Week two of the season was a good one. I was able to get in a workout and also solidify a training plan for the rest of the season. My schedule is set and I'm excited to put in the work. Even with just one week of full training, I could feel it pay real dividends.

After a nice tribute and moment of silence for Ed Sander, we started the race. I was lined up probably three quarters of the way back in the scrum for starting spots. That meant not so much of a sprint off the line but rather a follow the leader approach which continued through the first set of barriers and on the maze side of the lilypons. As soon as we hit the gravel power section the race was on and I started to get as aggressive as I could muster at that point.

I tried to slot in behind Chad Totaro and follow him through that section, but somehow I got he and his teammate confused. So when a gap opened up in front of him, I was surprised I had to go around only to realize that Totaro was up the road. I started looking for other riders in my "realm" and I tried to pass as many as I could before the U-turn hill and the mountain bike like section.

Last year, this course was quite muddy and so these sections absolutely killed me. They were so technical and I lost ground each time through. This year, after practicing some in the warm-up, I wasn't nearly as worried. The ground was dry as a bone and I made a good remount at the top of the hill. I wasn't gaining ground, but I don't think I was losing any either.

The biggest difference this week was that I felt like I had lots more power and I could actually race rather than just look to survive and finish. The corners weren't as slippery in this one either so my cornering improved dramatically. Basically I did just about everything better this time. My mounts and dismounts were more polished and I had a lot more fun out there.

One thing that I notice is the difference in what I remember when I'm in a B race near the front versus an A race towards the back. Blogging a race report last year, I felt like I remembered every pass and misstep since it literally meant the difference between winning and finishing somewhere in the top 5 or so. But now that I'm nowhere near the front, all I remember is slugging it out for an hour with a few competitors that I end up trading places with.

This week it was Brian Fouche for a bit, then Adam Fung for less than a lap, then I spent the remainder of the race attempting to catch Greg Lindstrom. Fung passed me somewhere around the mid point of the race after I'd led him through the lilypons maze and I tried to stick on him through the gravel, but failed miserably. If I'd stayed on him, I could have made up several places and I would have caught Lindstrom who I was very close to catching going into the U-turn hill on the final lap. He distanced me somewhere before we started heading downhill towards the store and I never had a real chance to beat him.

I have no idea how many laps we did, or when exactly I started each of these battles during the race. But I remember those riders and struggling like heck to beat them. Never before can I remember suffering so much for so little reward in the results. Finishing 24th sounds terrible for a 'cross race, but I keep looking above my name at who I have to start beating and at least the top end is pretty much untouchable. I've got to focus my efforts on the guys just ahead of me and see if I can't start making some progress. Already this week it was nice to make up some ground. Unfortunately, I won't be racing MABRA for a while and when I do return, the fields are likely to be smaller and less top heavy. So my real focus will be on those who decide to race the MAC B's. I have no idea who those will be and some will come from the MABRA B ranks too. So until Granogue, I won't know who my real competition is this year. I guess I'll just have to put in the miles and the time at LT and race my race so to speak.

Pictures by Dennis Smith and Michael Kirk:
Early in the race, riding next to Totaro.
The first time through the lilypons.
A bit later, still finding my groove.
Strung out on the gravel road.
First time through the unrideable gravel pit.
My favorite shot, not sure who's in my draft.
Here's Fung dropping me, and Fouche still hanging tough behind.