013 Battle Scars



Cheers!

 This weekend was the Granogue cyclocross race, MAC races #5 and #6. The queen of the MAC GRRRanogue. Did you know in 2005 at my first Granogue while pre riding the course in the foggy misty morning I was so scared of this course that I went to the car and didn't race. Yes it was my 3rd race ever but I don't think I'll ever live that one down. My best Granouge finish came in 2008, 6th place B Women. That year the course was dry and swoopy, the barriers were near the rooty tree, the climb to the water tower was fast and powerful and it was a sunny crisp fall day. I was having one of those rare days when it felt like my legs could do anything. I attacked on every hill on the first lap and tried to maintain. I often think about that day, I attacked the course with vengeance, I had something to prove to myself, I wasn't scared.

Did you know after two years of trying I have never finished the Granogue mountain bike race. That's another story for another time. This year the Granogue cross race celebrated 10 years and it's first double up weekend with two new courses. Did you know Bad Andy has been at every Granogue Cross for the last 10 years.

Saturday's course offered a downhill slalom from the water tower, a rideable backside hill, and a random sandpit in the woods. I ripped the start finding myself in decent position after the first corner. As we approached the sand pit I was ready for anything. I left a little room to the rider in front just in case things got crazy. Good thing, there was a pile up. As people parted sorting out themselves and bikes, a path was cleared for me to continue rolling with out the need to dismount. Score. Up the next hill I desperately tried to attach to the group in front of me. Through the barriers I attempted to make up more time because I new I needed a wheel on the windy road section. Well this failed completely, I wrecked on my remount and cut my knee on my bike. There's a first for everything. The knee didn't hurt just a little bloody, I kept going.


Bad Andy Granogue Cross
http://www.dennisbike.com/

Then my seat decided it wanted to be pointing at the sky and not level. I was near the pit and knew BA's bike was in there for me. My first pit, while searching for the bike a couple more spots were lost, I kept going. Finished 15th out of 46 starters in the B Women. It turns out i needed four stitches in my knee. Thanks to RKL and LVG for accompaniment and car to the medical clinic post race.

BA had a good ride, although 11th is the the worst spot in a UCI C2 race, no UCI points. For a good majority of the race he was in a group of 8 or so. I think one of the biggest groups I've seen in a cross race that stay together for awhile.  

 

 

Bad Kat Granogue Cross
I'm somewhere in this cluster.
http://www.dennisbike.com/

Sunday morning I didn't know if my knee would let me race. I almost broke down before leaving the house. BA talked me through it. The plan was to ride around and see how it felt. Upon arrival I forgot about my knee. I started riding and forgot about it even more. I was excited to see what new surprises and challenges the course had to offer. Sunday's course gave riders a run up backside hill (BA and some others rode it), a tough ride up to the water tower and a downhill remount after the run up. I killed the start attempting to attach to the top four. As I made my way down the hill from the water tower I was desperately searching for a place to recover. A few people passed me. I kept fighting for positions knowing that I was running down the downhill re-mount section. I was lame today because I was thinking about my knee. I passed people on the tricky turn before the road. I was really suffering during this race and it seemed like everyone just kept passing me, so on the last lap when I was passed on the water tower hill I attached myself to the wheel and sprinted for 10th out of 46 starters in the B Women.

BA had a inspirational ride to 6th. He rode the backside hill and when the crowd went nuts it fueled his fire. Check out his post race interview.

This weekend we head south to Kentucky for the US Grand Prix of Cyclocross. We are both excited to see what the Kentucky Cyclocross Scene is all about.