no demonsjust gremlins and a boa constrictor
no demons
I did not have mid-week butterflies
I was not crippled by pre-race anxiety
no demons... no time for demons
I was on full dad duty with my wife in california
the race was a bit of an after thought
my lack of focus on my race machine nearly crippled me
the specialized cross bike did not make it to the pits
the rear frogleg went on real pretty
the shimano brake came off the fork taking the brake post with it
while the jamis nova got little more than some lube and a turn of a screw a limit screw since charm city
at ed sanders as I got ready to pre-ride the course I felt some play with the left pedal
I checked the cleat
the cleat was tight
I checked the pedal
when I went for the pedal the crank arm nearly fell from the bike
no pre-ride
my focus was on getting this crank arm fastened on well enough to race
things tightened up nicely enough
things were working well enough in the race
I avoiding the red zone
I was not feeling like testing my personal limits
I was racing cross with the notion of pace... cross is not about pace... cross is about over extention
while pacing myself through the race I hit a bump that sent my handlebars tilting down
which is fine... the Paul's cross levers were fine for topbar braking
but I was getting comfortable on the hoods
gremlins had been messing with my bike
everything was coming loose
I was certain my seatpost was going to slip before the race ended
but that did not happen... I has stared with it already low enough
what the gremlins were doing to my bike was as difficult to contend with as the what the boa constrictor was doing to my body
somehow a boa constrictor had gotten inside my body before the race
early in the race this boa wrapped itself around my lower spine
through the race the boa started gripping tighter on my spine
slowly getting tighter
slowly getting a grip on more of my spine
with all my complaints it was an excellent day on the bike
I stayed out of the red
I avoided getting cooked on the first lap
I worked the course with a little engine that could mentality
rather than el borracho running with the bulls
the course was as beautiful as the day
my boys were there with my dad cheering me on at different parts of the course on each lap
I was passed by all sorts of racers and did not manage to hang with the racers who I usually find myself surrounded with at such events
yes... I am the size of two cross racers
no... I am not making excuses
enough on this
it is late
I am going to be
many pictures to play with later this week