VELOCITY CROSS // CHINO

10/22/2015

SWAT CX was rollin deep this weekend in Chino for the first USAC race of the Prestige Series. So SWAT So Prestigious! We left everything, including the handups (yo usac legalize handups!), out on the rough but fast course really earning those leftover beers and donuts.

Pre race jitters, adjustments and shot blocks (thanks imartin!)

Katie in beastmode!

Loved the swoopy course that was technical despite looking flat. Missed having my race pace teammate, Lisa Phillips, out there to pull my ass around the course. Instead I fell back into my rookie ways of first pulling, then chasing the girl that I know is faster than me and blowing up my legs and lungs too early.
- Katie

Jen and Fab battle over barriers

OMG so much bumpy grass... Glad to have some relief from the heat and the SAND after Oceanside. It's starting to feel like Fall!
-Jen

Breakfast of Champions!

Susie focused on keeping the lead

I went into the race feeling good about things because of the morning rain and a chocolate sprinkle donut from Jen. I was super stoked to race after missing storm the beach last week. My plan was to get out fast, but that didn't happen. Even with a call up I had a terrible start that got me stuck behind half the field by the first turn. The art of passing in CX is a skill I haven't mastered so it took me a while to get around riders and make my way up to the lead group of six. I struggled again trying to pass a group of three riders who were slowly dropping from the front group. I could see the leader starting to break off the front and shouted at my teammate Haruna, who was ahead of me, to stay with her. Finally I got to a part of the course where I could power past them and catch up to Haruna putting me in 3rd. The leader started to get further away and I didn't want to lose complete sight of her so I passed Haruna and yelled at her to stay with me. I hammered through the bumpy grass section in my drops so I didn't bounce off the bike and was able to close the gap. On the paved straight away at the start of lap two I made my move and sprinted past her to take the lead. The swoopy banked turns in the first half of the course were really fun and fast reminding me of the velodrome. I kept pushing trying not to puke, slow, or make a mistake. Occasionally the zig zags would provide the chance to see, hear and cheer for a teammate. When you're in the pain cave hearing your name helps. Hearing one lap to go really helps. I dug deep to keep the lead. My legs were shaking and my lungs were dying. I kept telling myself you got this you got this you got this. I managed to hold everyone off and nab my first CX win! I didn't manage to save enough in my legs to race the single speed race. ~Susie

No handups = leftover beer and donuts

I can't wait until next week when the cranky old usac guys aren't here and we can do hand ups. - Team Tres Leches

Kerstin looking super pro!

It was a flat, winding course with Lots of technical cornering. Although it didn't play to my strengths, I loved being able to cheer on my teammates as we zig zagged across the park!
-Kerstin

MVP Fab raced all 3 races on a MTB!

Velocity was about being efficient. That of which I was not, however, a great learning experience in regards to what gear to be in for SS! Having great team support, makes any race more manageable and the Cheering ALWAYS helps! - Fab

Sarah battles the barriers!

Pre Race Jitters are inevitable until you're about 30 seconds into any type of race I started strong and almost ate dirt on one of the first turns which placed me much further back than anticipated. The more the time passed, the greater the space grew between racers. I loved the turns on this course and the fact that there was only one section where you had to dismount for barriers. I'm faster on two wheels than my feet, so any type of running, jumping, spinning, hopping, ups and overs really slow me down. I started to become extremely frustrated about half way through the course because there were two sections that were so damn bumpy you could feel your insides shaking. I internalized my frustration and kept telling myself all I had to do was keep pushing and finish. There was one point where I was right next to another racer and I expressed verbally how much things were sucking in the moment. She agreed which made things less strenous knowing I wasn't the only one hurting. I could hear "one more lap" and thats when the body just goes into overdrive to make it to the finish line. I pushed my body as hard as it would go as well as giving it resting time on some parts. I finished in 11th overall, one off from top 10 will do for now! Skillz are developing (thanks to other teammates), race 2 is in the books... thats 2 of many more to come. As much as you hate it in the moment, the after feelz are exhilerating. ~Sarah