Race: Cyclocross National Championships
Dates: December 12-14, 2003
Place: Portland, Oregon

The 2003 Cyclocross National Championships were held at the Portland International Raceway December 12-14, 2003. This part of Portland is flat. Dead flat. Somehow, Cross Crusade found some hills to throw into  the Nationals course. The course began on the car raceway with a long  opening asphalt stretch. It then took a left hand turn onto a gravel  road and went by the first pit. A short muddy hill forced a dismount  before riders flew over one of the few parts of hardpack on the course-a gravel downhill. The course when turned left and went over the first two barriers. After a jaunt through a bottom bracket covering puddle, the  course turned right onto the paved finish straightaway. It then turned  left and went through two muddy turns before going back out on a gravel  road. Riders then had to negotiate a slick uphill with an immediate left  hand turn to a downhill and another hill. A mud bog through the second  pit was next before going to a long straight section in front of the  grandstand. After a quick 10 foot hop across a paved road was the final  run up--a large hill--followed by a steep downhill. The course then  turned left and followed a gravel path that parralled the starting area. 


Race Reports: 

Masters 30-34 Men. Tony Scott (Genesis) has been one of the best cyclocross racers in Georgia all season. He went into CX Nationals not knowing what to expect. After getting an ideal starting position, he flatted on the first gravel road section. He was able to get the wheel changed, but the tire pressure was too low. Tony was nearly last of the 77 starters after the first lap. Each lap of the 45 minute race he clawed his way back up. He was half way and then nearly ¾ of the way back to the front. He put up a valiant effort in the face of horrible racing conditions as it rained throughout the men's race. In the end, he put in a fantastic effort to finish 25th. 

Elite Women: Lisa Randall (Alan Factory Team) did her first Elite CX National Championships. In her own words: The weather in Portland was typical West coast.. Rainy and mid 40's. By the elite races on Sunday, the course had been thoroughly trashed to the point that there was basically only a narrow ribbon of wet, chocolate pudding mud that you could actually roll through. As we lined up on the start line, I was on the second to last row due to my lack of UCI points (its a conspiracy against southerners I say - no UCI's close to the Southeast!) Anyways, once we started, mass chaos ensued. I wasn't exactly sure what happened, but I had to brake hard and swerve to avoid hitting the girl in front of me. Soon enough I was veering off diagonally across the course and I almost collided with someone coming from my back right. Once I got straightened out, I realized that the pack was riding off without me. I took off and got back up to the group. I was able to pick a decent line around the first corner into the grass and got around 10-15 people who go bogged down in the mud. That was basically when the race ended for me. I would spend the next 45 minutes pretty much stuck in the same position through the soupy mud. I tried to pass, but I couldn't get enough momentum in the deep sticky mud to get around people. I thought I would be able to make up some ground on the pavement and gravel, but my bike wouldn't shift into the big  ring because I had so much dirt and grass stuck in my drive train. Every time I passed my the lower pit, I wished I could have a bike change, not only for a functional machine, but for a chance to actually ride on some solid ground, as the pit area wasn't as torn up. I made a few tactical passes around people in the running sections, but many times I ended up losing that ground either on the pavement or because I made stupid mistakes getting bogged down in the mud. I did have the pleasure of running over a course marker and crashing though the course tape on my third lap, so I got some cheers for that. In the end, I finished 27th. I was somewhat disappointed but it was the best I could do with what was dealt to me. There were 10 other people less than a minute in front of me, so things could have really gone either way. Next year I will be ready with a pit bike and hopefully some UCI points so I can get a call up. Thanks to all those who were rooting for me! 


