Nothing New

I have discovered that I don't particularly enjoy riding with a large group on the road.  It makes me nervous.  Big Worm tells me I'll get used to it with experience but I have my doubts.  Like at the Heartbreaker in Gainesville, I stayed tense right up until the time I got dropped, then I started to enjoy the ride.  Granted the amount of effort I was putting out dropped also but I could feel my shoulders and neck get loose as soon as the pack pulled away. 

Maybe it's from seeing so many people doing really stupid stuff at the start of a hare scrambles, or worse, off the gate at a motocross race.  I don't mind taking chances with my skills and reaction time but I have a problem trusting someone I don't know.  I guess I'll never make it as a roadie.

After the Heartbreaker Jim said that I must be sticking to the plan because I rode so slow.  I assume he was alluding to the fact that on that day the OMTP called for 45 min. at zone 5 and that was all I did (or could do) while they went at that pace for 2 hours.  I have excuses.

No a drinking cat is not my excuse.  I just like cat pictures.

After that particular ride we stopped in for a bite at a Mexican restaurant and being all thirsty we ordered a beer.  "Would zoo like de leetle one or de beg one?" our waiter asked Tim.  "Oh bring me the big one" he announced with a swagger.  So Jim and I, not wanting to look like wimps, said "yea, we want a big one too".  We managed to force it down.  Hey I didn't want to get dropped on the beer and the ride.

 

Racing

Less than 2 weeks until GSC #2.  My weight is 1 pound over my goal, which is 3 pounds under where I was at race 2 last year.  I still fear I haven't put in enough long hard efforts.  The only comfort I find in this is that this is a "B" race as far as the plan goes.  I don't know exactly what that means but it makes me comfortable so don't tell me.