Cyclocross Race this Sunday, October 21st DCCX

[acc]

If you have never seen cyclocross racing you have an opportunity this weekend at DCCX held Sunday 8:00 – 5:00 pm at the Armed Forces Retirement Home in Washington, DC.

http://www.dcmtb.com/dccx/

Calling this a race does a grave injustice to the event and the people who compete in it. Imagine a cross country course, add obstacles, hills, mud, and stairs. Oh yeah, and the course has to be completed on a bike. That’s cyclocross. It is a unique event in cycling. The pros make it look easy. They leap over barriers with their bikes on their shoulders, ride across ankle-deep mud fields, run or ride up steep hills and then fly down them. It is exciting to watch. The crowd shows their approval by ringing cowbells. One lap would kill a normal human being, the races involve multiple laps. There is much pain and suffering.

And then the amateurs take their turn.

Yes, there is a race for first-timers and you would recognize some of the names on the list. Several forum participants have signed up for their turn at pain and suffering. Did I mention the “leap ‘o faith?” That’s the flying mount onto the saddle from a run. It’s quite the sight.

In solidarity with forum members who are willing to risk life, limb, and other sensitive body parts, I’ll come dressed as a nurse and pull a little cooler of “performance enhancing substances.” Hey, I know someone who won’t be needing his supply anymore.

It’s my way of saying, go for it folks!

Stop by and have a blood transfusion (Red Gatorade), EPO (Hershey’s Kisses), or testosterone (lollipop). It’s ok, I’m a nurse.

ann

Topic

[Mark Blacknell]

@dcv 34063 wrote:

Had a great time, met Tim, Mark & Will on the starting grid.

Indeed, you beat Mark, too – well done.

@dcv 34063 wrote:

Looked for ACC and Pete but didn’t see them. Thought I saw / heard Culimerc and Arlingtonrider cheering (was that you guys?), you guys are so awesome.

You heard Culimerc not too long before you passed me – “Mark, you gonna let the guy on the *track bike* pass you? C’mon!”

Good to meet, you, too – sorry we didn’t get to chat more.

~

Also, I give you people a crash, and I get no photos of it? Ingrates, the lot of you.

[vvill]

@Arlingtonrider 34080 wrote:

Update: Apparently the Haymarket/Seavs team brought its own Mariachi band! Gwadzilla’s blog has a link to a fun video of the band playing while the racers race and the crowd cheers them on. Fun to watch, but I don’t have the technical skills to add a link here. Maybe someone else can?

(Someone else’s) video compilation of the mariachi band:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151282722681042

You don’t need a facebook account to view it.

@Mark Blacknell 34108 wrote:

Also, I give you people a crash, and I get no photos of it? Ingrates, the lot of you.

[culimerc]

@dcv 34063 wrote:

Had a great time, met Tim, Mark & Will on the starting grid. Looked for ACC and Pete but didn’t see them. Thought I saw / heard Culimerc and Arlingtonrider cheering (was that you guys?), you guys are so awesome. Thanks for coming out and cheering, you made me push harder. I didn’t podium but wasn’t last, will do again.

Oh I’m pretty sure you heard me. I was the one bellowing DCV!! every time you came towards the finishing line, and I was also the one giving Mark a hard time for you passing him.

[Riley Casey]

Awww sorry I missed that Mark, crashes were my raison d’etre for attending. :rolleyes: Best fall I got to see was one of the Raleigh race volunteers ( judging by his T shirt ) letting his beer get to him and leaning back against one of the plastic course ribbon stakes and falling backwards onto the course in front of a couple of riders. Raleigh was clearly doing what ever it took to make the course exciting.

Was really glad to meet up with the forum stalwarts at the cyclocross and sorry to learn that I missed saying hi to some of you. Maybe time to revive the idea of a forum talisman of some kind. I vote for propellor beanies.

@Mark Blacknell 34108 wrote:

Indeed, you beat Mark, too – well done.

You heard Culimerc not too long before you passed me – “Mark, you gonna let the guy on the *track bike* pass you? C’mon!”

Good to meet, you, too – sorry we didn’t get to chat more.

~

Also, I give you people a crash, and I get no photos of it? Ingrates, the lot of you.

[dcv]

@culimerc 34118 wrote:

Oh I’m pretty sure you heard me. I was the one bellowing DCV!! every time you came towards the finishing line, and I was also the one giving Mark a hard time for you passing him.

I heard you alright, just took me 3 laps to look up long enough to see who was shouting. Funny how I heard everything but everything was a blur. thanks!

[Author]

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