Upgraded!

After racing 80% of a cyclocross season as a cat 4, it was time to make the jump to cat 3.race.  My cat 3 debut was at Brookside Park in Indianapolis.  About 3 years ago, Chad and I went to watch the cyclocross race at Brookside, and it was very foreign to me.  I had never seen a cx race and I never thought that I would be racing at that same venue just a few years down the road.  I was really nervous, because the course was muddy and I really didn't want to come in last.  I had to start in the back because I wanted my cat 4 points to stay in cat 4 so that I could be eligble for the overall at the end of the year. I didn't think that it would matter, but it did.  Being last became a distant memory once I realized that I was stuck behind 10ish girls that were slowing me down from making contact with the group I wanted to be riding with.  Everyone around me kept crashing and I had to get off once to go around a pile up on a muddy hill and then I crashed once when a girl in front of me crashed on an off camber section. 
During the crash, about 3 girls passed me and I never saw them again.  I was too far behind by then to see them and I was riding by myself between the 2 groups.  That was kind of boring and I was pissed that I missed the girls directly in front of me.  Lesson learned...ride my ass off the first 1/2 lap to get in a good position. 
As I learned in the cat 4 races, position matters to an extent, but it is not a deal breaker.  If I were strong enough and didn't crash, I would have been fine.  Next year, I will make it a priority to start and race up front in the elite race. 
Only 2 more races left and then I will be back to Ironman focused training!  I am going to miss all of this cyclocross madness and I have learned a lot and enjoyed this new experience!