A quick hour and a half and about sixty pee breaks after leaving Chicago Julie and I rolled into Washington Park. This race marked a full calander year since my first cyclocross race ever and it felt really good to be racing here again. The course is rad, there were costumes everywhere (word has it there were only two at the entire day of racing in Illinois, Ted being one), and the friends and super fans were all out in full effect.

 
The course: It was a decently long, wide, soft grass leadout before the first right turn and then up the what was probably the steepest hill in the park. Atop the hill there was a tree to 180 around and go directly back down into a sweeping right turn. Fifty feet of flat and straight before 180ing again leading up to the first barrier section. A triple set that was fast. I have been practicing carrying speed into and through the barriers and it is starting to show. After the barriers, there was very little time before a quick hard right though a washed out corner. Followed by an easy left and an easy right into a really tight left turn that was super dry, loose and washed out. It seemed that even going into this turn at a crawl was too fast and I'd be pushing at the tape to keep myself from falling over. Out of the turn and through a straight section. Weave around another washed out corner, through a half dozen scare crows and up and around another short hill tree 180 combonation brought you to the bunnyhop of death. Confronting riders after shooting out between an opening in some hedges there were two coffins and a pair of 2x4's that each rider had to get over. Totally bunnyhopable it was one of the best parts of the course, every lap I wanted to try to pedal in the air over it, but could never bring myself to try. Around the pavilion and through some more switch back to the last barrier section.  The ground leading into the first barrier was super soft and scrubbed speed like a sponge sucking me into the ground.  The run up was fun, not insanely long, but definatly longer than most, yet I felt strong every lap.  Atop the hill a quick twist around some trees and through a swooping left turn that was just ever so slightly washed out and off camber.  A long, stright super bumpy grass section, across the bike path and through a quick right and a left.  A downhill left turn to an uphill right turn and a slow swoop to the left.  A hard packed dirt climb let out onto the dragstrip of a final straight before a hard, grassy downhill right turn to the finish line.

 

Perfect timing to line up with everyone else and realize I was the only person in my race to be in costume.  I joked with my start line asking when "everyone got so seroius?"  I was awarded with a chuckle as Casey came to the front of the group and said a few a words and the official finished it up.  Riders ready and the whistle.

 

 

 

I got off the line fast as usual, not quite the whole shot, at the top of the first hill I was sitting in third with quite a bit of pressure from behind.  I held that position across the barriers and through the first few twisty turns.  Everyone was off the line and riding hot.  I was able to hold the pace, but with Jesse in front of me I was getting pressure from behind to not let the yo-yo go so far, so I was pushing my bikes handling to the limits.  So going into the last loose turn before the short straight I came in a little too hot and washed out, droping nearly to the back of the pack.  After getting back up and going again I was not that far off the lead group, but getting stuck behind a slower rider and the solo effort was enough to keep me from getting back on.  I did however manage to make up some placing and recovered to sixth place.