Super Duper CX Prestige in SF

The good thing about racing so late in the day is that most people are done, eating their bbq'd weanies and drinking their beer and they're happy and there are lots of cheers.
I like that part.
The bad thing about racing so late in the day is the warming up on the trainer part while they all drink their beers and the smell of bbq'd meat is wafting towards you and they're running around with meat on sticks, sticking it in your face saying, do you want meat on a stick?
Uh, no thanks.
And sometimes your husband gets cranky because he's getting ready for his second race before your first race and he wants you to take his bike to the pit way up on the hill and then feed him, but you just want to get a pre-lap ride in, in between races because you can't be on the course while others are racing so there's a very small window to ride the course. And then maybe a little warm up in.

But you have to take the 8 year old to the portapotty. And she's complaining because none of her friends are there and she wants hot chocolate.

I don't think warm ups on trainers help me anyway and I don't like cyclocross courses that pretend to be cyclocross courses but are really mountain bike courses.
And while we're on the subject, in fact, I hate McClaren park. But at least this year I finished the race. Last year I hated it so much that I stopped half way through and slid out from the course tape while mumbling fuck you mcClaren all the while i was walking back to the tent.

This year I told myself I'd at least finish it. And besides, it wasn't as bad as last year.
On the first lap, I heard someone say she looks so serious. This was after someone had elbowed and sorta pushed me into a pole. And I couldn't get off it. Again, with the poles. And I realized that I WAS too serious. Warming up on a trainer? Not smiling? Wanting to elbow that person back because she knocked me down and I couldn't stay upright? I'd seen her skills in action before, so I knew what might happen if I was close to her.
Yes, too serious.

So I took a deep breath and just did it. And smiled. And turned that frown upside down. And I felt better. And finished.