It's been a muddy Season

My next race to end my 2015/16 cross season will be Nationals in two weeks in Asheville, NC. We've had a great cross season  here in North Texas.

Day-1, , Six Shooter  Got Lucky made the top step in Manor, Tx

I started my cross season with the local Wednesday nighters at the end of September and lined up for my first State Cup Series race the first weekend in October at the Six Shooter. The following weekend would have us racing local in Ft.Worth . I would consider this  power course with it's wide open grass ; elevation changes with some  technical features. It was a fun course put on by Smooth Operator; Colonels' Bicycles.  The next weekend had us racing two different series Saturday at Knobbies & Slicks at a new venue in Keller. It had a bit of everything, a lot of turns, belgian stairs, a sand pit. Then making the drive that night for Kim Ciolli/Market City's race in Webberville,Tx.   Webberville had a great vibe, I especially loved the commentating , it was a very challenging course. With a Big pay for the women. What's not to like here, and the ladies took notice . The women's fields were stacked in all fields.

Me, Jess ; Penny 'Badger' At the Weekly Wednesday Night Cross hosted by Kodiac Tough, Dallas Bike Works, Bicycle Plus, Cadence Cyclery, Richardson Bike Mart, Kevin 's Spinistry for the Scoring

Day-2, Podium Austin' Six Shooter 

Jess,Jenny and I cooling down at Six Shooter

Day-1 Smooth Operator/Colonels in Ft.Worth,Tx. Cat taking the Win, Lisa Uranga  and Jessica Smith rounding out the podium. 

Knobbies & Slicks Keller,Tx ,Austin Vivid Photography 

With a much needed  weekend off of racing before going into my favorite venue, Spooky Cross.  Held on Halloween weekend. It had rained over night causing this already technical course super challenging. My fitness was finally coming around and I was feeling excited for Derby cup.  Our first UCI race in Louisville ,KY.   The next two races would have us in Tulsa, Ok . However, not back to back weekends. Two top notch events.  Staying closer to home the next two weekends Resolution in Garland that had us riding in super muddy ,and slick ground and parts were just  underwater. 
Then there was Highlander Cup in Waco,  topping one of the hardest race courses I've ever ridden.  "bring your climbing legs" is how bike course designer Ian Moore put it. Having great ladies to race week after week in the area is so exciting. The sport is really growing, and I fall in love with it a bit  more every year. I've been fortunate to have the support of a Crew, my husband Toby, Dallas Bike Works, Boyd Wallace, Mack Mckinney, Jason Vivian , Mavic, Gabe Aguilar Velo Republic, local bike shop in Denton,Tx. 

Day-2 Smooth Operator/Colonel's Race Cat in 2,Lisa 3rd, Kim Chance 4th Missy Hardaman 5th

Market City's Webberville , Start of the Race coming back off the pavement

Highlander, Day-1, This was a 12 Belgian Stairs in Waco ,TX

Day-2 Super Happy Me taking the Win both days at Spooky Cross  

Hurtland, Tulsa, OK 

Somewhere.. driving home from Tulsa

Toby's podium at Spooky

Toby's Podium 

Resolution Cross, Garland Texas just finishing on day-1. 

Another great photo captured by Derrick Birdsall  , Coming in with speed to the barriers that were added to the pro categories at Resolution Cross Day-1. 

Resolution Cross photo by Derrick Birdsall , This was probably the hardest part of the course, having to run up to speed on a slight uphill after running the Belgian Stairs. Thanks to Ian Moore for the course difficulty . 

Day-1 Ft.Worth entering the 'single track' 

Highlander Cup, Waco,Tx day-2, first lap 

Smooth Operator/Colonels Ft.Worth, Tx. ,Ben Sewell captured this great photo of Carlson heckling Cat & I on day 2. 

Start at Derby Cup

Texas Ladies in Garland @ Resolution Cross 

Toby at Resolution cross, Clifford , Steven; Larson looking ahead at Toby. 

After a couple of days at the Farm. 

Adventure Ride in Denton,TX with Great Friends

Derby Cup CX

Lousiville Cross

My first UCI race of the year a category 1. Toby and I made the trip to Louisville to race the Derby Cup. It’s held at the Eva Bandman park in Louisville, Kentucky a dedicated cycle cross park. It is really a cool venue with a permanent fly over, boulder run ups,  technical off camber, short punchy climbs.  The course is one of my favorite races. Located in Louisville a super old beautiful city. We have family in Louisville so its a bonus to make the trip.

  

Day-1 The race started on the pavement and about a 100 meters in out of the corner of my eye I could see  riders started  divert right to what soon would be a collision - I accelerated and manipulated through the field of riders .  Everyone in fight to that single track had riders spread across the track.

Then as we come the first corner onto the grass there is a mud pit , that covered the entire path. There was a ‘line’ on the left. My plan was to stay far right, and as I suspected riders went down on the left. I was on the right in this very soupy mud as I entered the rider  in front of me goes down . I managed to get through the chaos and just off the back of the leaders. I merged my way up and sat about 8th wheel. I decided to be patient and hold onto the this group. The group started to split however, I was still sitting in 8th position. Then throughout my race I would get passed one by one. I just focused on riding my race and ended up in 13th. 

 Day-2 Uci c.2 

Once again I was the 38th rider and on the 4th row, I started in the same position and had ridden all alternatives going into todays mud pit , the race organizers widened the mud section by expanding the tape adding in some sand to help absorb some of the thick mud.   I ride through the middle of the mud pit. A little bit more energy however, I didn’t want to get caught up in any crashes.  I ended up sitting in 7th position on the first lap. I was feeling pretty good, maintained my composure Until the second lap. I had slid out going into this off camber, falling on my drive side unable to get out of my pedal made this quite comical . I would end up finishing 21st on the day. 

in the pit for toby 

Spooky cross

Spooky cross 2015 race report 

local Bike shop owner, Gabe Aguilar at Velo Republic in Denton,Tx 

Day-2 Podium shot Fiona Daughtery 4th, Sami Runnels 3rd, me , Cat Moore

I can't be happier from this past weekend at spooky cross. I took the Top Step both days. This was a true team Win. It sure does take a Village to be on top & having so many things go well is due to my pit crew Toby, Mack McKinney with Dallas Bike Works. Toby & Mat Stephens for the coaching on course. . Sure I didn't perform perfectly and  with the conditions the course was changing every lap.

 I've been really working on slowing it down, in order to be faster. That may sound counterintuitive to some but it works for me.   Technical coach Bryan Fawley ( Kodiac tough) and I have been working on slowing it down and dialing in those skills at the weekly Wednesday nighters.

 We have a very strong ,competive field of ladies racing here in Texas. It won't be long until the women's elite class grows. It was Super exciting  to see that there were more women racing then men this past weekend. Race promotor, Jeff Lucido did such a fantastic job with this venue . The course was great, and the rain really made the course challenging . Jeff  reached out to Bicycles Plus & RIchardson Bike Mart, both shops stepped up adding additional money to the women's purse. The course was held at the heritage village historical park just south of down town Dallas. The course has many technical aspects and open power sections.  

Thanks to Dallas Bike Works, Boyd Wallace , Mack Mickney , Mavic ,niner bicycles my chiropractor Dr Crystal Hankel , Gabe at Velo Bicycles in Denton , Jeff Lucido, Ian Moore .