Putney. The name harkens Valhalla. Mecca. Insert Hallowed Ground moniker here. It is one of the oldest continuously run cyclocross races in the United States. It has soooo much history. When I first joined HUP United over ten years ago all the OG spoke of it with reverence. There should be a Putney focused application to join HUP United. It should be simple. Have you raced Putney? How many times? Who did you get in the van with? Did it snow? Was it a mud pit? Is it the greatest race in all of the #NECX? What did you eat at the Co-op? What did you buy at the Co-op? My CX season has been a fairly "lost season" I have done two races (including Putney), promoted one and am about to promote another and am the ringleader of the Zank SSCX series. As David Lee Roth once said my CX season has been pretty much all "smoke and mirrors" I blame it on field hockey and a wonderful life I am blessed to live but that does not give me the luxury of racing CX every weekend. But Putney is a race I do not miss. It is like D2R2. If I can I go. So with that said here are my rules for Putney:
Rule number one: ALWAYS GO TO PUTNEY or West Hill CX as it is officially called.
Rule number two: ALWAYS GO TO PUTNEY.
Rule number three: ALWAYS GO TO PUTNEY.
Rule number four: I swear this one will be helpful. Spikes IN! Always put spikes in your shoes for Putney. The run ups are loose and brutal. Often frozen. Always epic
Rule number five: Putney is NO place for filetreads. Even Resultsboy doesn't ride filetreads at Putney
Rule number six: One ALWAYS goes to the Putney co-op. It is right up the street from West Hill and is amazing.
Rule number seven: You will heckle your friends and cheer on ALL the kids. Putney has an amazing family atmosphere. I have never seen anything like it. I get beat by ENTIRE families on an annual basis at Putney.
Rule number eight: When in Vermont buy Vermont beer. It is special. I found Alchemist at the Co-op and about lost my mind.
Rule number nine: Hang out. This is not a race you show up, pin up, race and go home. Spend time by the fire pit, go into the amazing West Hill shop, buy some wool tights. Live a little.
Rule number ten: Be nice. Seriously. A guy face planted in front of me on the run up. For some reason he couldn't get back up. His bike was stuck on his head. I reached down picked his bike off his fallen body and gave him a " Hey buddy you OK?" Let the leaders go through when you are getting lapped, high five your friends and rivals, don't crash a junior out, ring your bell, thank everyone.
And that kids are my rules for Putney. Amidst the amazing hugs and high fives it was brought to my attention that rumors of the Zank SSCX Series demise had been greatly exaggerated. I blame myself. Or maybe Resultsboy posting that Ice Weasels last year at Medfield State was imminent. Who knows. But dear friends rest assured you cannot kill the Zank Series. There were 44 pre-reg'd SSCX riders at Putney. Honestly I have zero clue how many raced yesterday. But 44 pre-reg?! That is what I am talking about. Ice Weasels has about 108 pre-reg'd right now. Dare I say SSCX is a thing? Yeah sure why not. And there are a LEGION of people responsible for why this great series has grown the way it has. And Zank is really the founding father and guiding light of this Crazy Train. So my apologies if the wrong message got out there. Sorry for my absence. As LL Cool J once said Don't Call it a Comeback but I am back. I will be worshipping on the dark altar of SSCX with you my friends for the remainder of the season. If there are things you want for 2020 just hit me up. You know where to find me. But what I do know for 2020. We will be back! Radder then ever. This was always about the grassroots and we are taking that concept and rolling with it. Next year I propose we add in Midnight CX, Eco-Cross, and Ghosts. Those races have shown me some real radness this year and should be part of the series moving forward. High fives my friends and see you all at Secret Squirrel!
