Stations of the Cross

God I forgot just how much I love the training piece of The Cyclocross as my friend Dj Robert refers to cross. This season has been a rough one illness-wise. Today was literally the first day I have been able to train with intensity in a month. Everyone has been sick. So I am not looking for any sympathy. Swine flu, ebolla, epstein-barr who knows...let's face it all these fancy "new" viruses get all the headlines but the common cold will kill us all in the end.

But back to the training...sure I love racing cross as much as the next guy. That is what cross is by definition--a race. You don't have to be a road racer to ride the road and enjoy it. You don't ever have to put a race plate on your mtn bike to enjoy mtn biking. But a cross bike is not a hybrid. It is not a "do everything bike" like Grant Peterson championed back in the day. Brent Steelman got this back before anyone even gave a shit about cross. In the '80s he had 2 models of handbuilt steel sexiness. A cross bike has a singular and beautiful purpose not unlike an AK-47...ok an AK doesn't have a beautiful purpose other than that one point in time when the defense of Mother Russia held in the balance but still. A cross bike, especially a modern one is a purebred racing machine.

Myerson says we can't flee who we are and he's right. Boston was never this cool when I fled 15 years ago. Or was it? But I love Boston and New England right now. When were were set to move back from Norther California 5 years ago I though this it the end...back to Boston...God help us. And as much as intellectually I should hate it here Boston is just me. It is under my skin and I love it. And one of the things that have made me love Boston is cross. Trust me its not the townies and plethora of Dunkin Donuts. Is DD even coffee? or is it just repackaged folgers? I have found what I call Stations of the Cross literally right in my backyard. I am sure all you reformed or practicing Catholics are like wtf? Is he really debasing my faith comparing a high ritual to his cross jones? No offense intended. Cross for me is that. And the Stations I visit wether it may be Olin College, the Sudbury aqueduct, Elm Bank...god even the names just get me all misty, represent a similar meditative state. It is my Church right now. I go there. I suffer. I find peace and silence (ok in between the dog walkers and creepy guys) and I get better at racing cross...
Don't look down if you are afraid of heights! Such a killah section of the cross town trail in Wellesley. My loop can vary from 1.5 hrs to 2.5. Any skill you want you can work it here...even bungy jumping I suppose if you were so inclined...
6 races in 3 weeks. That is all that is left of this cross season. I am going to savor every moment. It has been--- The. Best. Cross. Season. Evah! Thank you to all of you cross freaks that have made this season so awesome! Good luck to everybody gearing up for Bend it will be epic! And I am not just referring to the drive from PDX to Bend. Have a great Thanksgiving and enjoy the last hurrah of this season. And don't forget to register for Ice Weasels!!!