Book of Chad

We head over to Nanaimo for the third round of Cross on the Rock 2022. This is my favourite course of the season. I think it’s the closest thing to a world cup cyclocross course our island races offer. It has a road start that pitches uphill, followed by a single-track uphill section. When you reach crest you fly down hill on a single track path and emerge into the main area of the course. There is off-cambers, grass corners, two sand pits and a long stair run-up.

I knew coming into this weekend that it would be challendging for me. This race has a lot of steep ups and downs, the location and timing attracts a lot of out of town competitors, and I was suffering from an injury. On the injury side I had pulled a muscle in my groin/hip and just get riding the previous week. The inbalance had somehow caused me to suffer from knee pain leading into this race. In the past I had faired well here and really enjoy the course so I thought I would give it my best shot and have fun.

The start was incredibly fast and even with my second row start I had a really hard time keeping up in the long road section. when we entered the trees I was already out of the top 20. The first lap I was able to take all the lines I had planned to take and got off the bike in all the sections that required it. When I went through the line for the first time, I was down to 26th position. The rest of the race was more survival than it was a race and I lacked the punch on the steep sections and the power on the long road section.

I worked on my skills for the rest of race, I was riding things that were probably faster to run than ride and trying new lines some with great success. I even managed to figure out there was an option to ride up the long stair run which became an instant crowd pleaser. I tried 5 laps and was unable to make it all the way to the top.

After the race I quickly rushed back to try again it took three attempts however on the third attempt I made it. After making it I am pretty sure I could have made it most times in the race, maybe next year.

Race: COTR #3
Time: 56:43 Laps: 6/7
Avg Heart Rate: 188
Max Heart Rate: 197
Place: 34th