Cap City Cross #1 - Big Run Park, Columbus-Ohio

Big Run park - Cap City Cross

First race of the series and someplace Andy and crew have been trying to get their hands on for about three years. I'd say after today, it was worth the wait. This place was so cross. Lots of off camber, lots of twists, lots of flow and a bit of pavement.

The photos to the left are from the National championship course in Akron, Ohio - a little Ohio History for you readers.

We started at the bottom of the actual Big Run Park Soap box Derby hill on the pavement. I lined up with the Open Cat 3's and the Cat 3 - 35+ and 45+. I think a large group of just over 54 or so of the combined fields.

The start was fast and furious, with super speedy racer/ official and Ohio Cycling Association creator, Kirk Albers. Since myself, Layne and Tim had done some recon, we knew if the start or finish was on that pavement hill, it would be a determining factor each lap, at the start and at the finish. It was. The start was fun, I was sitting top 10, just where I wanted to be at the crest then recovering a little quicker and having more confidence than some into the super grass dip after the road crossing, much of the race was determined here and at the first hard left hand turn around our first fat tree.

From the tree we dodged a telephone pole on some fun off camber stuff then back hard right up and over the first set of flat ground-double barriers. After the barriers we elbowed our way into a wide section where some passing occurred each lap, then back across the same road and up onto the grassy side of the Derby hill itself. Up, down and up again over a short single barrier and up a very short steep run.
I actually enjoyed this run, each lap. I am not struggling this year with any of my previous years calf cramping issues. Good grief those hurt the last two years.

AT the top of the steep run up was a hard right down a steep off camber sweeping left turn, that was proving to be a determining area for the race and a challenge for those with no balls or lack of experience to find the right line and balance on the bike. John Proppe figured it out and had it down! As we twisted and turned up the grassy hillside within the tape we crested onto the pavement at the top of the derby hill, then back down to a set of super fun sweeping right, left right then along the tall grass to enter the straight away for the super steep hill dirt climb. This was so much of a mountain bike hill and seemed to prove a challenge again for some. The other side was a long run out into a hard left turn that was holding some moisture and also required braking at the right time to carry speed out of the turn.
We zig zagged back and forth along the bottom of the pavement and back out on the pavement for a brief moment, then back out at the way bottom for the long speedy hurtful climb back up the pave'.

I managed to not loose any places on the road section, and hold my own.

I did go down on the last lap, which certainly jarred my melon, I lost track of what lap we were on and lost two places at the line, but no biggie, it was my two teammates, Doug and Tim.

Had I not gone down on the off camber bumpy stuff, I might have had a 8th place overall in the 3's.

Ahh well, I still managed a 2nd place in the 35+ field, which was stellar. I was just super bummed I didn't get to physically stand on a podium for once.


<<< Kyle Wingler

Pics of the Elite racers, Single-Speeds  and some of the 3's that actually did two races.

<< This is Matt Weeks and Paul Martin.
Both very good racers, but Paul got the best of Matt at the bottom of the hill on the last lap and basically out sprinted him and made it look like Matt wasn't even moving - very impressive.

<<< Mason (SS) chasing Joe Hall

<< Greg Flecher ended up 5th in the Elite race.