The CCR Army invaded Sportsman Lake Park in Cullman Al. for the season finale of the 2008 Bamacross season. The grueling muddy conditions from the prior week had been traded in for much cooler temperatures, and yes, more mud. Sportsman Lake Park is a unique course that incorporated your standard issue man made barriers and steep run-up, but also took into account the parks unique attributes. We traversed part of the lake itself, crossed a creek and a bog, ran around a jungle gym area that was filled with pea gravel, crossed back and forth over the mini-train tracks, rode some sweet fast single track, and had a triple tree crossing. Sprinkle in Christmas decorations, cowbells, screaming fans and you have yourself a perfect cyclo-cross venue.
As has been the trend all cross season long, the team raced with guts, heart, and dogged determination. Some were racing for a podium spot, others racing for that elusive top ten finish, others for that top ten overall, and others to top their best finish this season.
The cooler temperatures brought out the hard core crossers. There were no field fillers and no one timers. Lining up at the start line, though the fields were smaller, were the hardest of the hard. You knew looking around that the faces staring back at you were familiar. They were the same faces that you had toiled with all season long. You knew in your heart that there was going to be no let up, and that you were going to have to work, probably the hardest all year to realize your dream.
At the end of the day covered in mud, extremities numbed, lungs scorched by the cold, and facing sheer exhaustion the team closed the curtain on the 2008 season. The racing had been everything we could have hoped for and more. Stacey’s momentum was not affected by her off week, and she cruised home to victory in the women’s CX 4 race. Larry had again doubled up coming home 4th in the Master 35+, and 11 in the men’s CX 3/4 races. Mike Herring also did the double and raced to an 8th in the Master 45+, and 13 in the men’s CX 3/4 race. Chris Leven went out and seized the moment getting himself a top 10 in the CX 3/4 race with an 8th place finish. Diesel ground out a 7th in the men’s CX 4/5 race, and Zach doing what he does best brought home a 2nd place finish in the juniors race.
Before we left to go home, 2 of our own took their spots on the podium to be recognized for their achievement for the season. Zach finished the season ranked second in the Junior’s class. Stacey got to go one step higher on the podium and finished 1st overall for the women’s CX 4 class. For the rest of us, we had a 2 week wait till we found out how we finished. In his second full season of cross, and racing half of the Master 35+ series, Larry finished the year 7th, and 10th in the CX 3/4 series. Chris Leven, with his gutsy finale finish, blasted into a 15th place finish for the CX 3/4 series. Mike Herring racing in his first full year, finished the year 13th in the Master 45+ series, and 23rd in the CX 3/4 series. Lastly the rookie, and destroyer of many a bike part, Mike “Diesel” Garner, held on by a mere 4 points for a 5th place finish in the men’s CX 4/5 series. As a team we finished in 6th place for the series, the highest finishing rookie team.
Please enjoy probably our best photo gallery of the season, and race reports should be forthcoming. See you next season.
