Today I participated in the Castle Cross cyclocross race in Castle Rock. It was my first cyclocross race so I wasn't sure what to expect. I also was unsure about registering for the single speed class seeing how I would be riding my mountain bike.

I arrived about an hour before my race, registered and started to warm up on the course. I was instructed at the registration table that I was allowed to warm up during the first two laps and at the end of the race. I guess I misunderstood because when I arrived at staging for my race I was told that I would be penalized one position because I was illegally out on the course during the previous race. I didn't have high expectations for a podium position so it really didn't bother me.

Lesson 1: You can warm up during the first two laps of a race and after the leader finishes a race. But that's it.

Also, when I arrived at staging, I noticed that I was the only single speed racer that had a mountain bike. I thought to myself, hmmmmm, it's probably not going to matter that I was penalized one position but I was determined to do my best.

The ref blew his whistle and we were off! We bolted across the parking lot, up a small climb, through a serpentine section and then hit our first straight away. I was with the pack all the way through this first section but when we hit the straight I realized the benefit of having a cyclocross specific single speed because the entire field just rode away from me.

Lesson 2: You can race with a mountain bike but don't expect to keep up with the cyclocross specific bikes.

After the straight away there was a small downhill section with some tight turns so I was able to hang with 2 other racers and even passed one for a time but was soon passed back.

I hung with these guys for a while but one started to pull away and it was soon just me and the one other guy. I stayed with this guy for a few laps but he got a flat so I actually passed him and left him for good.

One thing I noticed during these laps with this other guy was the fans. They were pretty awesome cheering on the only mountain bike guy. Saying stuff like "c'mon mountain bike!" and "catch him on the downhill!". They helped to keep me going.

After I passed the one guy with a flat, my goal became to "not get lapped". I held off the other riders for a while until there was only two laps left and then I got lapped by the leaders. This was a bummer. I felt like just ending my race right there but the fans cheered me on so I stuck it out for my last lap and finished.

Lesson 3: Don't quit.

In the end, it was a fun race even though I didn't finish so well. Not sure if I'll do another cyclocross race but I would do a couple things different. 1. I'd use a cyclocross bike. 2. I'd enter the correct category race. I think if I had entered the Cat 4 race with a cyclocross bike, I probably would have done pretty well.

It was a fun event and a great workout!