Introduction
Ah, cyclocross. Ancient sport of the Euro-pro. Gray, nasty weather. Tough riders on skinny tires. I'd trade a pair of spiked Sidis for the chance to do one of those races.

If you've never tried cyclocross before, let me tell you: it can be a blast. It helps build your bike-handling skills and keep your fitness during winter, while keeping you entertained at a time when you might otherwise find it hard to train. Cyclocross races are short off-road races in a circuit-race format: 1- to 2-mile courses; short, steep hills; and a variety of surfaces from pavement to mud and sand.

The primary feature that all 'cross races share and that sets them apart from the other disciplines is obstacles that force you to get off your bike. Sometimes you will leap over something and get back on, other times you'll run with the bike for some distance. Now, if you're picturing those hike-a-bike sections in NORBA races, rewind and play it back at double speed. Cyclocross is a kind of dirt time-trial criterium where the key is to maintain high speed no matter what comes.

The Dismount    Watch the pros do it and it's breathtaking. Riders come swooping up to a big fence that anyone in his right mind would gingerly walk around. In an instant they're off the bike and running just as fast as they were riding, meanwhile lifting the bike in a gentle arc through the air over the fence, which flashes by under their feet as if it wasn't there, then whoops! and they're in the saddle again and away down the road before you've even had a chance to read the number on their jersey.

Now, when I was a novice the maneuver was executed somewhat differently. Soon after starting the race I'd build up a great head of steam, much as I might have done on the first lap of the criterium which served as my last race, two months previously. Around a corner, I'd find myself barreling down towards a medium-sized tree trunk which someone foolishly had laid over an otherwise quite perfect little trail. I'd fixate on the tree for a moment, wondering what on earth it's doing there, until all of a sudden it's nearly under my wheel. Slamming on the brakes, I'd swing my leg off the saddle (as I had practiced, oh, nearly ten times) in preparation for the dismount. Suddenly everything goes haywire and I'm hopping towards oblivion on one foot while the other foot, helplessly caught in the toe-clip, drags the bike behind me like an Adirondack bear-trap. (Clipless pedals are a big help in 'cross, by the way.) At the last moment, facing certain doom, I'd somehow disentangle myself and lunge headlong over the obstacle. Panting, miraculously safe and somehow thrilled, I'd clamber on and collect myself for the next go-around. And I'd do this about 50 times in the course of the race.

Why ride cyclocross?   If the preceding doesn't sound fun then you may be suffering from burnout. Check into a spa and get some R&R while you read over brochures from celebrity cycling camps. The rest of you will realize that cyclocross can be a great way to develop bike-handling skills, maintain a competitive edge through the winter, and along the way pick up some great power training. Practice a bit, and go into it with a positive attitude, and you'll have a blast.

Now, at this time of year, some USCF coaches may counsel you to get off the bike for a long time, because it's the "off-season". You need that rest, they say, to prepare for next year's peak performance. However, ask some of the most successful racers around and you'll find that there is no off-season; training continues year-round to maintain fitness. What better way to avoid the hell of regaining fitness in the spring after a winter off -- than to keep a base throughout the year? That's my philosophy: I'm treating 'cross as a fun way to keep myself from slacking off. Your needs may be different, but why not give it a try?

Particulars    To ride 'cross you need a bike and you need skills. For a bike, anything with knobby tires will work. Though technically 'cross is for 700c bikes, mountain bikes are acceptable (with bar-ends removed, per the rules) so if you already have one it's an easy way to get into the sport. At the other extreme, the hard-bodied rider could undertake 'cross with only a road bike and the fattest knobbies you can fit. Check a family-oriented bike shop for 700c knobbies designed for hybrids, or look in mail order catalogs like Excel Sports or Schwab Cycles. You can also read this survey of 'cross tires for a thorough list of tire selections. Deep-tread touring tires also will work OK if the trail isn't too soft or muddy.

For skills, it is highly recommended that you check out one of the 'cross clinics given in the area. If you can't make it to a clinic, borrow a book or talk to someone who does 'cross.

Training basics    First, work a program of running into your schedule. Try adding a short run after an evening ride, especially as the receding sunsets are shortening your rides. The ride will give you a great warm-up, and the run will extend your workout a while longer. A run of 15-20 minutes is good; up hills is even better. Also set up some obstacles in your driveway or on a lawn and practice dismounts and remounts. The hardest part is getting used to carrying your momentum into a dismount -- at first feels very unnatural to be pedaling one moment, then sprinting on foot the next. Take it easy at first and learn to keep your balance as you increase speed. Work on your skills and try a race -- and have fun!