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@hats
So, that was my first ever cyclocross race!
I took Lardboy up on his extremely kind offer to take me on a sighter lap before the race started, and he gave me some really useful tips while we slogged around the grass (that headwind!!). Halfway round I thought to ask how a cyclocross race even works and wondered if I’d make it through the whole thing, as I was already pretty knackered (my 27 mile ride to Bethlem probably wasn't an amazing idea). We got back to the start to see… NO ONE! The race had started without us!!
“You can catch them up!!” we were told (LOL!) and so we pelted off, half a lap down before we’d even crossed the start line. Lardboy went off and I tried to relax. And do you know what, the things that had perturbed me on the sighter lap (the down hill in the woods, the bit next to the massive hole) didn't matter so much. Actually, I thought, what’s the worst that can happen? I'm already last, I've already cut my knee (before I’d even got on the bike…), I've come all this way and I'm going to give it a go.
I'm not sure I've ever been so thirsty (why didn't I bring any water with me?). I overtook 2 people. I got lapped. I got ridden into by a chap who shouted “on your left” just after he hit me. I got thanks and encouragement from the people lapping me and the marshalls. I actually had a really awesome time.
Thank you so much to Lardboy for all the help beforehand and to Dammit for letting me drink all your water afterwards!