CX Fever!

It began just a few months ago in the small grass field in front of the Milligan bike house after class one day. The guys were teaching me to dismount, carry my mountain bike over a pvc pipe barrier, then remount on the other side. I had never even touched a cross bike before, let alone ridden one, and by the time we were done with practice my inner thigh was rubbed raw and I was admittedly pretty frustrated. The boys made it look so easy! The superman mount, they called it. I kept practicing, watched some YouTube videos, took any advice, and before I knew it Coach had found me a bike and I was lined up at my first cyclocross race.

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It's a funky sport. People dress up in more exuberant outfits than other cycling disciplines, races are shorter, and perhaps the part that gets the most reaction when I try to explain to people is that we run with our bikes. Up stairs, through sand, over barriers, and whatever else the course creator throws at us. Our first race took place on King's University's campus. I placed 6th, with my biggest deficiency obvious to everyone in the audience: stairs. I'd trot up them one by one, get passed literally every single lap, then cautiously remount at the top. So after practice one cool night, my teammate Beth took me to dimly-lit stairs on our campus. We ran up, skipping steps, metal cleats clanking on the pavement, then rode down the grass alongside, over and over again. I'd take the cross bike around campus before practice, probably looking nonsensical to onlookers, getting off my bike and running with it, only to remount five feet later. Or, at least try to.

I surprised myself in my second conference race by placing a close second. It was a power course, mostly flat, and with only one or two places to get off and run. But I still wasn't too sure about Nationals. Cross was fun, but I was definitely still a newbie. Plus with the upcoming road season, I knew I'd be putting in long hours on the bike for base training. Would a 40 minute race fit into my regimen? After much encouragement from Coach, who told me I might have a shot at podium, I set my sights on Reno, NV, right around the corner from the New Year.

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My dad and I drove up from our home in SoCal to meet the team since the event took place at the tail-end of our winter break. On the way we stopped to ride mountain bikes and spend the night with the Plum family.

Meade and Genevieve and the coolest girls, and definitely the ones to look out for this upcoming NICA season in the Varsity field. And, super exciting news, Meade will be attending Milligan on the cycling team in the fall! She is a very dedicated athlete, already a wonderful friend, and will be a great asset to the team.

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The next morning my dad and I finished the drive in to Reno, cruising through a fresh snow blizzard in the high desert. We went straight to the course to meet up with the Milliganites. I was having an unusual amount of fun for a first pre ride, hopping the features and climbing the dinos.

I was stoked to discover it was yet another power course, with features and an off-camber mud section favoring mountain bikers. Perfect. A couple more laps to discuss options, gain some confidence, and polish lines the day after, and then...race day.

I was actually more nervous for this one than mountain bike nationals. I was out of my element, and planning to risk it by attempting to jump some of the obstacles. The whistle blew, and we were off! I started in the second row, but quickly dropped to the back half of the pack of about 40 women. Wrong gear? Lack of interval training? Nerves? I don't know, but there was no time to waste, no more room for mistakes.

I accelerated as the pack slowed up, more adrenaline pumping with every pass. Top 20, then top 15. The course tightly wove through a park, so we could see each other around every turn. Head down, look up to eye the competition, then back to the grind. I was closing int on the top 10. Lungs burning, legs screaming for mercy, but she's right there!!

My parents, Coach, team, and Plum family were all cheering wildly. I cleared the obstacles, refused to be passed, and kept focus on the girls in front of me, picking them off one by one. As we passed under the finish banner, the bell rang. Last lap, all out, nothing left, this is it! I crossed the line in 4th place, behind some super fast ladies, including the winner, Hannah Arensman, who I battled it out with during mountain bike season.

I didn't have the best start, but it was one heck of a race. There's really no feeling in the world like powering through the competition.

Our relay team the following day was strong, but unfortunately plagued by mistakes and mechanicals, including a flat for Joe and dropped chain for me. It was a team of freshman, so we'll definitely be back for more in years to come!

Cross Nationals is over, but the training definitely isn't. I crossed the finish line as the anchor of the relay and greeted by my team, ecstatic that the dirt seasons are over. As they said, I'm in their territory now! Excited, a little scared, and, just like Cyclocross, not too sure what to expect. But I'm gonna give it my all, and we'll see what this roadie thing is all about!