Cold turkey

I finally woke up from the daze that Sunday's race put me into. I don't want to characterize my performance as lackluster, I'll let you decide that for yourself...

I wish that I could tell you that Jeff unleashed the whirlwind and beat Ed D. by the 2 places he needed to regain first place in the series, I really do. Reality, however, is a cruel mistress and the comeback was not meant to be. Jeff rode at or near the front and looked to be putting Ed into a spot of bother at several points, but then big Randy Shields bridged up from the 45+ group (that started a minute back) and all sorts of chaos ensued. Jeff got 4th behind Ed and had to be content with 2nd overall in the series. I don't know what he is thinking, but I suspect he is stuffing his "1st loser" status into a little ball of seething fury way down in the pit of his stomach where he will nurse it for the coming year. At least, I think that's what he's doing.

Shelly Welch managed to crash at the base of the ride up on the first lap and chased from that point on. She finished a close third, but true to her self-deprecating manner, she will not be satisfied until she can stand at the top of the podium. The bitter taste of her all too familiar 3rd place was quickly washed away by a not unsubstantial quantity of belgian beer immediately following the race.

The men's 4's saw the biggest field of the season with 54 guys toeing the line. Our team had 4 guys: Heartattack Mark, Double Down Dave Brown, Jack Brown and myself. The whistle blew and I took off trying to stay with the lead group. A mtn bike decided to cut me off in the first turn and I fought from there. I made the lead group of 5 or 6, but I couldn't hang and started the all too familiar slide backwards. Jack came by me, rolling well and I jumped on his wheel, but the legs just weren't there. I have spent this season riding with good looks and smoke and mirrors, but good fortune had finally run out. Jack finished 8th, I got nipped at the line for an ignominous 21st and both DDDB (39th) and Mark (50th) had strong finishes. Hell, Dave looked like an actual cyclocross racer!

Bob "le" Pugh finished a strong 11th in the 45+ race and the team minister of beverages and other belgian indulgences, Howard Hesterburg, finished 4th in the 55+ race. Jacob "grommet" Wood blew through the course like the lithe and nimble "vachette" that he is, to finish 2nd in the juniors race. We might just make a bike racer out of him yet! Congrats to everyone! Finally, the Sledgehammer Charlie's team finished 7th overall in the team standings. Next year will be a different story...
Some pics:

Shelli MAKES the podium!

Heart attack, shmart attack!

"... It's the eye of the tiger, it's the thrill of the fight; risin' up to the challenge of a rival..."

Double down sports the anti-global warming 'cross racing uniform...

Is it better to look good or to be good?

Don't you think the grom looks like he could suffer a lot more?

I will post more pics as I get them. This will be the end of 'cross coverage until the winter cup kicks off right here in Lenoir on Jan. 6th (check out that pro purse!). Until then, you'll have to suffer through my less coherent, non-racing ramblings!