State championship titles in bike racing used to seem like a bigger deal. The turnout last weekend in Spokane for the WA state cyclocross championships was piddly. Only eleven men did the men's 1/2 race, and only four women did the women's 1/2 race. Even the (often largest) men's 3 field had only 10 racers. For a state championship? Now, I know some of the more elite cyclocross racers were racing at the UCI race in Boulder, but surely everyone cannot use that excuse. So, where was everyone else?
Westsiders are lame when it comes to making the effort to travel to races. They whine when they have to drive more than two hours to a race, often simply refusing to make the effort. Horrible weather surely cannot be to blame, nor can westside races, as there really were none. Over 500 people showed up for the September 24th race at Steilacoom, so where were they for the state championship? Do state championships not matter anymore?
I now have the honor of being 2nd at the state championship for 1/2 women. I should not be 2nd! There are many women who would easily have beaten me down last weekend, yet none of them showed. Weak.
I've been kind of lazy lately, taking it easy for sure. Soon I'm going to have to give myself a little kick and get going again. I'm actually going to have some coaching help for next season (first time since 1998), so I think that will help my motivation a lot. Until then... I'm off to take a little nap with my kitty.
2 comments:
Yes, it's lame that few people made the trip. And since I don't race cross, I shouldn't join this conversation. But cross is more "accessible" than road for a lot of riders because it's shorter and closer to home and thus allows time for family and/or work obligations. They chase the points in the Seattle Cyclocross series and call it good. They figure they don't stand a chance of medaling, so why spend 9 hours driving. Bike racers are a fickle lot!
P.S. You'll notice that those weak westsiders are so weak ("lame") that they don't go west for cross races either:
http://pnwbuckeye.blogspot.com/2006/11/seattle-area-cross-racers-are-lame-and.html
Post a Comment