Race Report: AZ ‘Cross Series #6

On Sunday, November 23rd the AZ ‘Cross Series returned to the Valley of the Sun for the 6th race of the series. As usual, I arrived at the race venue about 3 hours early so that I could help setup and/or design the course for the day. The course was mostly flat with a few small rollers and one descent and climb out of a drainage basin. The course also included a nearly mandatory run through a long sand pit…meaning that there was a sharp 90 degree turn just before you entered the sand. Only those on mountain bikes were able to make it all the way through it without dismounting. This course had a total of four barriers; two of which were spaced very far apart and used to break up a long straightaway, and the other two constituted the one run up on the course, with one at its base, and one at the top. As for the flat sections of the course, there were some very fun and fast chicanes as well as three out and backs with 180 degree turns at their ends. Total length for one lap of the course was approximately 1.5miles and/or around 5 minutes.

As has been the case in the previous five races, I lined up for the start of the Cat 4/ Masters 35+ race. But on this day, there was something extra special about my race of which I am going to attribute to my best performance yet…I was sporting my new Church of the Big Ring socks. I believe that the socks brought power to my legs allowing me to smoothly dismount and mount my steed through the barriers, float through the sand pit as if it were solid ground, and hammer through the flat sections like a scalded cat! Heck if I didn’t know any better, I’d have to say that they made me look as if I actually knew what I was doing! In the end, I ended up placing 6th and having the most fun in a race that I can remember in a very long time.

After my race was finished, I changed out of my kit and into another fresh addition to my race day wardrobe: the Eddy 53:11 t-shirt. The shirt was well received and I received many compliments as well as inquiries as to where they could get one of their own. At which time I passed along the good word of the Church. The Church of the Big Ring cow bell was also put to use along with my usual bull horn for some good spirited cheering and heckling of the later races.

So that’s my report for this week. State Championships are two weeks away.

Hail Eddy!!!

-Brother Lee