Cycling Thu Sep 10 2009

Sessions

Cyclocross season is about to start and if you're anything like me, your dismount/remount technique is rusty. 'Cross is all about smoothness (and pain). You've got to be smooth on the power around the corners, smooth on the barrier dismount, and most importantly, smooth on the remount. Races are won and lost at the start and at the barriers.

So what's the solution? Practice and lots of it. By now most of the money's in the bank as far as training goes, but there's still time to get good at the technique of 'cross so that your first race isn't a comedy of errors, falls, and crashes. And practice with others is better -- lots of practice sessions are attended by local big guns that are more than happy to show some of the skills.

Here are some of the more official practice sessions throughout Chicagoland.

Pony Shop (Wednesdays, 6 p.m.) at James Park, Evanston

Bicycle Heaven (Tuesdays, 6:15 p.m.) - Starts Sept 15th. at Bicycle Heaven (12 East State St., Geneva)

MOX (Wednesday, 6 p.m.) at MOX Multisport (738 W. Randolph, Chicago)

You didn't hear it from me, but Cricket Hill (Montrose and the Lake Front Path) is home to impromptu 'cross sessions most mornings at 6:30 a.m. and p.m. With Jackson Park only a week away, time's short to get good.

— Zach Thomas / Comments (0)