Monday, November 3, 2008

Polska Puker

I was up Saturday at the crack of dawn to head to Milwaukee for the Polska cross race. Having done my first cross race last weekend I was excited to try and improve. I rode a little during the week and kept the calorie intake to solid foods, not liquids, so I thought I was ready.

The thing about cross, like everything else I do on a bike, it takes a while to figure things out. You always read about the starts and where guys line up ,apparently it is pretty important. In mtb racing its not such a big deal so I didn't put much thought into it, well in cross it is. I extended my warm up on Saturday. That is what I learned last week, warm up a little, spiking your heart rate in a cross race takes a while to come back down and by then the race is over. So I lallygag to the start and get stuck pretty far back. Not such a big deal I think. I will just sprint the start. That is what everyone else is thinking though. Whistle blows and I whiff my pedal not one but twice and everyone else in full sprint heads to the first corner with me dragging behind. By the time I get through the first set of chicanes there is a line of riders as far as I can see. I pick of a couple guys in the loose dirt that bobble and there I pretty much stay for the rest of the race. I get some time checks up to Brian Merklein during the laps and we hold a pretty even gap. He finished around 10th I finished 23rd. That shows me how important the start is. While I don't expect to finish top 10 if I can get my starts down a little better I have a pretty good chance at some improved results.

It was great having everyone out to the race. We had myself, Joe, Mike, Brian M, Jon H, Raging Ron, and Brian P all racing. Big Steve and littlest Sam were out plus the Merklein crew and the Curtes Mom were all Superfaning for us.

We had a great time with great weather and there were a bunch of pics taken. Check out Flikr "poska puker" and see for yourself.

1 comment:

Big Steve said...

Nice job, Josh, and to all others that were out there.

I'm waiting for the clyde or rock crusher or barrier breaker or whatever they want to call a class for me.

I would have been out there, but, you know, I don't have a crossbike.

Truly a crazy-insane-sick event that I don't know that I could ever do. My full respect to anyone that gets out on a cross course.