I've taken a leave of absence from participating in anything cycling-social. At the Kelly Acres CX race, our kind and wise upgrade coordinator approached me to let me know what the word on the street was. Apparently, more than a few people were not happy with my participation in CX races, particularly the Men's C at Charm City and the few B races I did thereafter. On the face I can understand how complaints would come, but it wouldn't take more than a second of spectating to see that I CLEARLY am at the very BEST a C racer.

Next year I will either wear an anonymous kit so that people don't confuse me with an elite cross racer, or not race at all. It isn't that I'm afraid of coming DFL, but that cyclocross races are fun when you are riding in the vicinity of other racers, which won't happen to me in the A field. Also, I ruin enough weekends out of the year with 1/2/3 races, so the early morning starts of the B and C races are very attractive to me.