Future Dave

This is a note to my future self.  As most of these blogs are.  I get a kick out of  looking back at the past years and to see what I got right and what I missed.  Don't live in the past.  Live in the present.  Still it's cool to take a peek back every now and then.

So Future Dave, you took a look at last years post regarding nationals and the finals at Helen.  In it you said you were surprised to even finish the season due to THE INJURY.  Your confidence was rattled after your sight in lap at nats.  You feel much better about both races this year.

You are in good shape right now.  You didn't work on the tech skills like you were supposed to (no surprise here).  But you have been faithful to the OMTP.  More than in years past.  Just not the skills sets.

The Cannondale suspension has been rebuilt.  This should make a little difference in the rocks.  Please remember to have it serviced on a regular basis to avoid this huge unexpected expense.

This will be the last year for nationals for a few years.  Right now it is a relief.  The extra race at the end of the season, plus training in the heat of a Florida summer, makes it hard to just enjoy the vacation.

You still have misgivings about the 60+ class.  Please give it up.  Just enjoy the events.  It doesn't matter what others think.

Here is what you need to do going forward.  Stay healthy.  Eat less.  Meditate every day.  Keep up the yoga twice a week.  Enjoy the moment you are in right now.  Focus, on every moment, and on the people around you right now.  Do the work but enjoy the process.  Stop trying to control what happens, you can't, you can only control how you react.

Peace out.

Accccccworth

SERC #6, GSC #5  Acworth Ga.

Getting right down to business, the short track on Saturday was fun.  I did the pre ride on the XC course to get warmed up then watched Blake give first place in the yellow (fast) wave away.  He was confused about how many laps they'd run and let the local stay in front going through scoring, planning on passing him on the next lap, which he did, but it was all for nought and he ended up second overall.

I got a poor jump in the white wave (special needs classes) and ended up getting into the woods in fourth, behind two 40+ and two juniors.  The 40 guys pulled away and I settled in behind the kids.  Every time we came through scoring one of the tykes would pull a wheelie, causing mommy and daddy to squeal with delight.  

The race ended with a long gravel road section.  I went wide at the beginning and started the sprint.  I must have caught them by surprise as I got in front of them pretty quick.  From there I just moved over forcing them to back off or run into their cheering section.  There were no wheelies.  I ended up third overall.  There's a lesson here, if you're going to show boat you better be able to back it up.

XC Sunday

Only two of us in the 60+, sad.  I must have burned a match in the ST because neither my legs or my HR were happy about getting warmed up.  I started the race out at a reasonable tempo, managed to put a gap on Stan, then settled in.  I didn't have as much fun as I did at Chattanooga.  I blame it on both the ST and the trail.  Anyhoo, I caught all the 50+ and got into the 3-4 place Clydesdales.  They were having a race so since I had a gap and it was the end of the last lap I just rode behind them.  At least until we hit that same graded road finish.

Damn I make that BC kit look good

Yes I sprinted, yes they beat me, no I didn't cause the crash.  Two Clydesdales can't occupy the same space at the same time, something had to give, and it did.  Nobody was hurt.  I got first.  It was hot.  I had another good weekend.

Crawling toward the finish

Blake got a well deserved second in the Elites after one of the other riders had a mechanical.  He's getting so much stronger.

Looking Back

And then there were just two.  Time to find another class?

It wasn't my best race.  There was a small rock up and over that I didn't even attempt.  I had done it last year.  I even worried about it the night before.  I know better than to let one small part of a race worry me.  I do this for fun and every moment I spend not in a happy place is a wast of time.  In the end I walked it both laps, so did everybody that was around me.  Not really an issue as far as the race goes.  So all that negitive energy for nothing.

Only one more race in both series and that's the final at Helen.  I can't believe it's almost over.  Damn the time goes by fast.  I have certainly enjoyed doing this.  Every year I learn something new that adds to my ability to have fun at this bike racing stuff.

Blake is in the top 3 in both series.  Pretty good for his first year in elites.  I just have to finish Helen and will once again win both GSC and SERC in the 60+.  Once again I'll question my class choice.  I'm thinking about doing the Florida series.  We'll see.