Antsy

As I've posted the last two times, this Saturday is the first cross race. MSG stepped it up for the first two races of the season and are offering a pretty good payout for several categories. Hopefully this will bring in some competition.

Right now I'm feeling really antsy about the first cross race this fall. Coming from road the legs feel good, but cross is a lot different with adding technical skills and a whole different mentality of pacing during the race. Road you try to do as little work as possible until a decisive moment...were with cross its balls out from the beginning and then try to hold what gaps you created while closing down the ones that were created on you. One really good thing about cross is the atmosphere. Save the few "pure" roadies that come out with bad attitudes, everyone is pretty nice.

Which brings me to a blog I read the other day about a cross race. It was a blog listed on GamJams, and the person went through the race detail by detail. On the first lap of the race, the person had already lost the front group, and another person wanted to pass on her left, announced it, and then blocked the move. I can see doing this towards the end of a race or if you are fighting for a top 5 even, but on the first lap when you still have 40+ minutes to go. One of two things is going to happen. (1) That person thinks they're going to bridge and they blow up or (2) that person thinks they're going to bridge, and they do and most likely win. No need to be a jack that early on. (as a side note, the person that wanted by bridged and won the race)

Post-race results this weekend.

Be safe, and good luck if you're racing this weekend!