This race has been around for several years.  The course is hilly and grassy.  

For the 2017 version, Jill is signed up for the Women's race at 12:05.

I"m about to sign up for the 40+ at 1pm.

Anyone else care to join in the fun?

I am in if you are willing to stick around for my race at 2PM.  Please let me know!  (847)393-3122

As is suggested above, Anthony and I headed out to Marty Cross Sunday.  

When we arrived, Dan Strika was racing the 50+, en route to 20th place.

Then Jill got going.

My race was the 40+.  No Roger Aspholm, as he's a cat I and prefers to race the elite men (spoiler alert: he won the elite men's race).  But Ralf Warmuth is in his league and the class of the 40+ field.  Small field.  I lined up behind Ralf, figuring he was the guy to watch.  

I followed him at the start, though he wasn't as explosive as I expected.  He got into 3rd place, I took 4th.  On the first sharp turn, he slid out, which cost me two spots.  Then, coming out of the next hard run, those guys couldn't hold their lines, I eased up, got around them, and was passed by one.  This guy wasn't as confident in turns as me, and seemed to be holding back a bit.  Which gave Ralf a chance to pass back.  He was motoring.  Wanted to go with him, but couldn't get around the guy in front of me.

I passed him on the steep hill.  I was trying to catch what appeared to be a front group for the second half of the first lap, with several guys on my wheel.  Felt like I was making up a bit of ground, but I wanted to get rid of the guys behind me.  

With the start of the second lap, I figured I could ride the tight, fast turns faster than the guys behind me, and that would give me space.  I took three of them pretty fast and opened up a small gap, but the fourth gave me trouble.  I slid my rear wheel out, and the chain came off the front.  I got up quickly, but two guys passed.  And then two more as I put on my chain.  

I passed one guy pretty quickly.  I think I got to a second, but I couldn't close on two more.  They hovered around 10-15 seconds ahead for the next two laps, then stabilized, and that was it.  

9th. (Warmuth won)  

Shoulda, coulda, woulda: probably should have ridden a bit more conservatively on that second lap, using the climb to separate myself from the group I was leading.

(Apologies to Anthony.  I should have offered up the bike wash station in my basement.  Next time, you're welcome to it)