Last year my first race was Eco-Cross. It would have fallen on this past weekend a year ago.
This year, i have crashed in the lead to winde up off the back and raced to a mid pack finish, i raced way over my head and broke a chain 30 minutes in (hell call it a beginner race or a really short B-masters for intensity duration), and i raced twice on sunday.
Last year though i had Haverhill Crit and Bob Beal as two races leading up to eco-cross.
I feel far better and more comfortable getting on and off the bike. Heck last year (yes i'll admit to it) i stepped onto the left pedal and swung myself over the saddle. That was how tired, and how crappy my technical-ish skillz were (or weren't).
Baby steps, baby steps.
There are the gifted among us who can hop on a bike and win a race, any race. Then there are many of the rest of us. Genetically limited and forced to take the long road. The road that, with all the side tracks, takes years to reach some level. My gains are small. My results won't have me talking like Zank and the crew about counting points any time soon. Sure, i would love to be able to "count points" but i've put in a couple solid years in Michigan advancing to the sport ranks (back when it was beginner, sport and expert) and they counted. And well i kinda like racing to race. Racing to see if *next* time i can hang with CTodd. Cause ya know, if that kid could start he'd be doing much better. Then if i could keep from fading, heck i'd probably be better too. Anyway, CTodd had two great races.
I got thinking, yes i am so looking forward to Gloucester (New Belgium Worlds accorind to HUB united ceremonious leader Zank) but i would be decieving myself this year if i staked all my claims on it being my "A" race. I'm in good form. Getting better. But my A races will be the home state events at the end of the season. Steadmans and Goddard. A positive focus on steadily improving is the only way for a packfodder sod like me to not become disillusioned with mid pack results. And heck. At least i'm racing. At least i'm having fun doing it.
Yes, it is a spectator sport in other parts of the world (Belgium) where people PAY to go watch the big folks race. Here? Here in New Belgium, in New England and really all over the USA, it is a participant sport. Driven by the participants. Fueled by the guys and gals who measure success by finishing. By beating finally that one person.
peace find your reason for motivation and make it a positive one
G
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10 comments:
You've got the right view man... baby steps. With everything else you've got (like most of the rest of us), any step forward is a big one.
2 years ago my only race was Canton on a 1994 Trek 820 "mountain bike". Last year my first race was Canton, I did a few more, and then I rode nationals on a $300 single-speed. This year I've got Moby Dick, I've done 3 races before Oct 1, and I'm seeing some progress... baby steps... maybe by next year I can heckle CTodd as I pass him rather than from the sidelines...
yo G, you have defined what makes cross grand. It's not like the road where only the top 10 are scored. I have been to crits where they only scored top 5! Not cool. But it's also not like mtb racing where you are alone battling the course. In cross, there will always be someone around you to race. There is no pack fodder in a cross race, because no matter where you are in the race, you are usually racing someone else. Cool, eh?
Oh, and it's HUP United. Not hub united :-)
Nice work out there on Sunday doing the double. Wayyyy tougher than me. I wouldn't have dreamed about lining up again!
doesn't the double hurt in an ohhhh soo good way?
Congrats from your loudmouthed cheering section! Thanks for letting me know you're NOT the tallest guy in the race :)
-Karin (obie119.livejournal.com)
hey, nice header pic.
yooooo.
drop me a line about the PT.
jjziemba (at) gmail (dot) com
Dang G, this post really hit home for me, I hear ya on all the points counting, I'm constantly thinking "if only I can get this much training in I'll be that much better" but when it comes down to it no matter how much training I get in I'll still be a middle of the pack rider. Then again for most of last year my ONLY goal during a cross race was trying to keep up with Zank or Yash, that alone can be enough motivation to keep you going.
in a way, you have the point-counters beat -- eventually we will all become pack fodder, the only difference is what level it is at. you've already reached equilibrium and you're reasonably happy there, whereas someone like me is going to eventually hit an improvement wall, and will cross still be fun if I'm lifer cat 2 pack fodder?
Colin, we will still have each other to race as cat 2 fodder :-)
oh you'll be paying if you come to the NoHo race this year. . .the park is grumpy. . .
and z--in new england, the series points are only counted for the top ten. that's why i don't give a poop about the new england series--i don't think i have a shot at a top ten in a uci race. . .may as well race in the midatlantic where they have 1) a master's women's category 2) first barrier premes 3) the Win Ken's Money series
it's just a bit of a buzzkill for some of us old ladies. . .
bah.
humbug.
i need to go ride.
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