12th Place in the rear, 14th in the middle and 20th upfront. Doesn't really matter though, as the feeling is mutual. This moment from Limestone CX was captured by Ronnie Bravo on December 15th, 2013.

Cyclocross is brutal

I've never done anything so tough in such a short period of time. I've biked 100, 130, 145 miles in a day on a fixed gear, and while that is tough, it's a low intensity marathon compared to the Max HR sprint of a cyclocross race. Words really can't describe how you feel while racing, so I'll let this finish line picture of Alie Giame and another finisher from Saturday's Women 3/4 race in Providence, RI speak for itself.

Getting RAD at Providence Cyclocross 10.5.13

Anatomy of a crash, part two - RHC Brooklyn Navy Yard

Here's Chas's (Mash SF) own words about the crash:

I mistimed a turn in the chicane and clipped a pedal,

Because of the nature of that chicane you had to come in hot from the straight to a hard right, then unweight the bike and dive to a hard left.  You needed to time that switch from right turn to left turn perfectly so your cranks were in the right position to power into that hard left.  I mistimed my switch and hit the gas just a second too early, since you had to lean so hard into that left because of the high speeds just grazing my left pedal was enough to send my back wheel sliding out.  I hit the deck and then Stephen hit me a second later. 

Lots of road rash and bruised ribs. Getting better, gonna race in the Wolfpack Crit next week.

Chas

Focus

Red Hook Crit - Anatomy of a crash.

The winner, and still champion for 2013: Neil Bezdek

Red Hook Crit - Brooklyn Navy Yard 6.8.13

There will be lots to say and a ton of photos to upload, but for the moment all that matters is that after months of making this race my singular focus, I qualified and made the main race.

When?

When's the last time the sport you love beat you into submission? When it rendered your body unable to function with menial everyday tasks the everyman takes for granted? And while you were laying in the hospital, all you could think about was how much time off the bike you were going to miss?

Welcome to Suffer To Succeed.