Sprinker 2015

This was my first time racing down at the Sprinker Rec Center down in Parkland, and I have to say that if it wasn’t my favorite all time course it was certainly in the top three.  The Cross Revolution guys really put a lot of work and planning into laying out a fun and challenging course.  Unfortunately I do better on courses that I don’t really like –hilly – than I do on the courses that I enjoy – flat and twisty.

The course started on the road and went through a few twists before entering a long straightaway behind a ball field.  From there it was a convoluted set of twists and turns with a couple of steep, but short, uphills thrown in.   A short barrier made the second hill a run up and this is where I really seemed to lose position as I continually had trouble clearing my cleats and getting back into the pedals before slamming down a bumpy descent.  A tricky little sand patch was placed at the top of a small rise, the trick was to go straight through the sand and then make the turn on solid ground, I watched a lot of guys in the earlier races go over the bars when they tried to turn too early.  Another uphill, a few hairpin turns, a single barrier and then it was a drag race back to the start/finish for another time around.  I really liked the single barrier, it was off and back on, no messing around with that running stuff.

Per usual I started fairly far back but once off the pavement I settled onto the wheel of a strong rider from BikeSale – Denny Bartlet, who had settled on the wheel of our own Mike Rolcik.  My goal was to stick with these two for the duration.  Two guys got in between, but I basically managed to keep those two guys in my sights, so the race within a race was a success.

Jeff G and Chris S raced early.  Terrence S and Dan L followed with Dan taking second in the Masters 35+ category.  Mike R, Chris M, and I raced the Cat 3 45+, with Dave S doing the Cat 3 55+.  Erik O and Mike M finished out the day in the Masters 1/2 race.

More photos are at  https://greenliteheavyindustries.smugmug.com/Sprinker-CX-2015/