Chris Wallace: Grand Prix HPT and Veterans Cross

This past weekend we were greeted with some unusually warm November temperatures in Kansas City but it made it perfect for the racing.
The Grand Prix HPT took place on Saturday night and was an "avondcross" (Flemish for evening cyclocross). The race was one of the coolest I have ever experienced; it was under the lights at the Heartland Raceway in Topeka. The course went on the dirt track, in the infield, and outside of the track making for a very unique course. I got an OK start and started to make my way up on the long straightaways of the race track. At the end of the first lap it was me and 3 others battling it out for the lead. The 4 of us were split up about mid race due to a crash. I was unfortunately in the wrong place at the wrong time and had to totally stop to avoid the rider. I rode the rest of the race alone trying to catch 3rd but was never able to and ended up 4th. Good race for teammate Joseph Schmalz who took the win.
The next day was the Veterans Cross race in Leavenworth. The course was what defenately made this race difficult, lots of climbing, bumpy, and very windy. The start went well and after the first lap I was with 2 other riders battling it out. Looking for more of a hard workout than a result I went to the front of our group and start to pull pretty hard. After 2 laps of this I was feeling pretty well spent and the 2 other riders were able to drop me and I was able to hang on for 3rd.
Overall it was a good weekend and my body is feeling good leading into Trenton next weekend and the beginning of the bulk of my season.