This weekend I had the opportunity to spend some time at the US Gran Prix – http://www.usgpcyclocross.com at Mercer County Park in West Windsor, New Jersey. I’m relatively new to cyclocross and like many other riders have become swept up in the excitement that has accompanied the ability to extend our racing seasons. And I think that’s a big reason why many of us continue to race after the road season has ended. We enjoy the road cycling, love toeing the line at a start and accept the special challenges that cyclocross brings.

Either that or we’re completely freakin’ nuts

I go with #2….

Now, my original plan with going down to watch for two days (note – before I’m pilloried for not racing I’m getting ready for a litte race next weekend) do the whole citizen-journalist thing and chat with some of the pro riders taking part in the afternoon races.

Not gonna happen….I had pressing family commitments at home (something to do with children and haircuts) so I was only able to stay and watch the Cat 4 race at 8:00 AM for both Saturday and Sunday. The course descriptions below and the videos are a mixture of both Saturday and Sunday’s races. (If you want high journalistic standards go read CJ’s blog. Who by the way is running this little gem of a race on Thanksgiving Weekend. And yes, yes, CJ I pre-reged. I might now drop the restraining order.) Also note that due to the rain and wind, only the 2nd half of the course was used on Sunday. The rain had been falling steadily both nights and the course was pretty wet and chewed up for both days.

Here’s a panorama of the course. It was shot from on top of the green run up/ride down obstacle on the course. It was early on Saturday morning before any racing started.

About 100 riders began the races and they quickly split up as they made their way through the twisty turns of the first part of the course. There appeared to be no hills on that side, but the mud puddles combined with the tight hillside turns made it challenging. For the second part of the course, riders had to navigate the sandpit. This video is from today and the rain helped to pack the sand down. Most riders had to run this yesterday.

And head over to the far side of the course before returning to climb up this:

Riders zigzagged around th e course and headed back to the off angle hillsides. This little piece of pleasure waited for them.

 

I thought that more riders would buy it on the way down but no one did. The trick was to tap the breaks real quick, lean back and let the bike take over. I did see an Army rider buy it pretty bad during practice but sinking neck deep into the mud goes a long way to absorbing any impact.

Even though the travel down and back (X2 days!!) was a clear violation of the Gatens Travel Principle – the combined driving to a race cannot be longer than the actual race itself – it was clearly worth the experience. It had the big race feel to it – announcers, riders who look a lot more fit than I do (not that hard), food wagon, a great course, etc. etc. – and we’re lucky to have races like this somewhat close to home. There was a nice CRCA representation and I hope to get a link to some of those pictures.

I had the opportunity to take my pal, Willis, down to the race today. He’d never attended a bike race of any type before and I always enjoy bring fresh eyes to this odd little subculture of ours. He was blown away by the experience; the pure grit and fitness of the riders as they slogged through the mud, the ability to handle the bikes so well in various types of terrain and the determination to finish regardless of the placing. Most of the people we know, including those we live and work with, often scratch and shake their heads at us as we pedal our way through their world. It was nice to bring one of them into ours. And see them leave the more impressed for it.

Hup, Hup, Hup…….