Race Previews

Persuasive Stuff About Cyclocross...

Wednesday, 05 October 2016 23:10

By Lisa Lendway

For most of us, it’s the off-season. For me, that means less running, less swimming (who am I kidding – no swimming) and MORE cyclocross! What is cyclocross, you might ask? I recommend Googling it for the best answer. Why do cyclocross? Here are my top reasons:

1. Bike handling skills. Triathletes are notorious for not being able to turn. Don’t be that triathlete. Cyclocross will make you a master of bike handling in no time. Don’t believe me? Ask Gwen Jorgenson (especially near 2:40) or Sarah True. They both use the sport to hone their skills during the off-season...

Another bike! Since you’ve already upgraded your tri bike to SRAM eTap and the latest carbon aerobars, no doubt you’re looking for places to spend money. Well, look no further. You can also use the bike to ride on gravel.
Hand-ups. That’s right, folks. Many of the races are full of people wanting to give you stuff for free during your race. Items might include beer, whisky, cookies, pickles, bacon, or beer (again).
An awesome workout condensed in a short period of time. The longest races are only 60 minutes, mine are usually 30-40. But when I’m finished my chest is burning and my legs are completely spent.
Epic courses. Cyclocross courses can have anything: dirt, sand, trees, off-camber turns, barriers, steps, gravel, pavement, grass, and if you’re lucky, MUD! There’s fast downhills, sharp turns, climbs you have to run up while shouldering your bike. It’s much more entertaining than riding down a paved road watching the watts.
Fun!

Hopefully I’ve convinced you to give it a try. If you don’t have a ‘cross bike but own a fatbike, you can race that! Still not fully convinced? At least come watch. I think you’ll quickly find you want to participate. There’s a couple Wednesday night practice races left at Aquila Park in St. Louis Park and plenty of local weekend races. Green Acres, the largest ‘cross race in MN (and arguably the most fun) is October 15-16. With features like a sand run-up, “Belgian” stairs, and a flyover, coupled with the largest crowds, it won’t disappoint.