Putney Cyclocross Race Report
In the midst of 60-hour work weeks and yet another week of sickness, I went to Putney to race the 10-person elite field in this New England cross classic. Why? Because cross is awesome. If Monday-Saturday of my week sucks, there's one way to fix it -- racing Sunday. Tiredness and health be damned!
Matt and Toby showed up to keep me company and ostensibly provide competition. And race we did! Well, for a lap and a half. We got gapped by the lead train of five quickly and then it was just the three of us. For reasons unknown (ok, girlfriend on the runup) I went around Toby after a lap and immediately realized that today was going to be a survival day, not an attacking day.
I can survive, though... right? Maybe? Matt came past as we circled the West Hill Shop, realizing that I wasn't exactly riding away with it. I responded to this affront by crashing on the muddy corner behind the shop, nearly getting run over by Toby, and then ceasing to put up a fight for the next forty minutes. Take that, guys!
Worst of all, I was nearly lapped by Ethan Gilmour and Robbie King on the low-five-minute-laps course. I suffered as best I could to hold them off for the last two laps, eventually cresting the runup ten seconds ahead of a sprinting/winning Ethan. My reward? Getting pulled anyway. Bollocks.
The video is short and sweet, but does contain three crashes and a variety of nonsense being spoken. I took Jerry's advice and ran the camera forward-facing this time, correctly predicting that the action would be in front of me.
Putney Cyclocross Handlebar Cam from colin reuter on Vimeo.
My faster half was present and bringing home the bacon as usual. She had some friends to play with:
Then her friends were gone:
Sounds like my race.
Matt and Toby showed up to keep me company and ostensibly provide competition. And race we did! Well, for a lap and a half. We got gapped by the lead train of five quickly and then it was just the three of us. For reasons unknown (ok, girlfriend on the runup) I went around Toby after a lap and immediately realized that today was going to be a survival day, not an attacking day.
I can survive, though... right? Maybe? Matt came past as we circled the West Hill Shop, realizing that I wasn't exactly riding away with it. I responded to this affront by crashing on the muddy corner behind the shop, nearly getting run over by Toby, and then ceasing to put up a fight for the next forty minutes. Take that, guys!
Worst of all, I was nearly lapped by Ethan Gilmour and Robbie King on the low-five-minute-laps course. I suffered as best I could to hold them off for the last two laps, eventually cresting the runup ten seconds ahead of a sprinting/winning Ethan. My reward? Getting pulled anyway. Bollocks.
The video is short and sweet, but does contain three crashes and a variety of nonsense being spoken. I took Jerry's advice and ran the camera forward-facing this time, correctly predicting that the action would be in front of me.
Putney Cyclocross Handlebar Cam from colin reuter on Vimeo.
My faster half was present and bringing home the bacon as usual. She had some friends to play with:
Then she took a dirt nap:
Then her friends were gone:
Sounds like my race.
Comments
Oh, and those guys are fast.
After watching the vid, I feel less like a loser for packing the car the night before but not leaving in the AM. Its 2 minutes of fun up top followed by 4 minutes of "just shoot me" down below. They even took out the barrier?
I know we are all supposed to love Putney and all, and I love the VENUE and the SHOP and the VIBE, but I am so totally over the course. Would a couple corners on the corn field kill any one?
I had a pair of old tubies to give you too. Oh well.
Putney - the only cross race (any race?) I have ever dropped out of.
Colin, next time we're at the start would you remind me not to talk while we're racing? thanks
bt