Above is the look I thought I was giving during the MN state Cx race yesterday, sidways even. I gave it my all, had some fun, and think these 4 races were good for mountain bike training. Trained us to go faster, be more agressive and take the race by the sruff of the neck and shake it. During this recap of the race I'll print what song is playing on shuffle, right now, TV on the Radio.

Get to the venue a little before 10 to register and warm up, etc. Out the car and brrrrrrr... a bit cool in the park they call basset creek. In the chalet type thing, a silver fox comments on my breathe right by saying, "we have BRs for sale at the end of the counter, oh wait, you already have yours on." What a great sarcastic comment, I appreciated it. Son Volt is on now. Regestered, bikes put together and ready for a recon lap. Being our 4th race on the cx circuit ever, we didn't know what to expect for the state race. Big Turkey gave us the low down, but things apparently change in the hands of Hollywoods crew. Fun course; stair run up, power climb, sorta techy switchback downhill, long bumpy head windy sections, et. all. Pink Floyd, Pigs now. Becca to the course to continue the process of bringing blood to the extremities, Nate to the car to get out of the wind. In laws come, Beck. Ready for the C start at 11. Cold. Windy. Should have rode more outside to get the breathers conditioned. Too late now. Whistle blast and Becca is off. She'll say more on her race later, with podium results?!?!?!!?!?

Nate back to the car to try to warm up, not really into it as friends poke their heads out. 11:20am getting ready for a 11:45 start. Had to stop and chat with Bob Brown, Barry and Ali and the call of nature. 311. After looking like I was warming up, time to be at the start line. CX races are weird to me because we just sit at the line, don't start on time, and bide our time before frost bite starts. Whatever. Start: people flailing on the smallest of hills, grabbing gears, searching for wheels, wondering how grav hills could be so tough. I stood up and sucked in air deep knowing I'd go into my reserves during these 35min of chaos. Pete Yorn. I'd pick up guys here and there, try to suck on their wheels on the straights and out corner them everywhere else. Some would come by as I didn't have it on the flats for some silly reason. I thought my barriers were sweet until this happened

in an altercation with my pedal on a remount. Didn't hurt until the finish. Regardless, the penultimate lap came sooner than I thought, counter had 3 and I guess there were 2. Okay, time to go. I caught some guy in a Superior jersey, some other dude and had my blurry eyes on (Wilco) a Tonka dude who had blown by me like I was a chubby 5th grader a couple laps prior. Last lap burst was not enough as he held me off by 5 seconds or so. Proud of myself for bringing him back from about 30-40sec though. All in all, fun lap, almost as good as Porkchop, but not quite! I'd like to do the pro thing and thank my sponsors and supporters for this great year of challenging myself to the limits of sanity. Radiohead now. Shout out to My wife #22, Schrute Farms Beets, In laws, bikes with wheels and chains, food, water, beds, stretching, intervals, other blogs to instigate more training, and cheering sections (Cloud crew, Rebecca and Lonie, Bob and Beth, Barry and Ali, Rick, Jo and Erica). Bright Eyes. Postal Service. Good bye for now, Becca is up next with her recap of the days events. Phish. Mountain Goats. Thanks to Skinnyski for this: