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Tuckus over teakettle

Dave's first cyclocross race

Yup, that's my husband's backside sticking up out of the cloud of dust. I took this photo on Sunday during his first-ever cyclocross race. It was an eventful race for Dave, who rode a borrowed single-speed bike (thanks, Brian!) yet still managed to drop his chain at least three times. And then there was the crashing. Anyway, he's fine, but there was quite a bit of blood to be mopped up after the finish. Not to mention the dirt, rocks, flecks of dried grass and those clingy burr things. Dave's knees and elbows are gradually becoming covered with perma-scars. He's no delicate flower.

To be fair, here are some better photos of Dave looking awesome hopping barriers and riding down what looked in real life like a cliff.

Dave's first cyclocross race Dave's first cyclocross race

Our friend Marissa dominated the women's category C race, taking first and donning the series leader's jersey on the podium. This is her first full season in the sport (after several years of triathlon and a few cross races last year on a borrowed bike), and she's kicking serious ass. I'm pretty sure she crashed at some point in her race as well, judging by the blood running down her arm after her race.

It was a long, hot, dusty day of racing and spectating and BBQing and drinking homebrew and eating cupcakes (and I squeezed in an hour-long run on the lovely Bay Trail). After the final awards were handed out, we stuck around to help break down the course. At a running race this would mean taking down the finish line and maybe collecting a few signs. But this entire course (a loop of a couple of miles) was laid out with stakes and tape. We collected and sorted hundreds of stakes, miles of tape, wooden barriers, sandbags, cones and pylons, AND broke down the finish line and gathered signs. It was hard, dirty, fun work among good company (mostly Dave and Marissa's team). We were at the race site from about 7:30am until 5pm. It was a great day.

I was a little sore Monday morning. But not from racing! That doesn't happen very often.

October 9, 2007 4:30 PM