Gewilli pretty much already covered Wrentham. Good course, mostly cow pasture with a long, gradual climb through the woods. The maze was laid out in such a way that braking was almost non-existent. There were a few energy-sapping ruts here and there to make it interesting, but if you stayed on the good lines, the entire layout had a fast flow to it and was a lot of fun. Despite the width being more than ample for passing, doing so required you to move off the smoother line and use even more energy bouncing up the side. This led to a lot of little packs riding along.
The big news of course was that winter finally arrived. Wrentham was run in temps just above and below 30F, but at least the winds were much less than on Saturday. We've been spoiled though, so it seemed much colder. Unlike Gewilli, I rode with a liner hat AND a knit hat under my helmet, electing to keep my ears warm. I wore wool tights too, along with kneesocks and shorts. Bulky gloves made shifting and braking a bit cumbersome. I was never even close to overheating though. Started at the back as usual. There were only around 35 starters, and also as usual at least half a dozen of them fell by the wayside on the first lap with various mechanical issues. I'm not sure if these guys don't train, don't warm up, or just don't have a clue, but it happens every week. Of course, nearly everyone rides way over their heads at the start too, so that probably brings some of this stuff on via mistakes. As I made my way past a few of other backmarkers who managed to stay on their bikes, "I'm blown sky high" breathing was the rule, not the exception. I know it's important to race for position, especially if you're a real contender, but damn, what these guys are doing is the equivalent of starting a 10k at a 200 meter dash pace, then trying to settle in. As Friel says, not the most comfortable way to race.
By the end of the second lap I'd moved up at least ten spots. Then a few of the guys who either had issues or had just started conservatively came roaring back by me. I don't think I had slowed down much, but maybe a little, as I had managed to dig a bit too deep at times, taking the bouncy line, as noted above. I ended up in a group of three with Dave Belknap (Bike Link) and Matt H (Bikeman). The Cronoman was giving me splits to grouppo Gewilli, who were about fifteen seconds ahead of us. I wisely decided to just sit on the other two, as there was no way I was going to get rid of them. I was able to stay on them easily on the main section of the course, but they were gapping me a bit on the twisties just after the start/finish. I could comfortably get back on their wheels for the long drag through the woods though, which was the best place to draft.
As we took the one to go bell, Gewilli was in sight just ahead. They dragged him back, and Matt went by in the woods. Dave B stayed behind Ge, and I wound it up nearing the end of the woods straight, planning to pass them both on the left. At the end of the straightaway there was a big tree in the middle of the track. Every lap I was going around it on the left, but Dave B was taking it on the right. Well, just as I went to blow by them, Dave quickly moved left as if he was going to pass Ge, but then he didn't. I don't know if he was throwing a block or just couldn't pass, but I was pissed, so I made a banzai move up the right, where it was all gravel. Narrowly squeezing by the towering Gewilli, I found myself headed straight for the tree at full speed. My life flashed before my eyes as I fumbled for some brakes with my heavy gloves, and I just barely slowed down enough and took the right hand line for the first time. I lost a lot of momentum, but I think Dave B might have had to check up too, as he did not come around.
From there I went after Matt, and closed in on him when he bobbled the 180 coming back up the dirt road before the gate. He was pretty fast on the top slalom, but he'd been a bit slow on the uphill barriers and the little rise after that. I closed on the barriers and took him on the riding rise, only needing to get off the smooth line for about ten meters. From there it was big gears and big gas down the straight and into the log jump. I fumbled my clip in, but just held off Dave B in the rush to the line, getting credit for 17/33 overall, just 4.5 minutes down on winner Kevin Hines. This was by far the most competitive cross racing I've been involved in all year, and it was a lot of fun. Afterwards I cooled down and the Cronoman took the requisite end of cross season, 25 degrees out shirtless photo in the parking lot. Not sure if I'll post it though, as I'm sporting an embarrassing muffin-top rolling out of my Under Armour.
Updated the sidebar this weekend too. Ran the Greater Norwood Running Club's HO HO HO 5k on Saturday. Despite bitter winds in the cold, I somehow managed a PR of 18:15, good for 4th overall in the small field of about 100 runners. The out and back course has some gradual grades to it as well, and the final mile was a mostly uphill drag into the wind. Despite this, my splits were pretty even, 5:50, 5:48, 6:00. The final tenth seemed long. May have had a shot at 3rd, as my HR the first mile was only 152 average. I was marking Steve Warren, and the other three simply got away before I went around him. Ended up only seven seconds back from third and another ten or so from second, with the winner long gone. Oh well. I'm happy to still be improving. More on this later in the week, maybe. Thanks for reading.
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