First Cyclocross Practice at Belmont Plateau

A fun and interesting experience. The great thing about practice is that although I was absolutely dominated by practically every last person there, my performance won't be all over google when you search my name (Oh SpectraCross!). There were a lot more people than I expected (I'd say around 40?) and it was nice to be able to ride a cyclocross course without having to race.

(I tried to include as few people as possible to scale down the creepy)

This practice made me realize I have to do a few things... change my work out regiment, shake my fear of passing people, and practice the more technical aspects (cornering was awful). I've been doing mostly endurance training, putting in lots of mileage and occasionally including intervals or a sprint oriented workout. So that will change in the coming weeks. As far as the technical aspects... not 100% sure how to handle that. I will try to ride some more single track (just discovered a ridiculous amount of it in the woods at the Plateau). I'm also not sure how much of it was a result of my tires:

I just upgraded (busted the sidewall on the WTB All Terrainasaurus that came on the Volpe) to Vittoria Cross XGs on the left. They didn't grip as well as the WTBs, but I kind of blame that on the minimal-ish nob structure in dry conditions. I think they'll outperform the WTBs in the mud since they'll shed mud much better. The problem may have also been the higher PSI I was running (about 55) to not be embarrassed by potential pinch flats from my clinchers. I could be totally wrong about everything and I hope that somehow somebody who is knowledgeable reads this somehow and comments. 

I think that's all I'll blab about the practice. Wish I met more people but given my awkwardness and how incredibly intimidated I was by all the really good people, it's obvious I didn't.

As for entertaining stories for any of my friends not interested in cyclocross... Well I don't really have any. Some lady kept hassling me about getting her pigs blood on the ride back on Spring Garden. Wasn't sure how to respond, so I didn't. Worst red light ever.

And then there is a new development on the Warlocks incident that happened a while ago. Being the intimidating motorcycle club that they are, I try to avoid any confrontation (sign on door reads: "NO TRESPASSING. Violators will be shot. Survivors will be shot again").  Well this one day it was inevitable. It all started with some eye contact. Before I even had the chance to greet the man with a friendly hello, "Hey Homo!" I was happy that they live up to the badass Warlocks name, and about a 2 months later, I finally came up with the only appropriate response (that would surely have resulted in a thorough beating): "I believe Hogwarts is that way." Warlocks, Harry Potter, get it?

"The jerk store called, they're running out of you!" Godspeed.