm hoping for one ice bowl. I might have to go to Shawn Adams's winter CX races if conditions don't match up to last season's deep freeze at Boughton Farm.

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