No Expectations

Is it here already?  The last race in the Gone Riding Georgia State Series is this weekend in Helen Ga.  Am I prepared?  Not really.  And I'm not just saying that because Santa and FRSS will be reading this.  The OMTP (Old Man Training Plan) has run it's course.  I'm ready to just ride my bike when and how I want to.  No more hard days followed by recovery.  If I want to be stupid and hammer for three days straight and wind up feeling like crap I want to be able to do it, without any worry about how it might effect my next race.

Was it worth it?  Yea, I enjoyed the regiment in the plan.  It got me on the bike when I might have just had a beer on the porch instead.  It forced me to look at my diet, just look mind you, not really do anything different.  I learned I didn't start out the plan going hard enough.  The sport class has been much more difficult than base was (no offense R. H.).  If I get another chance at sport next year I'll be better prepared.  Awww, look, I'm already thinking about next year.

I just need to get through this weekend first.  The trail at Helen is the biggest elevation change we race on.  The forecast is for rain both Saturday and Sunday.  I don't do long sustained climbs very well.  Only one point separates me from 3rd place.  I really thought that if I placed in the top 5 at every race I'd be sitting on the box easily by the time we got to Helen.  Wrong.  Even in the base class lat year I had to beat R. H. plus put a rider between us to secure first place.  It's sad, I just wanted to be able to "show up" this year without worrying about how I did. 

Anyhoo, the crazy thing is I may get promoted to expert for next year.  Really?  Santa and Clydesdale will go also.  FRSS says he's retiring after this year.  I have no business in the expert class.  As a friend of mine said "I like beer too much to be an expert".  At 57 I,ll only have 3 more years till I can move back to base (if I choose).  I'll be the only expert rider who can't get over an 8" log.  It'll be embarrassing.

The kid has second place wrapped up so he'll be able to relax and enjoy his lap in the mountain's.  So however it turns out it's been fun.  I have an adventure coming up which will cause much envy amongst some of the 5 people who read this.  Stay tuned.