It's now the start of my 2nd CX season with the first SoCal Cross Race in Granada Hills (Los Angeles). I raced the women's masters 35+ race with 5 women in the field and managed first place (unofficially).
One fun part is the start of the race because you have to work to get in the front of the group. For this race, I did manage to stay in the front of the group the entire time with a good gap between me & 2nd place. You can have very good fitness but lacking in bike handling skills can set you back. This is how I got in front of the woman in first place at the start. She struggled to corner a sandy turn and I was able to pass her and gap her.Most of the race my heart rate was maxed for about 35 minutes. I felt I had the cardio fitness but my legs felt tired. I focused on cornering around the tight turns, letting go of the brakes and keeping my breathing even. The best part was that I managed to stay upright on the bike. The course was very good for beginners because it was less technical, mostly grass and some slight hills.This race was fun and it was a great way to start the season. Having a goal and an event to push you to your limits is always good.
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| This is the grassy course. |
So you want to cross too? Yay! We need more CX women racers.
Last year I just threw myself into cross racing without the appropriate skills. It worked out okay but did have some good falls ending up with nice bruises & broke my bike a few times. The beginning of this year I picked up mountain biking and that has helped tremendously with cross. I also ride my CX bike at least once a week on trails near my home working on intervals and dismounting off/on my bike.
Here are some tips to get you started:
1. Bike - you can rent a bike at the socal cross races. Another option is to use a mountain bike (borrow one). You can always find used CX bikes for sale at reasonable prices. The good thing about owning a cross bike is that they can be used as your road bike back up during the "rainy" season. You'll need mountain bike shoes too. I highly recommend wearing long finger gloves and of course a helmet.
2. Go and practice dismounting on the grass. Just to get the feel of what it's like to mount & dismount the bike. You can youtube videos on cross racing to get a feel for how it's done.
3. Practice in some dirt. The sandy parts make it tricky to handle your bike. So it's a good idea to get used to the feeling of riding in sand. If you can, get a hill in or two.
4. Avoid using too much of the brakes. This is hard and I still do this. But the less you use your brakes the less likely you are to crash.
5. Practice riding around tight corners. Set up cones to go around on your bike. This will help with the tight corners (this is usually where you tend to overuse your brakes).
6. Get yourself a sleek skinsuit (ok this is optional but they make you look fast & cool). Regular cycling clothes are fine. Cool socks, however, are not optional.
6. Just do it. Sign up for a beginner race. Take your time, have fun. The women are friendly and keep a fun attitude. It's cross after all.
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| Here is the Velo Hangar skin suit & Team Awesome Sock Guy socks. |
