Seamons at the Cyclocross

29 December 2021 :

                                          Seamons at the Cyclocross

The North West Cyclocross Assocation (NWCAA) league is nearing it’s conclusion and I guess a fitting time to applaud those Seamons members who have been inspired by Ed Van Der Baldwin and pinned on a number in the name of competition, enjoyment and comedy moments.

The first round seems so long ago, at Beacon Park, but it was a corker, dry course, wooded sections, the whoops and a DJ booming out tunes. I was prepared, I had done a warm up, practiced dismounting and mounting (no sniggering) and got my tyre pressures dialed in. Stood near the Commissionaire’s I was beginning to wonder where everyone was, ah well I must just be early. Time passed and still no one, I asked a marshal what time it was, “12:15” was the reply, holy moly that’s my start time.

Panic starts to set in and the Marshall see’s me spinning like a top looking for the start, “o’er yonder fella” pointing across hedges and fields. I have never ridden so fast, hopping ruts, riding berms, powering up climbs, only to see the race start in the far distance, wave 1 gone and out of sight, this was supposed to be my race, wave 2 had started and now wave 3 had a 10 second count down, with legs and lungs stinging I didn’t let up, but not fast enough as wave 3 raced off,  I arrived just as the last rider exited the start funnel. No time to draw a breath I powered through the start, the look on the commissionaire’s faces was a picture to
behold, what a way to start the first race. The rest they say is just history and lessons learned. The rounds rolled on and as Cicero once said,
“Any man can make a mistake, only a fool keeps making the same one”, well I think I’m officially certified as a fool. No matter what I try, I never seem to time it right, either far too early or as the gun goes. Let’s just put it down as a work in progress.

Enough of my foibles, the roll call for fellow Seamons riders are, and in no particular order, Daniel De Mathers, Mark van Pryal and Matthew van der Siepen a huge apology if I have missed anyone.

It’s such a great feeling to line up alongside fellow club members, to be greeted with friendly and familiar faces, when all around, there are riders who look like racing snakes, who look like they are seasoned crossers, who look like they were born on cross bikes.

I for one have enjoyed my first full season of cross, and am already looking to next year. I’ve heard more races are planned and some are rumored to be on our doorstep too. The season bows out with Macclesfield Super Cross this Sunday, followed by Salford RC’s at Buille Hill a couple of weeks later.

Dip you toe in the mud, you never know, you might like it?

Lee Spencer

Photos courtesy of Ellen Isherwood