Barnstorming: Part 2 - T.N.T.

So we were back again in Augusta for round two of the Sussex County Cyclocross event and the second-to-last race in the NJ Cup series. After crashing hard last week, I vowed to keep it on two wheels and have a better performance today. I succeeded in both those goals, yet I am left wishing things had gone better still.

I rolled in to the venue with AC/DC's T.N.T. cranking on the stereo. Nothing like a little "fire me up" music to get the head in the right place. The lyrics suggest "winning the fight" among other antagonistic phrasing. I had the song in my head at the start of my race and low and behold, I got the wholeshot and was leading for the first half lap around the time in the song when the lyrics say, "... watch me exploooooooooooode!" Well, I didn't physically explode, but I certainly blew up, as T.N.T. has a tendency to do.

I faded and watched guys go by me, trying not to count them. It took me about a lap before getting my second wind and I slowly began to come back. I was aware of what sections of the course I could make up time in and which ones I could rest and I passed a few guys with ease while others were less willing to let me go.

Some friendships have developed with many of the guys I've been lining up with each weekend, and after I'm done trying to kill them, it makes me happy when I see them have a good race or say something positive about one another. With one race to go, it can be any of us who ends up placing in the state championship and I'm looking forward to defending my now very slim chance, but I would be happy for all of them because we've all worked hard to get there.

I also want to thank Stacey Barbosa of Montclair Cyclery for coming to my aid at the start of my race. I had accidentally ripped my number completely off when trying to remove a layer at the last second, having missed my call-up, and almost the start of the race. She helped me pin it back on and I got to the line just in time for the 15 second warning. Thank you! She got some good karma sent her way as she also had a great race today. Way to go!