Frisco `Cross #2 - End of the points Whore-ing?

This weeks fun-fest was in Frisco.  the Frisco Nordic Center served up a lovely mix of hills,  run-ups and wood chips.
After several early-season weeks of CAREFUL race selection (travel, small fields,  etc...),  I had managed to score enough BCR points to move into 20th place for the callups.  Now it was time to use it.

Kirk opened it up with a great ride to get 13th on the 35+ open after riding to 18th the day before.  Here,  he shows you how to hup, hup up the NASTY run up for the day.  This little gem was the start of the "Hard Half" of the course.

In the "Beer Drinking Dad's League",  Matt Drilled it out of the gate,  taking his 4th consecutive hole shot to set the pace for the first lap and pull the lead group of three FAR away from the chase.   Seems as if Matt's # 1 callup is working out well for him.

Here is the Frothing herd coming off the start pavement,  into the dusty dirt & woodchip first climb

35+ Cat 4 start - Frisco Cross #2 from Dale Riley on Vimeo.

 For me,  I pretty much squandered my 2nd row callup.  With 2 decent paved climbs right off,  I was going backwards pretty fast by the second paved climb,  in spite of picking off 3-4 guys by going outside the "groove" on the woodchips on the first climb.  By the first real descent,  I was already loosing contact with the "clump".    Armin got off well,  in spite of no callup,  and was blowing past me by the end of the first lap, never to be seen again.

Armin blowing by me going into lap 2

Matt getting it done on the run-up

Armin Showing you how to put a chain back on while moving.  (yep,  he already ordered the single front kit...)

the rest of the race for me became a back & forth battle for 30th with 2-3 other guys in a haze of run-up dread & seeing JUST how fast I could go down woodchips (25 Mph as the telemetry recorded.....).  Even the wind conspired to make it a blur,  gusting up HARD in the race,  making for a miserable headwind on woodchip section,  complete with course tape confetti to get tangled up in.

So,  all in all,  a good day (& weekend) for Matt.  3rd both days,  padded his lead in BCR,  and pushed the Cyclists for the Planet  team into 1st on BCT for 35+ 4s.
Armin ride well to score HIS first BCR points with a very credible 16th place on a HARD power course.

As for me,  it was one of those "why the F%&K am I doing this" days.  faded back to 30th place,  barely in front of the Crossniac guys.  Suffered a LOT and went nowhere slow.  Got a bit frustrated by the result after a couple of much better ones,  then later realized that it's NOT that big of a deal how you finish in THIS group.  more races to come,  on courses MUCH better suited to my "weaknesses".    The cry of the bad bike racer...  "Next Week!"

Thanks to Lisa Robinson for the Photos & Video!