Howdy 'cross fans,

As Jeff Clark noted on the SCCX front page, it's been a few years since we had a race at Aptos HS.  I guess that qualifies me as an "old-timer".  Despite the years and fading brain cells, I still remember the key features: brutal run-ups, massive elevation gains (and losses), gnarly single-track descent, and major sand-bog.  That one hurt. 

The course that time was more XC than CX, which is not surprising given the state of NorCal 'cross in those days.  Perhaps half the riders had mountain bikes, which they dropped into the granny gear for the steeper climbs, and suspension forks, with which they gleefully bombed down the singletrack.   It was stuff that made a purist's blood boil, like Anton McGready, who I interviewed for an article on the subject at the time. He summed up the prevailing cyclocrosser's view when he growled, rhetorically: "How in the world do you put a full-suspension bike on your shoulder?"   One guy on a free-ride rig at the old Aptos race had the answer: he had tied a strap between his saddle and the stem so he could sling the sled over his shoulder like a piece of Samsonite luggage.  Those were the days, eh? 

I guess the SCCX crew remember the old races, too, because this time around they made an effort to de-jungle the race.  In place of the granny-gear climb they had a good honest run-up (actually, more like a wall) and they took out the single-track descent and sand bog of old.  In their place we got a fine course full of tricky transitions and lots of elevation gain.  The high school is in a bowl-shaped valley, so we started near the bottom and worked our way up, transitioning alternately between grass, sand, pavement, ride-ups and run-ups until we reached the ridgeline above.  However, once we were high up there SCCX couldn't quite manage to get us back off the final hill cleanly: instead a bumpy, lumpy dry grass descent brought us back to the finish.  Fortunately, that didn't matter much since almost everyone's on 'cross bike these days and the score is even.

The major obstacle in the race was the starting hill, a steep steady climb on pavement for about 250 meters into the woods, followed immediately by the biggest, steepest, epic runup we've seen in a while.  This runup was something special.  First of all, by the time you got there you were already completely gassed from the paved climb (and I think I speak for everyone on that point; even Ben J-M admitted to some difficulty scaling the runup).   It was so steep that you could (had to) reach out and steady yourself against the soft earthen pitch to make your way up.  Then, as the sun began to drop in the afternoon sky, the light would shine through the trees straight into your face as you struggled up, blinding your eyes as unseen spectators yelled and rang bells all around. 

The last time up the hill, deep in a fog of late-race hypoxia, I began to have a near-death experience. Maybe the sun in my eyes caused something in my brain to snap. "Climb into the light," I think I heard a ghostly voice calling out to me, ringing a cowbell. "Reach the light and the sweet, sweet release of cyclocross death."  Blind, gasping, every muscle cramped, I wished I could obey, but it was only a dream vision...

OK, perhaps I exaggerate.  But it was sorta like that. 

• Here's a training tip to improve your results at Surf City:  Fly halfway across the country, race SuperCup on Saturday, hop another plane the same afternoon and fly back, then race SCCX on Sunday.  It worked for Gina Hall, Justin Robinson, Ben J-M, Carmen D'Aluisio, Christine Vardaros, and Chris D'Aluisio.  Your A-class winners yesterday all came from that group.  Ben J-M noted that the flat course in Chicago was a nice lead-in to the vertical suffering at Aptos: "I used totally different muscle sets."

• I guess people read my race reports, because several of the SCCX crew approached me to make sure I liked the course, even Justin Robinson (who knew me by email but not by sight -- I guess I'm just too far back in these races to be noticed).  "Did you like the course? Was it all right? How about that downhill?" he asked.  Sure, you bet, guys.  Great course.  Don't let the twisted expression of agony on my face mislead you.

• In my own little race here I ended up battling for 20th place with Rick Hunter and James (aka Alan) Coats. Initially, I rode each lap in two parts: (1) The Runup, and (2) Recover from the Runup.  Later I woke up and realized that the transitions on the rest of the course were where real time could be made or lost, so I started attacking those guys at every opportunity.  I shook off Rick, but on the last lap James answered every surge, and when he finally sprinted away approaching the top of the ridge I was almost thankful that the suffering was over.

• Where did everyone go?  All the fields were down substantially this week, despite fantastic weather.  I miss those people, more importantly the finish points that go with them: for example, while I dropped only seven places in the finish order from last race, I lost 24 points in the scoring! 

• Still no 'cross weather to be found in Surf City (sunny and mid-60's), and no mud. OK, there was an obligatory mud puddle, but by the second race there was a good hard rut around the edge and you could finish the race completely clean and mud-free. Better luck next time.

See you at Districts, 
Dave Carr
Napa Valley Velo