It's Friday, six days since I last straddled the Blue, and I'm already bouncing off the walls to do something cycling related; yes I still work my core and play basketball but not the same. I say this because every year after the last 'cross race I break down all my bikes for maintenance and don't re-build until Jan 1. I do this to to give myself a mental and physical break and avoid burnout by March... It's worked great in the past, but for some reason I don't feel tired or ready for down time so I'm going to keep the mtb together and get in some fun trail time for the remainder of December. Deb already asking if there isn't some place I can go and ride/race, which means I'm getting irritable (sorry sweetheart).
Speaking of Deb, I want to thank her so much for letting me disappear weekend after weekend for the last three months while I played 'racer'. You are awesomely patient and I can't imagine too many other wives letting a husband do what you let me do - THANKS!!!! ***I should just copy this section and keep it to 'paste' throughout 2011***
The Year in Review is pretty uneventful for the most part, but here's the highlight:
- Ran SwampStomper 25k with Jake in Memphis (3rd year) in January
- Hung up the running shoes and hopped on the bike
- Handful of mountain bike races coming up
- Broke arm riding with Ira in Arkansas and riding is done for six weeks
- Bored out of my mind, but started riding one-armed on the trainer
- Finally raced (in May) at local Waffle event
- Played catch up and got my butt handed to me at The Breakthrough races
- Still building speed/strength but suffered at Tour of Lawrence
- Got to know SRAM warranty dept (a couple of times)
- Local road (Waffle - St John's boys) and mtb short track series (A&B crew) was a blast and got me moving with some fire in the belly
- 'Cross starts great but mechanical @ Hermann left me frustrated (and camperless)
- Traveled to KC area most weekends and once to STL
- Raced better than have in years so I did a lot of Open/A and 2/3 events.
- Tulsa was a blast, but dusty and tons of flats
- STL is... STL (lame courses compared to west coast, but fast dudes)
- Jingle Cross is incredible (a staple from now on) and first REAL course/conditions requiring bike handling, which worked out well for me
- Disappointing flat legs at State and finished well off the leaders
- Had my share of 'mechanicals' this year with some user error and others fluke stuff
THE MOST FUN I'VE HAD IN YEARS RACING MY BIKE and also got to know some new quality fellow racers!!!!!!
Upcoming 2011 looks to follow the path of the last couple years with mtb'ing late winter/spring, shifting to crit racing late spring/summer killing time until the FOCUS ('cross). Trying to figure out some finances to allow purchase of a 29er single speed for mtb'ing, but that is a far reach.
MWI has some exciting news coming out in the following weeks and I look forward to another year as part of the Jackalope Herd (don't know if 10 is a herd, but you get the idea).
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