.:too early for cyclocross?:.

Yes, it is early in the year for cyclocross workouts, but right now I have bike ADD and I need some excitement.

A five minute ride through winding residential streets gets me to Laurelwood Park--a big sparkly diamond in my life. This park is only convenient to the locals, has no thru streets, and has dirt trails leading to the top of Ralston Ave. From there, it's a five minute downhill shot to Waterdog or over the pedestrian bridge to Canada Rd. This is why we moved here.


It was my first time riding the new cross bike, Specialized Tricross Expert, and oh what a sweet ride it was. Coming back down on Ralston via dirt I forgot about the limitations of a cross bike, and rode like a mountain bike. I felt a significant difference between the tires as well. I was running Kenda Small Bloc 8's, this bike has a Specialized cross tire that looks similar but has way more grip. Even on the loose and gravel-y trails of summertime mid-penn parks, the tires locked up and never budged. Dropping down some small step-like roots the bike felt stable and comfortable. I guess those "Zertz" things really work. {Zertz are a proprietary elastomer plugged into the carbon seatstays and fork blades where they meet the crown; claimed to help vibration dampening.}

If only my mounts and dismounts could be as easy as the descending. Last year was my first time racing, and I hadn't mastered this task yet. Six months since the last cross ride and my skills have only gotten rustier--Titanic at the bottom of the ocean rusty. I'm so very happy no one was around to witness my fumblings, other than the group of 15 yr old boys, but they were probably stoned. I struggled remembering the complex steps, order of movements, and various body placements. Hands on the hoods, right leg back and over and through, right hand on the top tube. Then in one movement down and forward with me, up with the bike, and over the log. Praying that all the intricacies come together at just the right time, and that I don't land face on log.

Paule and Julie Bates teach a great cyclocross clinic, which I was fortunate enough to partake in last year. I tried my damnedest to remember their tips. My favorite is still "Showgirls"...you just had to be there. If anyone in the Bay Area has an interest in this, I'm sure you can get more info from the Roaring Mouse shop in SF.

I'd definitely lost my edge on cross-bike steep climbs. Picture right gave me hell.  I jumped into shouldering the bike, began running up the hill, took three steps and slowed to barely crawling. Molasses pumped through my veins; cottage cheese filled my lungs. Yep, that's a cross workout. Oh wait, add a little throw up in the back of my throat. Now, that's a cross workout.

Coming back down a mild dirt grade through Laurelwood park, I got the rush of a cross race all over again. That spectator friendly circuit, with competitors elbow to elbow the entire time. That sense of do or die, fight fight fight (in a friendly way of course). I got excited about riding my bike, about racing. That sensation breathed fresh air into my stale motivations to train.

Finally, on the way home about three blocks from house is another park. This one is much smaller, but cute nonetheless. It rests on a steep hill, and has a ton of Eucalyptus trees (see first picture above). Remind you of something? Think Coyote Pt. I save my front wheel from washing out at the last minute. That Eucalyptus bark is slippery. Luckily only one dog walker, and two uber cool high schoolers witnessed my shenanigans. I found a perfect loop for two flights of stairs, remount, steep downhill, back to the stairs.
Picture left.

So yes, a little early, but a much needed refreshment. Doing the same routines week after week doesn't keep me interested in training. I spent the first five months of the year training for mountain bike racing and I'm a little bored. Ballet helps me remember life outside of riding bikes, but cyclocross has helped me stay excited about living to ride.

:: garmin geekery ::