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 Flat-ier, grass-ier, and crit-ier than Canton.  The CX race was really just a warm-up for my main event--the Crosstoberfest Short Track MTB race. This wasn't just any MTB race--this was the kickoff to my Leadville 2015* campaign. *Technically, I'm not yet confirmed for Leadville 2015, but hoping my volunteer stint there this past August will put me over the top (pun intended). Yes, Leadville is 100 miles while CSTMTB ended up being 8.1. Yes, Leadville has an average altitude well above 10,000 feet while Raynam MA is about 200. And yes, Leadville has over 11,000 feet of climbing compared to CSTMTB's 300. But, whatever. Three classes (Elite, Beginner, and Women) lined up for the mass start at the north end of the soccer field. (With 3 women in the race, all were guaranteed a podium spot.) The course ran clockwise compared with the CX race's CCW. The siren sounded and we were off, around the corner, and down the same starting straightaway as the CX race (but in the other direction). I may well have taken the Beginner class hole shot, at which point I began to drift back through the field before settling in near the back. The course followed some of the CX track before heading for the woods and the high country (with its 30 foot climb and two lesser climbs). I don't ride my MTB all that much, and it's pretty low end with shifting to match. As such, and with the darkness thwarting my ability to do a visual check on what gear I was in, it took me into lap 3 (of 5) to get that mastered. I think it was lap 3 in the wooded section in the northeast corner where I was startled to see a headlamp coming my way on a parallel track. "That wasn't part of the course," I thought. And it wasn't--one of the riders had gotten himself turned around. Before he figured it out, I had passed him, and he wouldn't regain his lead. Coming out of the woods, we hit a pretty steep descent that ended in a sand pit. The prospects for becoming an Internet Sensation(TM) were mitigated only by the late hour, lack of spectators, and poor video conditions. I used the classic descending techniques to stay upright all 5 laps: ass back, stay off the brakes, and close my eyes. At some point on the 4th lap, I passed rider 178. In the CX race, I'd been right on his wheel beginning the last lap before he hit his turbo switch never to be seen again. I figured this was going to be a repeat, but this time my not seeing him again was the good way. Short laps (1.6 miles), dead legs, and novice skills make for getting lapped. Twice, in fact (the leaders completed 7). But as my lap times show (below), I didn't give up in what became a steady rain (Rule 5 AND Rule 9!). Okay, so with an average speed of 10.5 mph, I've got me some Bill Black to do this winter. 10.5 mph at Leadville translates to just under 10 hours. Given Leadville's slightly tougher race profile, and with the need for breaks, that's not good enough. But this was just the campaign kickoff ... p.s. Would I recommend Crosstoberfest to others following this inaugural running? A qualified yes. Given the placement of athletic fields, a marsh, and woods, they don't have a lot of flexibility to make the CX course more technical. At minimum, they need to throw in a few more turns and features to keep the Lindstroms and Candidi of the world from having such a big advantage. And, they could rake up the sand to make it more like Gloucester. The social scene, while it started slow, ended up being a blast. They had two food trucks and a well-positioned beer garden. They expected to sell 3 kegs, brought 5, and had to call in an emergency order for another. Also, they could get a bigger MTB field if riders from earlier races were given a discount off the $35 MTB entry fee. My lap 1 video - CX The Numbers - CX: click here for Strava
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2014 RESULTS
2013 RESULTS
2012 RESULTS
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