CX Nationals

Collegiate cycling is the crazy constant switch of disciplines, race styles, and mentality. Only two weeks after returning from Missoula for mountain bike Nationals we had our first Cyclocross race up in Kentucky. It was time to practice remounting, jumping over things, and dial in high-end efforts. CX is a wild sport that’s tricky to explain to my friends at school. I would usually explain it as, “They look like road bikes, but with grippy tires, and we race in the mud then run with our bikes up stairs and over obstacles.” Strange, I know.

The team took triumphant first and second places in our first relay and men’s race, I won mine, and Milligan was leading conference. With race success and the National title still fresh in my mind, motivation was at an all-time high.

The succeeding weekends brought more victory for the team and we held onto our conference lead till the end. It was another great group to travel and race with, most of us from the mountain bike team, and before long it was time to travel to Louisville, KY for CX Nationals.

It was a scramble to squeeze our final exams in especially with snow cancelling one of our test days, but we got it done and it was a relief to get in the van and go. It’s been a challenging semester; a balancing act between classes, training, and everything in between. But a great couple months, and I’ll definitely miss my second home over winter break.

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We suited up for pre-ride on Wednesday in the short window of time the course was open. It was a little wet, but thankfully forecasted to mostly dry up for race day. With school wrapping up and being so busy, I hadn’t had the time or energy to stress about the race, but Thursday morning it all hit me. There was only one shot at this Nationals. No omnium, no second chances. Only 40 mins of racing and done. We headed to the venue, checked out the course one last time, warmed up, and headed to the start line. I started on the front row and was most anxious for my start, which I’m notoriously bad at. But a race this short can be won or lost in the first few turns with traffic playing a decisive factor. The light turned green, and we were off, faster than I had anticipated, going into the first turn with lots of speed. I was in third position and couldn’t believe it!

I think I freaked out a bit being so far up, and felt out of place and panicked when I should’ve just stayed calm and embraced it. The first technical position got clogged up and many of us had to run. I was so tense from nerves and the race was flying by me faster than I could think! Having gone backwards in placing so quickly, I had to dismount and sprint the sandpit too. And then got passed up the stair flyover. As soon as it was time to ride unbroken for a bit, I began moving up through the pack again, picking off riders one by one.

I was back in the top 10, but amongst the chaos I didn’t know where. The pace of the leaders was wild fast, with first place clocking in the fastest lap yet of Nationals…out of everyone. The rest of the racers felt it. I fought with riders around me, focusing on these instantaneous battles instead of the entire war. I was closing in on 8th place on the second lap then crashed in an off-camber section going over the bars. I was suffering, reaching, wanting to be up there so bad. My heart rate was high, I muscled up the steep climbs that, and risked it on the descents.

I did not find my rhythm. It wasn’t enough. I crossed the line in 10th, well below my expectations and discouraged. But it was what it was.

The boys raced Friday, and it was a spectacle! With inches of rain overnight, the course had changed dramatically, turning it into a slip-n-sliding cross country mud run. The men did great persevering through the circumstances. Their impressive attitudes helped remind me to keep it fun and embrace the conditions, even though they were tough.

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The team relay on Saturday was a wild mess, especially with even more rain and race erosion transforming the entirety of the course into a slick, soupy mud fest. Joe lost one of his shoes on the first lap, then Keith impressively reeled us back up to third position, unfortunately Meade had a crash, then I held our position on the last lap. It was faster down big the hill to rail it, crash, slide, then get up and run, so that’s what I did. My hand was fully submerged in the mud as I used it to get up. Kind of fun, but still hurt. I wanted to give in and walk through the mud I could barely balance in, but kept running, trudging through the slop and my mind telling me to slow down. It was a glorious finale to the week.

From a results point of view, this has been a rough National Champs, and that’s part of racing and part of life, but still tough to just accept and move on from. Even though Cyclocross is technically an individual sport, our teamwork really shone through this past week. From washing each other’s muddy legs off to loading bikes in the cold dusk, to being there for each other out on course, I think it brought out the best in us as teammates, which I’m proud of.

It was honestly sad saying goodbye to the team for the semester. We’ve become a tight-knit group.

Cycling is a cruel sport sometimes. It will take you to the highest mountains, and deepest of valleys, literally and figuratively. Next up is a long road season, with some big goals, but first a week off to recharge and reset. A storm is coming, and I will be ready.