Warning: Cyclocross is Highly Addictive

I bought my cyclocross bike before ever having tried the sport. Considering that most of my races have been the longer endurance sort, committing to a season of 40-minute ultra high intensity races was a bit of a leap. But, it was a surprisingly easy decision to make. Those who like the sport, like it a lot. In fact, from the outside, it appeared to me that cyclocross might be the most highly addictive discipline in cycling. 

When I showed up for my second 'cross race, Keith asked me if I was addicted yet. I said that I wasn't sure. I had to go through the full emotional/physical rollercoaster (anxiety, excitement, adrenaline, burning lungs/legs, nausea, fatigue, etc) to understand how I felt about it. My second race (Hardcore's Hop 'n Hurl) was better than my first. I didn't get lapped and I placed moderately better. My third race (Terrascape's Beans and Barley) was yet another step in the right direction. I was having fun, but I couldn't really say that I was addicted.

Then came my fourth race, the Brian Kullman Memorial Cross. Set in the field of Montgomery Junior High, my expectations were low. How could you make an interesting and challenging course in a schoolyard? Get cyclocross diehards Keith Bayly and Shawn Bunnin to design the course, that's how. Highlights of the course included a 90 degree turn in a sandpit at the bottom of a steep hill, a zigzag on the side of a hill, an extended stair run up, a steep dirt run up, a sandpit in front of some up hill barriers, and riding across a set of stairs. It was a constant challenge. 

The next day, I found myself daydreaming about the course. Thinking about how I might do each part better if I could do it again. I even considered going back to the course on my commute home to see if I could practice a few parts. I think it's safe to say I'm addicted now.