Special Socks

To the naked eye most socks look a lot a like. Most are the same general shape with the difference being the height of the cuff and the colors chosen to decorate the sock. There are a lot of different styles, but in the end the shape is exactly the same and designed to provide cushion and protection for your feet in your shoes.

To a Cat 3 racer no socks are alike. They all still perform the same function, but there are some that just feel better. The feeling has nothing to do with foot comfort, whether the sock has cushions or are made of special merino wool, but the feeling is all mental. That feeling is knowing the time, effort, and dedication that made those socks yours.

Every racer I know jokes about "racing for socks" and that taking risks aren't worth the socks you will be rewarded with at the end of the race. In the end you aren't racing for those socks, you are racing for something very different and something that you can't assign to a possession. You are racing for achievement and the self-assurance that the time and effort spent over how ever many months it took you to get those socks was worth every minute.

For a majority of racers the dream of being a Category 1 racer in any category isn't unrealistic. The required time, genetic attributes, or financial backing are missing for a lot of category 3 racers, but that doesn't stop them from trying. Ask any 40+ year old category 3 racer about the good season and bad seasons and 9 out of 10 will relay that year where they were on it. They were unstoppable and could ride with the big dogs for a while, even if they couldn't beat them. They could place consistently in their category 3 races and it felt good. The same 9 out of 10 will also relay those years where their job, family, health, or another of life's gotchas preceded their desire to ride their bikes. They lost that year and then it took another year to get back into shape to race at a competitive level in the category 3 races.

I too can relay the good years and bad years, some times one right after the other. There was one year where I won several pairs of socks and then the following year had an accident and took three years to get back to where I could even think about winning a pair of socks.

Sure, you can say that the socks are a display of the glory years, that is a fine analogy. Cycling is too hard to not have something to display for your efforts. Socks may be trivial in many ways, but I still remember winning a pair of Domo Farm-Frites socks in 2003 at a road race where I busted my butt. I can also remember a pair of Descente socks I got at a crit in 1991 in college. I don't still have the Descente socks, but I still have the Domo Farm-Frites socks.

Say what you want, but if the sock fits, wear it.

Kings CX Weekend Recap

When Kings CX Weekend was created I never anticipated what it has become. The simple idea was a warm up race followed by an OVCX race to get the season started off, give everyone a chance to get the kinks out and then do some real racing.

This year we followed the same plan and put together what we thought was a pretty sweet course. Without any rain Kingswood was as hard as tarmac and finding nifty challenges through the course to try to keep the Elite's lap time over 5 minutes was starting to be a challenge. We managed to do that and with it being so dry it actually helped slow them down a touch since every corner was pure dust. If you overcooked a corner the course made you pay for it - or it made you strategically run through some tape. The course held its own and made people ride hard, fast, and take the necessary risks that define cyclocross racing success. There wasn't any mud or crazy hard stuff, but with the speed a slip would take you back a few spots and make you work to earn them back.

Organization wise the volunteers were amazing. So many people helping in so many ways and with no real way to adequately say thank you to all of them. Every time I turned around there was someone else who wanted something to do. When we were done with the tear down after the event there were people still hanging out and not leaving. Either they were basking in what we had just done, or told their wives they would be home at seven and since it was still before six they were milking it that much longer.

The highlight of my weekend of racing were my daughters. I have chronicled a lot of the steps and process we have gone through getting them into racing and working with them over the last year. The transition for each of them has been amazing to watch - and they each had a different experience this weekend.

Maddie went into the weekend very nervous and having not done two races in the same weekend on back to back days. The experience was going to be important to her development to understand several aspects of racing. First she was nervous - who would be there? How fast would they be? Were there any other Red Zone riders coming? Was Frances coming? How was she going to keep up? Why were the boys always in her way?

The first day went great for Maddie. She was pretty calm and collected and ready to go. The previous week's experience at Apple Cross had helped her figure out the process and combined with all the Kings CX TT practice she was ready. She took off pretty well at the start and collected a first place on the day.

The second day was a bit tougher. She woke up sore from the riding of the day before and was sure she was probably not going to be able to move. But she quickly figured out that her body would warm up and get loose and ready to roll. She was clearly not as motivated or fast, but that didn't matter - her only goal was to ride well and finish. She picked up second behind Frances and life was good.

Then this morning she nearly cried trying to get out of bed. How will I make it!?! A warm shower and some coaxing from Mom and she was out the door to the bus and in a much better mood after school. Quite the learning for her to figure out and clearly a moment where she started to understand her capabilities.

Kenzie was a different story than Maddie. She has raced back to back days several times previous to this weekend and knew what the drill would be - and how it should be approached. The bigger issue would be remembering to do all those things we had learned last year - especially with me being completely out of pocket running the event.

Her race got started and you could see in her eyes that the focus and attention was not there. She was riding, but not racing, and after the race she knew. She has grown so much in the past year that no one needed to even approach her on what happened, she offered up all on her own. She knew that she hadn't warmed up properly, hadn't eaten properly, and that lead to mental difficulties focusing and physical difficulties performing. While we aren't worried about results, we want the girls to understand the value of preparation and being ready for events, whether they are athletic or otherwise.

Kenzie knew what she needed to do and talked to the right people about what to do the next day. Malissa was a huge help because as it turns out nutrition is a difficult thing for someone of Kenzie's metabolism and slight build. This is an issue I have never faced, but not of slight build and capable of going all day on peanut butter toast at 6:30am. Malissa and Kenzie set up a plan for the next day that included the proper nutrition and the proper warm up before her race.

Kenzie toed the line with four other Nationals level competitors in the girls 13-14 race and you could see the different level of focus in her eyes. The timid, nervous girl of Saturday had left and the determined girl of Sunday had shown up. Maybe she is just mean to race on Sundays, but about a lap into the race she unleashed the best riding I have seen her do in the 14 months she has been riding.

Kenzie was clearly behind two other girls that have been stronger than her through this early season after the first lap, but put in an effort to catch both of them individually and pass them and then turn on the power. She was riding with a look in her eyes that told me not only does racing mean something to her, but that she really wants it. No matter how hard you try as a coach or a dad you can't create or coach that look, that determination, the kids have to want it themselves and it has to be up to them. She wanted to win and at a minimum wanted to do well on this Sunday and was putting in the effort to make it happen.

In the most exciting sprint of a Girls 13-14 cyclocross race I have ever seen, and probably the most exciting sprint of the weekend for all races, she and Katherine sprinted it out for first place. Kenzie was pipped at the line and took second place home, but took home a lot more than a second place prize for her efforts. The desire has to come from within, but confidence also has to be earned to stoke that desire. Kenzie helped stoke that desire this weekend and got the feedback she needed to know that the efforts are not going without results.

The competition in the girls 13-14 juniors this year is going to be fantastic and teach the girls a lot about competition and racing.