Women C: My race rolled around Sunday morning after I'd watched two days of racing, been on my feet for countless hours, and slogged through miles of mud walking around the Portland International Raceway. The run in the rain back to the car Saturday left my quads very sore. Race morning greeted me with partly clearing skies and temperatures in the low 40's. I rolled out of bed and braved the high hotel prices to eat at the restaurant in the lobby. After thoroughly looking over the menu, I chose the Belgian waffle, which I thought was appropriate for a pre cyclocross race meal. I relaxed for a little while, read the newspaper, and headed back to the room to get everything ready. I decided it was better to go to the venue fully dressed, so I could start warming up immediately. Upon getting to the PIR, I finished dressing, got the bike out, and got on. My warm up for cross races consists of about half an hour of easy spinning interspersed with harder efforts to elevate my heart rate. It was hard to get going because of the cold temperatures. I warmed up on the roads around the raceway. I confirmed that I had a headset problem because the bike would lean violently to the left if I took my hands off of the bars. Several bearings poking out of the bottom part of my headset also clued me into the problem. I had to keep my hands on the top of the bars. As I finished warming up, I saw Lisa and Chris pulling in. Chris was going to stand in the pit for me in case something happened, so I gave him my wheels. I went back to the car to get my Gortex jacket, so that I could finish warming up. After it started to rain harder, my muscles got really cold. I decided it would be better to sit in the car with the heater on and stay warm rather than freeze. After about 10 minutes, my legs thawed out. I headed to the starting line. I put my bike down to hold my spot on the front line and then jogged around for a few minutes to keep warm. When the official called 3 minutes til start, I picked up my bike. He told us that they shortened the course because of the terrible course conditions. They had also taken the barriers off of a hill and put them in the chicane before the following
finishing straight. The course was muddy, sloppy, and disgusting. Those are perfect conditions for me! The B riders started one minute ahead of us. I counted 15 women, which I thought was a bit small. I took a few deep breaths and focused on the road ahead. With the gun, we were off. I took the lead as I did not want to get caught behind some of the less experienced riders when we hit the gravel. Kristine Church (University of Colorado) came around me with one other woman before we hit the gravel road. A few other women passed me as we made the transition from pavement to the gravel. I was not worried because I am not the strongest rider on the smoother portions of a course. As soon as we hit the mud, I passed two women. We passed by Pit 1 for the first time. A short, sloppy hill forced me to dismount along with everyone else. Having had a lot of practice in nasty conditions at almost every national race I've ever been to, I maintained my composure and footing. I quickly remounted on the next gravel section and flew down the hill. I did not let up speed as the course entered the next section of slop. Course conditions slowed me down about 10 feet into the mud. I slogged along in the middle of the C pack. Around a tree, one rider nearly took me out as she cut the corner too closely. I accelerated out of the corner to pass her. As I came into the barriers, I passed another rider. The barriers were on a flat section of the course, so it was easy to fly over them. I rode through the "lake," a large puddle that came up to a bike's bottom bracket that was at the beginning of the finish straightaway. I stood up and powered through the corner and onto the asphalt. The two riders I passed were close on my tail as we transitioned back onto a gravel road. As soon as I hit
the grass, I took off again. A right hand turn took us to a short uphill that was ridable, but the down side was iffy. I opted to run it,
hop across a short gravel section, run the next hill and remount afterwards. I hoped the time saved by fewer transitions off and on the bike would help me gain ground on those that chose to do them. I hopped back on and sloshed through the next section. There was a woman right ahead of me, but because there was no traction, there was not any place to pass. If I strayed from one line, the other ones were worse. I sat on her wheel until I passed the pit and was able to get around her. The course then ran by the grandstand, where some of the thickest mud was. I managed to ride it very slowly. A quick spin across a 10 foot asphalt section brought me to the longest hill. I hopped off, shouldered the bike, and jogged up it. My legs felt fine. I remounted and heard Lisa yell "Ride the Rut, Trish!" I looked down and saw a line through the mud. I let off the brakes and flew down. I hit the gravel and put my bike in the big ring. It surprised me that it shifted so easily because of all of the goo and grass in it. Although I was not able to stand up because of my headset problem, I mashed a big gear and pushed as hard as I could. I passed by Pit 1 again and heard Chris cheering. Having people shout out your name really helps to push you along! I dismounted and clamored over the first hill. I got back on immediately and flew down the other side. I did not let up on the gas as I entered the muck. Around the tree again and through the barriers, I passed a few more people. By now I was in the middle of the B group. I did not know how many people in my class were still ahead of me. I hit the asphalt flying. The flat section after the finishing straight started to get very thick like peanut butter. I opted to run part of it to save time. As soon as I got on the gravel, I remounted. I climbed the short hill and ran down the other side and up the next hill. My legs still felt great although the cold air was beginning to irritate my throat. By the pits and through the next section of mud, I was behind one woman. I could not get around her. We finally hit the long stretch by the grandstand. While she tried to ride it, I shouldered my bike and ran. My breathing was very labored. I briefly remounted but had to get back off to run up the next hill. For the first time my legs protested. I slowed to a jog near the top. The downhill was a relief as I had a few seconds to breath before having to hammer on the gravel road. I passed by the first pit for the last time. After a quick hop off of the bike for the next hill, I remounted and flew down the big hill again. Only the two barriers were in the way of me and the finish line. The mud clung to my body, clothes, and bike. I rode hard into the straightaway with the barriers on it, did a flying dismount, picked up the bike, hopped over the barriers, and remounted. I hit the lake in the turn and came out of it as hard
as I could. There was a woman about 10 yards in front of me. I did my best to catch her but did not. I crossed the finish line out of
breath but feeling good. 

Lisa came up and said that she thought I was second. The woman that came in about a minute behind me said that she was third, so that left me second! I was very happy for doing so well despite the muddy conditions. I've learned over the last several years that most of the national level races I go to are going to be very muddy and nasty. I can either get down about it or look at it as a positive challenge. So, I've learned to love the mud and relish it when it is there at national level events. I now know that I belong in the B's, which is where I will be next year. Cyclocross nationals was the most fun I've had at a race in a long time. The atmosphere was incredible, and the fans were loud!

Lisa Randall (Alan Factory Team) rides through the muck in the Elite Women's Race.

The Elite Women's Podium, 1st-Alison Dunlap (Luna), 2nd-Anne Grande-Knapp (Redline).

Alison Dunlap (Luna) at the top of a run up.

Jed Schneider (Alan Factory Team) warms up on his trainer at the starting line for the Elite Men's Race.

The Elite Women climb one of the hills.

Lisa Randall pushes her bike up a short run up.

The Women's C Podium, 2nd-Trish Albert (Team Peggy...far left).

The Elite Men's Podium, 2nd-Todd Wells (Mongoose), 1st-Johnathan Page (Guercotti), 3rd-Ryan Trebon (CCA/Kona).

Todd Wells (Mongoose) shows the strain of the race.

Travis Brown (Trek-VW) pushes his bike during the Elite Men's race as the sun peeks through the clouds.

Johnathan Page shows the winning form that got him his second consecutive National Championship.

Ryan "Tree Farm" Trebon says hi to a tree during the first lap of the Elite Men's Race.

Johnathan Page rides through the mud.

Trish Albert (Team Peggy) fights the course conditions in the Women's C race.